In a recent collaboration between Dom Luszczyszyn from The Athletic and his colleagues Shayna Goldman and Sean Gentille, a new project was born. Luszczyszyn had previously worked on Player Tiers and decided it was time to dive into Prospect Tiers. This endeavor marked a departure from his usual annual drafted prospects ranking as it was influenced by NHL scouts and analysts, creating a more comprehensive view of the talent pool.
The process involved categorizing over 115 under-23 skaters into different tiers including MVP, Franchise, All-Star, Star, and Support. However, the project didn’t end there. Luszczyszyn sought feedback from NHL scouts to fine-tune the list, aiming to achieve a consensus view of the top young players in the game.
The road to completion was not without its challenges, but with input from nearly two dozen industry sources who chose to remain anonymous, the project gained momentum. The feedback from these sources served as a valuable resource in shaping the final prospect tiers.
Despite the complexities of ranking young goaltenders, Luszczyszyn offered his loose placement of eight top young goalies in the sport, including names like Jesper Wallstedt, Yaroslav Askarov, and Spencer Knight. He acknowledged the difficulty in projecting these players but highlighted their potential impact on the game.
In the end, the Prospect Tiers project came to fruition thanks to the collaboration with industry experts and the dedication of Luszczyszyn and his team. The landscape of young talent in hockey was dissected and analyzed, offering fans and analysts alike a glimpse into the future stars of the sport.
