Can an Icchantika make any form of progress along the Buddhist path? For those Buddhists who claim that some sentient beings are Icchantikas, do they mean that those sentient beings cannot make any form of progress along the Buddhist path?

All I know is that, following tao-sheng, most Buddhists think that the Icchantika has buddha-nature, and that the term can also refer to Bodhisattvas, who postpone their Buhddhahood. What I'm especially interested in is whether an Icchantika can make progress toward arhatship, anything like that?
"Possessing" grave wrong view (niyata micca ditthi) is one of the 6 reasons why one is, better does (since holding a view is an action) incapable to grow in Dhamma, incapable in reaching even paths or fruits, yes. But! ...to think that the view of a being is something inherent, lasting, not conditioned, for it's own, is already near niyata micca ditthi. So beware of Mohayanas.


  The so-called 'evil views with fixed destiny' (niyata-micchāditthi) constituting the last of the 10 unwholesome courses of action (kammapatha), are the following three:
  
  (1) the fatalistic 'view of the uncaused ness' of existence (ahetukaditthi),
  
  (2) the view of the inefficacy of action' (akiriyaditthi),
  
  (3) nihilism (natthikaditthi).


Those who hold such views are for the most already on the "highway to hell".

Those views are actually not seldom, even under "Buddhist" and therefore it's very importand, even if having tendency toward such views, to do an effort and seek out for people with right view to assosiate with. See How to address wrong view?

To be incapable to change one view has to do with "stupidy" or mental defect, and as such is also a root reason that no grow in Dhamma can be attained for the time such may last, arises.

Thinking that being have such as a inherent Buddhanature or not, the current potential to awakening, or not, such is also grave wrong view. And it's mostly the case that things which one makes himself busy outwardly are very related to ones own case and so take care.

Whether there are being generally not able to gain way out, how many beings would reach awakening... all such answers the Buddha did not gave into, using to teach "simply" cause and effect, "from this comes that", "with the arising of this, that arises", and it's good to watch out simply this, giving much faith into focus just on causes, for effects of them come by themself.

(Note: not given for trade, exchange, stacks or entertainment supposed to bind but as an exit out of the wheel here.)