Dynasty Building Blocks: Top Young Keepers to Anchor Your Fantasy Roster
Keeper and dynasty leagues are won by locking in the right young cores before they fully break out. With NHL.com spotlighting the top fantasy options aged 25 and under, managers get a clearer picture of which prospects and young stars deserve long-term commitment. Here we’ll focus on what that means specifically for Macklin Celebrini, Connor Bedard, Matthew Schaefer, Lane Hutson, and Wyatt Johnston, and how to value them in different fantasy formats.
What’s New & Why It Matters
The NHL.com rankings isolate players 25 and under, emphasizing age, draft pedigree, organizational stability, and long-term lineup projection. Within that framework, Macklin Celebrini comes out as the top young fantasy asset, edging out even hyped names like Connor Bedard. That’s a major signal for dynasty managers: the market may still be catching up to Celebrini’s long-range ceiling, especially in leagues where he isn’t yet on a roster.
Connor Bedard, despite injury concerns, remains near the very top of the list as a high-upside franchise forward for the Chicago Blackhawks. The ranking reinforces that any short-term health issues should not materially change his status as a cornerstone keeper.
On defense, Matthew Schaefer is highlighted as a premier young blueliner for the New York Islanders, while Lane Hutson is tagged as a high-upside option for the Montreal Canadiens. Both project as long-term impact defensemen, which is especially important in formats where high-end D are scarce and often overpriced in trades.
Wyatt Johnston rounds out this core group as a rising forward for the Dallas Stars, ranked strongly among his forward peers for future growth. His inclusion among the top young forwards suggests his fantasy value still has room to rise as his role expands.
Fantasy Implications
Points-Only
In pure scoring formats, the priority is simple: secure elite offensive ceilings and long-term top-line, top power-play roles.
Macklin Celebrini, San Jose Sharks (F): Being identified as the top young forward for long-term potential is massive in points-only. For San Jose, he projects as the centerpiece of their future offense, with every chance to grow into a first-line, PP1 usage monster. In points-only keepers, he should be valued as a long-term franchise asset, even if the surrounding roster is still developing.
Connor Bedard, Chicago Blackhawks (F): Bedard’s injury note in the rankings is a reminder of short-term risk, but his upside remains elite. In points-only, you simply don’t move off players with this kind of long-term scoring potential unless you’re getting multiple foundational pieces back. Treat any trade offers as if you’re moving a perennial top-tier scorer, not a question mark.
Wyatt Johnston, Dallas Stars (F): Johnston’s strong ranking among forwards signals that his offensive game is expected to keep climbing. In points-only, he’s the type of player who can jump tiers as he earns more offensive deployment. He’s an ideal secondary building block behind a Celebrini or Bedard, with room to outperform his current market value.
Matthew Schaefer, New York Islanders (D): As a top young defenseman, Schaefer’s long-term value in points-only hinges on power-play access. The ranking suggests confidence that he’ll be a significant contributor from the back end. In formats where defense scoring is weighted similarly to forwards, he’s the kind of D you can build around for years.
Lane Hutson, Montreal Canadiens (D): Hutson is described as a high-potential defenseman, which in points-only translates to a possible PP1 quarterback down the road. He’s more of a stash-and-wait play, but the ceiling is high enough that you should be patient through early growing pains.
Categories / Bangers
In multi-cat leagues, the calculus shifts slightly. You still want elite offense, but peripherals like shots, hits, blocks, and power-play production can separate good keepers from league-winners.
Celebrini & Bedard: Both project as volume shooters and primary offensive engines for their teams. Even without specific stat lines, their roles imply strong shot totals and heavy power-play involvement over time. In categories leagues, that combination of goals, assists, shots, and power-play points makes them foundational pieces.
Wyatt Johnston: Johnston’s growth path suggests he could become a multi-category contributor as his ice time increases. On a strong Dallas roster, he’s likely to benefit from quality linemates and power-play opportunities. In bangers formats, he’s a classic “all-around” forward who may not lead any single category but can help across the board.
Matthew Schaefer: As a projected impact defenseman, Schaefer has a chance to contribute in both offensive and defensive categories. In leagues counting blocks and possibly hits, a top-pair, PP-capable D is gold. His ranking as a top young blueliner suggests he could eventually provide that balanced profile.
Lane Hutson: Hutson’s fantasy value in bangers formats will lean more toward offense and power-play production than heavy peripherals. Think of him as a specialist who boosts your scoring from the blue line; you may need to pair him with a more physical D to cover hits and blocks.
Dynasty / Keeper
This is where the NHL.com list is most directly useful. It’s explicitly aimed at long-term value, making it a roadmap for dynasty timelines.
Macklin Celebrini is the clear dynasty prize. If your league is still adjusting to his true ceiling, this is a buying window. His "buy_low" fantasy label in the summary reflects that he might still be attainable at less than future superstar prices. In deep keepers, he should be treated like a long-term cornerstone you build around, not a trade chip.
Connor Bedard carries a "hold" label, which fits perfectly. His injury note may tempt some managers to panic, but the ranking confirms that his long-term value is intact. In dynasty, you only move Bedard if you’re rebalancing a roster and getting multiple elite young assets in return—use tools like the NHL Trade Analyzer to sanity-check any blockbuster offers.
Matthew Schaefer and Lane Hutson both come in as "buy_low" defensemen. Young D often take longer to fully break out, which makes them ideal dynasty targets. If your league undervalues blueliners compared to forwards, this is where you can gain an edge: stash them now, reap the benefits when they grow into top-pair, PP roles.
Wyatt Johnston also carries a "buy_low" tag, which is exactly how you should treat him. He’s already ranked highly among young forwards, and as his role in Dallas expands, his fantasy stock should follow. In dynasty, he’s a perfect target for teams that already have one elite young center or winger and want a second foundational piece at a more affordable cost.
Who to Add / Stream / Watch
- Macklin Celebrini – Add (dynasty/keeper, all depths): Top-ranked young forward with franchise-level upside; prioritize acquiring or protecting him long term.
- Connor Bedard – Hold / Trade target (dynasty/keeper): Injury aside, remains an elite long-term asset; only move him for a massive haul.
- Matthew Schaefer – Add (deep keeper/dynasty): Projected impact defenseman for the Islanders, ideal stash where young D are scarce.
- Lane Hutson – Watchlist to Add (keeper/dynasty): High-ceiling Canadiens blueliner who could grow into a PP1 quarterback; stash before the breakout.
- Wyatt Johnston – Add (standard and deep keeper): Rising Stars forward ranked highly among young skaters, with room for significant role and production growth.
Fantasy Takeaways
- Macklin Celebrini should be treated as a long-term franchise anchor in any keeper or dynasty format, with aggressive buy-low interest where possible.
- Connor Bedard’s injury note doesn’t change his elite trajectory; dynasty managers should hold firm or demand a king’s ransom in trades.
- Matthew Schaefer and Lane Hutson are prime stash candidates on defense, offering rare long-term upside at a thin fantasy position.
- Wyatt Johnston is a rising multi-format asset whose ranking suggests his fantasy value hasn’t peaked yet—target him before it does.
- Use age-focused rankings as a guide to retool aging rosters, flipping veterans for these young centerpieces while their acquisition cost is still manageable.
Source: NHL.com. See the original for full details.