A shoulder injury ended Hronek's campaign in late March, though there's not too much reason to be concerned. He picked up a career-best 39 points over 64 games between the Canucks and Red Wings in 2022-23. Despite that performance, he was deemed expendable by Detroit at the trade deadline. At 25 years old, Hronek is probably the second-best blueliner on the Vancouver roster behind Quinn Hughes. Hronek has noticeably more physicality and can work on the second power-play unit. He can push for 40 points if he stays healthy with near 100 hits and 80 blocked shots, and he should be a fixture in the Canucks' top four.
The fact Hronek finished last season with a career-high 38 points seems great on the surface, but a deeper dive into the numbers reveals cause for concern. For starters, Hronek posted a minus-29 rating. His average ice time dropped by well over a minute to 22:02, while his time with the man advantage dipped 40 seconds to 1:53 per contest. Hronek also posts middling totals in terms of hits and blocks. The emergence of Moritz Seider as Detroit's unquestioned No. 1 defender doesn't help matters, either. Don't reach for Hronek in your draft this fall.
Hronek's was one of Detroit's best players this past season. Yes, it's a low bar, but the talented young rearguard displayed some legitimate improvement. Hronek's minus-18 rating from last campaign appears dreadful on the surface, but it's miles better than the minus-38 mark he posted a year earlier. Hronek has 11 goals and 57 points (22 with the man advantage) in 121 games over the past two seasons, more than respectable numbers for a kid who won't turn 24 years of age until November. He doesn't offer much in terms of blocks and hits and he is basically undraftable in leagues which value plus-minus rating, but those seeking a point-producing defender could do far worse in the mid-to-late rounds.
Hronek is perhaps the most gifted scorer among Red Wings blueliners entering 2020-21. Last year, he netted nine goals and 31 points, and while he had a minus-38 rating, that's a product of him logging 23:54 per game on a team that was nearly always the second best on the ice. There's plenty to like about the 23-year-old Czech defenseman. He posted 105 hits and 74 blocked shots in 65 contests last year, showing he can contribute without scoring. Assuming the Red Wings improve from their league-worst play from last year, Hronek could challenge the 40-point mark in his third full season in 2020-21. With solid supporting numbers, Hronek is worth a middle-to-late round pick in fantasy drafts.
While injuries largely paved the way for Hronek to make an Opening Night appearance, the Czech defenseman ended up flaunting his offensive acumen to the tune of five goals and 23 points through 46 contests, including a goal and four helpers on the man advantage. His minus-10 rating -- while not very useful in fantasy settings -- could have been much worse as a rookie playing for a Detroit team that permitted 50 more goals than it scored. The Red Wings otherwise lack right-shot defenseman that can move the puck on the power play, and as a result, Hronek projects to secure a full-time, 20-minute role in 2019-20. More growing pains are expected, but the upside is readily apparent when it comes to No. 17.
Hronek set the offensive standard among defensemen for AHL Grand Rapids in 2017-18, amassing 11 goals and 28 assists to complement a plus-24 rating through 67 contests. Most of the hype is centered around Hronek's two-way game, with his first-rate instincts promising to bear fruit in the NHL someday. The Red Wings picked the Czech prospect in the second round (53rd overall) of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft after he dominated the OHL circuit with Saginaw having recorded more points (61) than games played (59). Considering the Wings finished 28th in scoring and ranked only four spots higher than that on the power play last season, Hronek should be fast-tracked to hockey's biggest stage, but a full-time role out of the gate is not guaranteed.
