Is your fantasy hockey season done? It depends on what format you play. Most redraft leagues completed their championships last week, and their GMs can shift their collective focus to playoff pools or other sports. But if you play in a keeper or dynasty format, the game never really stops.

Depending on league rules and preferences, a lot of fantasy players will have to declare their keepers for 2025-26 soon. The process is multi-faceted. Protecting superstars such as Cale Makar or Connor McDavid is the easy part. If your league limits the number of keepers, you’ll have to make some difficult choices between aging veterans and rising youngsters.

But there’s another phase of keeper declarations that can separate the elite fantasy teams from the mediocre ones in the long term: getting the jump on your opponents by snagging high-upside prospects late in the season while your league player pool is still accessible (assuming you aren’t locked from making moves). Over the past 10 days, we’ve seen a slew of elite prospects from the NCAA turn pro, and they’ve only just been added to the waiver wire in most leagues. A few more big college names may still go pro between now and the end of this season and will soon be eligible for pickups in fantasy. Some other top prospects have recently earned NHL recalls from the AHL and still carry extremely low ownership numbers, albeit that partially reflects redraft leagues in which there’s no reason to add them.

If you want to chase upside and stash a few players with potential to make a difference as rookies as early as next season – and become key long-term assets – here are my top 20 NHL-affiliated prospects to stash in keeper leagues for next season.

First, some crucial disclaimers:

– This is NOT a comprehensive breakdown of the best prospects in the NHL. These players are ranked by how much I expect them to contribute in fantasy hockey next season. Rutger McGroarty, for instance, is not the fourth best NHL-affiliated prospect in the game, but he has looked like he belongs in his late-season cup of coffee with the Pittsburgh Penguins and should be a top-nine NHL forward at worst next season.

– Yet-to-be drafted prospects such as projected top 2025 picks Matthew Schaefer, Michael Misa and James Hagens don’t count. NHL-affiliated only for this exercise.

– A reminder that this list is about fantasy. So even if, for instance, New Jersey Devils shutdown defenseman Anton Silayev is a great real-life prospect, his fantasy upside is limited, whereas flawed scoring machine Andrew Cristall of the Washington Capitals makes this list because of his intriguing fantasy ceiling.

– If an NCAA prospect who hasn’t yet gone pro makes this list, it means I project him to turn pro between now and next season.

– Prospects who have already broken through, accrued 10 plus NHL games and/or appear to have permanently made their teams don’t qualify. Examples: the Capitals’ Ryan Leonard and the Blues’ Jimmy Snuggerud. They’re already playing top-six roles and will be important contributors on playoff teams.

Let’s begin. Yahoo ownership number in brackets.

1. Ivan Demidov, RW, Montreal Canadiens (7% rostered)

Pause reading right now and SPRINT to your league’s wire if Demidov is available. It’s legitimately not an exaggeration to call the dynamic Russian the Habs’ highest-ceiling forward prospect since Guy Lafleur. Demidov broke the KHL’s scoring record for under-20 players this season. He has the talent and well-rounded tool box to be a 100-point scorer and challenge for major individual hardware in the NHL. Put differently: in fantasy leagues, he could be a first-rounder someday. Regardless of who goes first overall in the 2025 NHL Draft, I like Demidov as the 2025-26 Calder Trophy frontrunner. On top of his tremendous hands, he also brings intelligence and enough of a two-way sense to be entrusted with significant ice time right away.

2. Zeev Buium, D, Minnesota Wild (NCAA, not added yet)

Credit to my colleague Steven Ellis for being ahead of most in projecting Buium’s massive upside a couple years back. Buium is an all-around dominator at the position, the type of player who will drive the play, work the top power play unit and log 25 minutes of ice time per night in the NHL. He’s not the biggest guy, but Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, Lane Hutson and more are tell us the concept of “undersized” is becoming dated. It might be too hyperbolic comparing Buium to Makar and Hughes, but I can see Buium becoming a lefthanded Adam Fox in terms of fantasy impact before long.

3. Zayne Parekh, D, Calgary Flames (1% rostered)

Only nine OHL defensemen have recorded 100 points in a season. Parekh is the first to do so since Ryan Ellis 14 years ago and just the second this century. That should tell you enough about his gargantuan fantasy potential. Better yet: the Flames need him. They sit 31st in the NHL in goals per game this season, below the pathetic Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks. While the likes of MacKenzie Weegar and Rasmus Andersson move the puck effectively, the Flames’ NHL roster lacks a traditional power-play quarterback. Translation: if Parekh can stick with the big club next season, he could end up on PP1 as a rookie. The impact could be Hutson-like.

