McKeen’s Hockey: Dynasty Stock Watch

The Dynastic Stock Watch is designed to go team-by-team across the NHL and evaluate which prospects dynasty managers should be looking to buy and which they should be looking to sell. The goal isn’t to rank prospects in a vacuum, but to assess their current fantasy market value relative to long-term upside. “Buy” candidates are players whose cost is likely lower than their future production potential, creating opportunities to acquire them before their stock rises. “Sell” candidates are players whose value is inflated by pedigree, recent performance, or name recognition, making it a good time to cash out before regression or role limitations set in. Each installment provides dynasty-specific context, helping you navigate short-term hype and long-term sustainability in building your roster.

Buffalo Sabres Edition
Team Outlook

Buffalo’s long rebuild has left them with one of the NHL’s deeper prospect pipelines, particularly at forward. While the Sabres’ young core is already solidified with names like Owen Power, Jack Quinn, and Jiri Kulich their next wave of talent could shape how quickly they emerge as a true playoff contender. For dynasty managers, this is a system with both safe bets and speculative swings. The challenge is separating which prospects will find roles in Buffalo’s crowded lineup and which may stall out before hitting their ceiling.

Buy Candidates
Kosta Helenius (C, 19)

Why Buy?
Helenius does not have the flash of some other high picks, but his well-rounded two-way game makes him one of Buffalo’s most reliable long-term bets. He processes the game at a high level, controls pace, and blends playmaking with steady defensive responsibility. For dynasty managers, that translates into a player who will almost certainly stick in an NHL lineup, even if his ceiling is not elite.

What makes him worth buying now is that his value is still slightly muted by questions around offensive upside. Yet Helenius has quietly shown steady growth in generating offense against older competition, and his hockey sense suggests he will be trusted with prime minutes down the line. His high equivalency in the Hockey Prospecting model comes from stellar production as a 17/18-year-old in Liiga, which he then backed up with strong numbers in the AHL at 18/19. On a Buffalo team full of high-variance skill players, Helenius’ floor is especially valuable, and if the offense keeps trending upward, he could significantly outproduce his current market value. If he continues on this trajectory, he should safely be able to put up 65-plus point paces in the NHL, making now the time to invest before the breakout becomes obvious.

Jake Richard (RW, 21)

Why Buy?
Richard is a prospect whose stock is just starting to rise. Drafted in the sixth round in 2022, expectations were low, and his early production matched that. Last season, however, he broke out in his second NCAA campaign at the University of Connecticut, nearly tripling his output from 18 to 43 points. He has shown an NHL-caliber shot and a knack for finishing plays from the slot and circles, while also competing hard off the puck and going to high-danger areas. That combination gives him versatility that coaches will value.

For fantasy purposes, Richard is appealing because his name recognition remains low, keeping acquisition costs minimal. In Mason Black’s pNHLe model, his equivalency is now approaching a point-per-game pace. While it is unlikely he hits that level in the NHL, the trend line is encouraging, and his skill set could allow him to sneak into a scoring role faster than expected despite Buffalo’s crowded depth chart. For dynasty managers, the low cost of acquisition makes this the right time to target Richard before his stock climbs higher.

Sell Candidates
Noah Östlund (C, 21)

Why Sell?
Östlund’s skating and skill are evident, but his development curve continues to raise concerns. Despite his first-round pedigree, he has struggled to translate his finesse game into consistent production against stronger competition. His lack of size and strength often shows in tight, physical environments, and the organizational depth chart makes his situation tougher. With Josh Norris, Ryan McLeod, Jiri Kulich, and Peyton Krebs all ahead of him down the middle, the path to a top-six role looks blocked, leaving him more likely to settle into a bottom-six assignment with limited fantasy appeal.

The numbers reinforce the eye test. His Fantasy Hockey Life Skater Card shows that he struggled to drive play at the AHL level and posted an extremely low BASH, making him difficult to hold in fantasy until he shows real progress. While his draft status and flashes of vision may keep some managers invested, his fantasy ceiling looks capped, and this may be the right time to move on before the “first-round shine” fades further.

Isak Rosén (RW, 21)

Why Sell?
Rosén has shown flashes of top-six ability in the AHL with his skating and shot, but consistency continues to elude him. Even with stretches of strong production this season, it has taken him until age 22 and his third AHL campaign to finally establish relevance. Historically, when it takes a prospect that long to break through at the AHL level, it rarely translates into strong NHL production. In Buffalo’s crowded depth chart, where hungrier and more complete prospects are emerging, his path to a meaningful scoring role looks increasingly unlikely.

For dynasty managers, this remains an ideal sell-high window. His speed and draft pedigree may still attract buyers, but statistically, the odds are stacked against him. The Hockey Prospecting model suggests it would be an anomaly for him to develop into a fantasy star at this stage. That makes Rosén a long shot for real fantasy relevance, and moving him now could return decent value before he plateaus as an AHL/NHL tweener.

Radim Mrtka (LW, 18)

Why Sell?
Mrtka’s skating jumps off the page, and that alone should earn him NHL minutes down the line. But beyond his stride and flashes of offensive instinct, his game remains raw. His play away from the puck and physical presence are both underdeveloped, and without growth in those areas he projects more as a depth option than a reliable scorer. Even if he sticks in the NHL, the lack of BASH and limited point production potential cap his fantasy appeal.

For dynasty managers, that makes him a prime sell candidate. His draft position and elite skating ability give him some perceived upside, but in most formats, players like Mrtka tie up prospect slots for years without producing meaningful fantasy returns. Moving him now allows managers to cash in on that shine before it fades, rather than holding a prospect who is more likely to be a bottom-six piece than a fantasy asset.

Summary

Player
Role
Key Insight

Kosta Helenius
Buy
Steady two-way center with a higher offensive ceiling than market value suggests

Jake Richard
Buy
Underrated riser with underrated offense, cheap to acquire

Noah Östlund
Sell
Pedigree still carries weight, but long-term fantasy ceiling looks capped

Isak Rosén
Sell
Inconsistent winger in a crowded system, value likely to decline over time

Radim Mrtka
Sell
Raw long-term project, better to move now before value fades