Welcome back to The Journey, where we track the development of prospects as they excel in junior, make the NHL, and push towards stardom.
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It’s Bubble Keeper Week at Dobber Hockey, and we’re taking a closer look at prospects on the edge of NHL relevance. Not every player makes an immediate impact, but some are worth stashing for future production. When I evaluate these players, I’m asking: When will they reach the NHL? What role can they realistically fill? When might they break out? Context also matters; your league format, roster size, and construction all change the value of a player.
To simplify, I grouped prospects into four tiers: Keep, Long-Term Keep, Long-Term with Potential to Drop, and Keep in Specialized Leagues, which focuses more on multi-cat leagues. These categories make it easier to manage stashes, balance risk, and figure out who’s worth holding in your keeper pool. Here we go.
Enjoy!
Teddy Stiga, LW – Nashville Predators
Stiga remains one of Nashville’s most intriguing prospects. He had a strong showing at Boston College where he posted 30 points in 36 games despite limited top-line minutes. He is on the smaller side so he relies heavily on his on speed, and hockey sense to stand out, though his history with high-end linemates like James Hagens suggests he can keep pace. Stiga projects as a middle-six forward with decent secondary scoring and special teams upside so he is worth stashing in deeper keeper formats, but his NHL impact is likely a couple of years away.
Bubble Keeper Status: Long-Term Keep
Eduard Sale, LW – Seattle Kraken
Sale’s offensive talent is clear but his production is inconsistent, making him a boom-or-bust prospect. His first full AHL season with the Coachella Valley Firebirds he produced just 21 points in 51 games and struggled to adapt to North American pro hockey. He did however impress at the 2025 World Junior Championship for Czechia with eight points in seven games over the tournament. He has all the potential but has yet to demonstrate consistent top-six production at the pro level. As it currently stands, Sale looks more like a middle-six option who can complement elite talent with sporadically point production. He is may be hold in deeper keeper formats for long-term upside but he could also be dropped for similar players with better opportunities.
Bubble Keeper Status: Long-Term Keep with Potential to Drop
Roman Kantserov, RW – Chicago Blackhawks
Kantserov had a solid season with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, nearly reaching 40 points over 47 games in the KHL and is starting to get noticed more from NA teams more specifically the Chicago Blackhawks. He is an exciting offensive talent but at 5-foot-9 he lacks the physical presence typically desired in a top prospect and he tends to be more comfortable in playing on the perimeter. I still think Kantserov is a long-term stash with significant upside. Chicago’s thinner depth on the right wing increases the likelihood he could eventually fill a middle-six or even top-six NHL role, but he remains in the KHL for the upcoming season so keep in mind that he is not expected to contribute immediately in fantasy leagues, making patience critical for those holding on to him.
Bubble Keeper Status: Long-Term Keep
Nathan Gaucher, C – Anaheim Ducks
Gaucher is a relentless forechecker, making him a difficult matchup. He is more of a defense-first forward, and thrives in bottom-six roles, creating chaos in the slot with tips, rebounds, and heavy hits while staying sound defensively. You are not taking him for his offensive upside but rather for his ability to give you those peripheral stats in your multi-cat leagues especially when it comes to hits. In standard formats, his value is limited, but his physicality and PK upside make him a long-term depth piece worth holding.
Bubble Keeper Status: Keep in Specialized Leagues
Reilly Heidt, C – Minnesota Wild
I personally am a fan of Heidt and his game. He has established himself as a skilled, high-end prospect. He hit 90 points in 60 games this season and 117 in 66 the year prior with the Prince George Cougars in the WHL. He is set to join the Iowa Wild for the upcoming season which will be the next major step in his development and if his skills will translate well against older, stronger competition. Heidt is primarily a scoring-focused forward and may need to round out his game, but his work ethic and competitive intensity are encouraging. He is not expected to provide immediate NHL production but projects as a solid middle to top six forward potential making him a smart stash in deeper leagues.
Bubble Keeper Status: Keep
Topi Niemelä, D – Toronto Maple Leafs
Niemelä will play with Malmö in the SHL this upcoming season after two stagnant AHL seasons with the Marlies. He produced 61 points in 129 games but never cracked the NHL, resulting in a return to Europe for more ice time and development. Toronto still holds his rights, and he still projects as a puck-moving defenseman with upside, but consistency is the gap. In most formats, he is a drop candidate. Only deeper-league managers should consider holding, and even then, your patience may be tested.
Bubble Keeper Status: Long-Term Keep with Potential Drop
Mikhail Yegorov, G – New Jersey Devils
Yegorov emerged as one of the more intriguing goalie prospects over the past season. He began in the USHL with Omaha, posting solid numbers but struggling for team success. Midway through the year, he made the jump to BU and it paid off immediately as he delivered highlight-reel saves and pushed the Terriers to reach the national title game. While the New Jersey Devils currently have established goaltending, Yegorov projects as a future NHL starter capable of carrying a team through high-pressure situations. Yegorov is a long-term stash rather than an immediate contributor. He offers high upside in wins, save percentage, and goals-against metrics for managers willing to wait.
Bubble Keeper Status: Long-Term Keep
Niko Huuhtanen, LW – Tampa Bay Lightning
Huuhtanen has steadily developed into a power-forward prospect worth tracking. A seventh-round pick in 2021, he recorded 76 points across two seasons in Finland’s top league, an impressive output for a U22 player and more recently his first season with the Syracuse Crunch, posting 20 points in 51 AHL games. While his scoring dipped, Huuhtanen has a physical, hard-charging style that brings out his competitiveness at both ends of the ice. He is coming back to the Crunch this season so he may see only limited NHL time this season, if any at all. He is an under the radar player with upside in deeper or multi-category formats, making him a worthwhile stash for managers willing to wait for a potential impact.
Bubble Keeper Status: Long-Term Keep
Koehn Ziemmer, RW – LA Kings
Ziemmer had a strong AHL season posting 71 points for the Prince George Cougars and showing playoff intensity before the team’s early exit. He had a brief three-game AHL stint with the Ontario Reign, where flashes of his physical, heavy-hitting style were evident. Ziemmer is a power-forward right winger that loves to deliver punishing hits. His strength and tenacity make him a prototypical bottom-six contributor with occasional 20-goal upside. Ziemmer is best suited for deeper or dynasty leagues with a categories format that focuses on peripherals. He’s a long-term hold whose value focuses around his physical presence rather than immediate scoring impact.
Bubble Keeper Status: Keep in Specialized Leagues
William Wallander, D – Detroit Red Wings
Wallander took another step forward in his second North American season, posting 19 points with Grand Rapids. He is a big mobile defenseman that uses his mobility and frame effectively to control space and read plays well in his own zone. Offensively, he makes smart plays under pressure but will not drive production. He projects as a steady third-pair option who could see NHL time with Detroit this season. From a fantasy perspective Wallander is a keep in deeper formats as he is a low-risk, defensively sound option with modest upside.
Bubble Keeper Status: Keep
Thanks for reading! See you next week. For more content/fantasy hockey analysis, or if there’s a prospect, you’d like me to cover, follow and message me on X @Punters_hockey.