4. Rutger McGroarty, Pittsburgh Penguins (2% rostered)

As I alluded to, McGroarty isn’t the most talented player on this list. But he has a feisty, NHL-ready power forward game and he has looked good across his first eight NHL games – really good. The Pens hold a 57.86 5-on-5 expected goal share with him on the ice. No Pens regular with 20-plus games tops that number this season. McGroarty left Tuesday’s game after getting hurt while blocking a shot, and the Pens have shut him down for the year since they’ve missed the playoffs, but McGroarty showed enough to be a lineup fixture next year. His speedy, hardworking game made him a sensible Sidney Crosby linemate on paper, and McGroarty didn’t look out of place in that gig when given the chance. Banger-league players, take notice: he had 12 hits in his eight games.

5. Gabe Perreault, RW, New York Rangers (1% rostered)

Perreault hasn’t popped or played a ton in his first taste of the NHL late this season, but that presents an opportunity to snatch him up. Perreault, the son of longtime NHLer Yanic Perreault, doesn’t necessarily stand out in any particular skill, but the scoresheet doesn’t lie. Perreault set the single-season scoring record for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program two years ago, racking up 132 points. The veteran-laden Rangers have seemingly held back some of their young forwards’ development in recent seasons, most notoriously that of Kaapo Kakko, but a looming playoff miss could turn the tide there. If they’re no longer top Stanley Cup contenders, will they show more of a willingness to led the kids play next year? It wasn’t great to see Perreault healthy scratched this week, but we can’t say for certain Peter Laviolette is back as head coach next season.

6. Dalibor Dvorsky, RW, St. Louis Blues (1% rostered)

He lit up the OHL in his one season there. He delivered 20 goals and 44 points in 59 AHL games in his first year playing North American pro hockey. Dvorsky is a scorer, period, and just earned a late-season recall to a Blues team closing in on a playoff spot. He’s adept at scoring goals and creating chances and setting up teammates, giving him a high points ceiling. Dylan Holloway became St. Louis’ breakout star this season, and Jimmy Snuggerud has turned pro as well, but while those two are more power forward types, Dvorsky is more likely to become the team’s top scoring threat three to five years down the line. In the short term, on a deep team, he could be one of the top-scoring rookies next season.

7. Cal Ritchie, C, New York Islanders (0% rostered)

Surely someone owns Ritchie in fantasy, but the number must have been rounded down from 0.49 percent or lower, hence the “0%.” He’s torn up the OHL over the past few seasons and, because he’s one of the most intelligent prospects in hockey, he plays a pro-ready game that could help him bypass AHL deployment. The Islanders certainly need to inject their lineup with young upside. Even after trading Brock Nelson, they’re the sixth-oldest team in the NHL by average age. It’s easy to envision Ritchie sticking in their top nine and earning a big role as a rookie in 2025-26.

8. Matthew Savoie, C, Edmonton Oilers (1% rostered)

If you follow me on Twitter/X, you’ll know the Buffalo Sabres fan base has a blast chirping me every time Ryan McLeod scores, as I was critical the day Kevyn Adams traded Savoie for him. So far, so good for Buffalo on that deal, but will the Oilers get the last laugh? Savoie, a small, shifty playmaker, has acquitted himself well in his first full AHL season. He won the fastest skater competition at the AHL All-Star Game as a rookie. It’s only a matter of time before he gets a proper shot to stick in the NHL – and the thought of him getting any exposure to Edmonton’s power play is tantalizing, though it will be tough to bump any of the stalwarts off the top unit early on in his career. If AHL Bakersfield fails to make the Calder Cup playoffs, maybe the Oilers give Savoie a chance to contribute during their push for the Stanley Cup if injuries continue to deplete their lineup. That would be a springboard to a breakout in the NHL next season.

9. Sebastian Cossa, G, Detroit Red Wings (1% rostered)

Cossa has earned an NHL job. He’s been one of the AHL’s best netminders for two years now. The 6-foot-6, 229-pound behemoth is the future of Detroit’s crease unless Trey Augustine has something to say about it in a few years. I can’t rank Cossa higher than this, however, given Cam Talbot and Petr Mrazek are signed through the end of next season for a combined $6.75 million. If Wings GM Steve Yzerman were to move one of them: bump Cossa up to fifth on this list.

