Brandon Saad ranks No. 28 in The Athletic’s Top 100 NHLers under 25
Saad is among three Blackhawks to make the list.
Chicago Blackhawks forward Brandon Saad ranked No. 28 in Corey Pronman of The Athletic’s top 100 NHL players under age 25.
Pronman’s rankings are “based on talent assessment of who I believe will have the best NHL careers. This ranking is not based on how well a player will perform in the 2017-18 season.”
The other parameters: “To qualify a player needs to have played at least 25 NHL games in one season, or 50 career games, and be under the age of 25 by September 15, 2017.”
Here’s what Pronman said about Saad:
“So, Saad is in Chicago now. Sure, why not? I guess you would say it’s not a very Saad situation. (I apologize for nothing.) Saad does a lot of good things. He’s a skilled forward with pro size with an above-average shot. He may never reach the highest levels of performance, as he’s looked about roughly the same player for the last few years, but he’s a decent top-line forward who can score, with reasonable defense.”
Saad wasn’t the only Blackhawks player to make The Athletic’s list. Nick Schmaltz is ranks No. 94, while Hartman is slightly higher at No. 88. Pronman says Schmaltz “can be a dominant playmaker,” but his all-around game has major issues. Hartman is a “decent two-way forward who I think has a little more skill in his game than he gets credit for.”
Blackhawks defenseman Gustav Forsling and Connor Murphy were among honorable mentions on the list.