10. Jesper Wallstedt, G, Minnesota Wild (3% rostered)

Marc-Andre Fleury will retire after this season, opening the path for Wallstedt to pair with fellow Swede Filip Gustavsson in the NHL going forward. We think. An elite goaltending prospect expected to start at least 25 games next season should theoretically rank several spots higher on this list, but I’m treading carefully because, let’s face it, 2024-25 has been rough for Wallstedt. His game tanked with AHL Iowa, and he openly struggled with his confidence and he recently lost a few weeks to injury. He’s still an immensely talented goalie, and his down year can partially be blamed on a weak Iowa team in front of him. He’s a must-own player if he does open next season with Minnesota, but has he struggled enough that GM Bill Guerin will consider papering over the No. 2 job with a veteran?

11. Alexander Nikishin, D, Carolina Hurricanes (KHL, not added yet): He’s probably the greatest KHL defenseman of all-time, and he’s just 22. This ranking may prove way too low, especially since his arrival is reportedly imminent, but I’m being conservative considering the KHL jump isn’t always smooth. Nikita Zaitsev was also a superstar in the KHL, remember?

12. Beckett Sennecke, RW, Anaheim Ducks (1%): I love his upside. He makes major junior look easy at times. Could he make the jump to the NHL next season? Maybe, but he needs to show he’s mature enough first.

13. Isak Rosen, RW, Buffalo Sabres (0%): Buffalo’s depth chart is seemingly always crowded with young forwards, but Rosen has earned his chance. He was pretty dominant in the AHL this year as a goal scorer and has little left to do there.

14. Sam Rinzel, D, Chicago Blackhawks (0%): He’s a big part of the Hawks’ future and is already logging big minutes since going pro – I’m talkin’ top pair and PP1. His ceiling isn’t that of an offensive dynamo; I expect him to be great in real life and merely useful in fantasy, if you’re wondering why he’s this low in the rankings.

15. Danila Yurov, RW, Minnesota Wild (KHL, not yet added): In addition to him being a dangerous scorer, there’s a good chance his contract, once signed, will include an out clause should be assigned to the AHL. Reading between the lines: the Wild are bringing him over in hopes he’ll crack the NHL lineup for good.

16. Jonathan Lekkerimaki, RW, Vancouver Canucks: He saw 24 games of NHL action this season, and he’s buried an impressive 19 goals in just 32 AHL games. He saw some time with Elias Pettersson in the preseason; will he get a longer look there with the Canucks in 2025-26? It sounds like the team still wants him to earn the spot rather than hand it to him.

17. Bradly Nadeau, LW, Carolina Hurricanes (0%): It’s always encouraging to see a player go pro and immediately excel. Nadeau jumped from the University of Maine to the Chicago Wolves and leads all AHL rookies in goals this season with 29. With several key Canes vets set to become UFAs, will a spot open up for Nadeau in the top nine?

18. Joakim Kemell, RW, Nashville Predators (0%): He hasn’t torn up the AHL, but the Preds have been desperate for goal production from their prospect brigade, and it feels like Kemell should get a bigger opportunity next season after playing his first couple NHL games in 2024-25.

19. Andrew Cristall, LW, Washington Capitals (WHL, not yet added): Yes, there are questions about his skating and defensive play. But the man has 132 points in 57 games. If he were to make the Caps out of camp next year, he’s the type of player you deploy in an offensive role immediately or not at all.

20. Jett Luchanko, C, Philadelphia Flyers (0%): He made the team out of camp to open 2024-25 and saw four games before the Flyers returned him to OHL Guelph. Luchanko isn’t the most exciting prospect but plays a mature game that could earn him a sizable role quickly. He could replace the traded Scott Laughton in the lineup. Luchanko is fast, physical and intelligent and should be an asset in the hits category for fantasy purposes.

Also considered:

Sam Dickinson
Axel Sandin-Pellikka
Jagger Firkus
Berkly Catton
Matthew Wood
Easton Cowan
Oliver Moore
Luca Cagnoni

Exciting, but not their time yet

Isaac Howard
Jacob Fowler
Michael Hage
Liam Greentree
Cole Eiserman
Trevor Connelly
Carter Yakemchuk

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