One of the surest ways to stay competitive in your keeper pool with a salary cap is to move on from your expensive players in a timely fashion and acquire entry-level players who produce when they are cheap. It sounds easy enough, but it is one of the most difficult things to put into practice as a fantasy GM.

We still need the producing older players on our roster to compete, but if you can use two or three roster spots for players who are producing and on their entry-level deals, it will help immensely.

Hold onto these young players during their entry-level deals at all costs and if you need to trade them, do so only after they sign an expensive second or third contract. Hold out for extra value for entry-level contract years as they are worth their weight in gold.

Here are some Western Conference players whom I would deem to hold at all costs. They are either blue-chip prospects who have a path to play full-time in the next year, or they have produced already in the NHL and still have another year or two of their entry-level deals (or similar contracts).

Anaheim Ducks

Pavel Mintyukov – D (20 years old)

Mintyukov has two years of his entry-level contract (ELC) remaining. He played 63 games in 2023-24 and had four goals, 24 assists, 84 hits and 66 blocks. He has the ability to put up 40-50 points, 100 hits and 100 blocks. If you have him, hold him and if you can get him, acquire him.

Olen Zellweger – D (20)

Zellweger should get a full-time role with the Ducks in 2024-25 after playing 26 games in 2023-24 and posting two goals, seven assists, 14 hits and 38 blocks. The blocked shots are a bonus for a defender who could produce over 50 points annually in the coming years. He has two years of ELC remaining.

Leo Carlsson – F (19)

Carlsson had his load managed early in his rookie campaign and was rested for quite a few games. He ended up playing 55 games and had 12 goals and 17 assists on 109 SOG while going 34.8% in the faceoff circle. His production should increase and his prowess in the faceoff circle should improve as well. He has two years of ELC remaining.

Mason McTavish – F (21)

McTavish has completed two NHL seasons and has just one ELC year remaining. He played 64 games in 2023-24 and had 19 goals, 23 assists, 66 hits and won 437 faceoffs (51.7%). His value is already quite good in multi-category pools and he should only get better.

Cutter Gauthier – F (22)

One bonus of some college players is that they can hit the ground running in the NHL at 21 or 22 and still have a few years of ELC left. Gauthier is an example of that as he is 22 years old and could see a regular role in 2024-25 with two years remaining on his ELC. Gauthier is a bit more of a soft hold than the others on the Ducks but could be a good one.

Calgary Flames

Connor Zary – F (22)

Zary is a softer hold as he has just one year left of his ELC. He had an impressive rookie campaign with 14 goals and 20 assists in 63 games. He's not going to add much in secondary categories, such as hits, blocks or faceoffs, so his value will be purely production.

Matthew Coronato – F (21)

I was hoping that Coronato would hit the ground running a little better in the NHL, but he struggled as a rookie in 2023-24 with just three goals and six assists in 34 games. He doesn't hit, block shots or take faceoffs. He has one more year of his ELC, so owning him for one more year is free.

Chicago Blackhawks

Connor Bedard – F (18)

Bedard would be on this list even if he didn't have two more years of ELC. He had 22 goals and 39 assists, 54 hits and 207 FOW in 68 games. His faceoff percentage will improve as will his point production and goal output. Do not trade him.

Frank Nazar – F (20)

It is not a lock, but Nazar could get an opportunity in 2024-25 to play regularly in the NHL. He has two years left on his ELC. He's on the smaller side, so he could need some time in the AHL to acclimate to the pro game after just 54 games over two years of college hockey. He's a softer hold.

Kevin Korchinski – D (20)

The opportunity was there for Korchinski in 2023-24 as a rookie. He had some time on the power play and averaged over 19 minutes per game over 76 games, where he had five goals and 10 assists, with seven of those assists on the PP. Chicago would like to see him produce more in 2024-25. He has two years of ELC left.

Colorado Avalanche

Nikolai Kovalenko – F (24)

Kovalenko saw action for the Avalanche in two playoff games in 2023-24 and went pointless while averaging just 6:48 in ice time. Colorado will be looking for offense from him in 2024-25, so he could get an opportunity with the uncertainty surrounding Valeri Nichushkin and Gabriel Landeskog and the expected departure of Jonathan Drouin. He has just one year of ELC.

Justus Annunen – G (24)

Annunen is signed for the next two years at $837k AAV. He went 8-4-1 in 2023-24, with a save percentage of 92.8 and a GSAA of 10.16. He could steal the crease from Alexandar Georgiev or be a solid backup in 2024-25 who gets into 30-35 games.

Dallas Stars

Logan Stankoven – F (21)

Stankoven didn't disappoint in his first taste of the NHL, posting 14 points in 24 regular season games and eight points in 19 playoff games. He averaged 2.0 shots per game in all games. He has two years left on his ELC and should be a regular contributor in 2024-25.

Mavrik Bourque – F (22)

After an impressive 77 points in 71 AHL games, there could be a spot for Bourque on the NHL roster in 2024-25. His runway isn't as long as Stankoven, as he only has one more year on his ELC. He would be a soft hold.

Wyatt Johnston – F (21)

Johnston is the rare NHL player with two years of NHL experience who still has one year remaining on his ELC. He had 32 goals and 65 points in 82 games in 2023-24 and then impressed during the playoffs with 10 goals and six assists in 19 games. Johnston would be one of the biggest holds on this list.

Edmonton Oilers

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Los Angeles Kings

Brandt Clarke – D (21)

While it looks like Clarke should have a spot on the defense of the Kings in 2024-25, it will be interesting to see if he is a sixth or seventh defender, or if he sees some time on the second pairing. He has two more years on his ELC and has played 25 NHL games in his career with eight points. He's not physical but he added 35 blocks, so he has some secondary value. He is a medium hold as he might not be given the keys to the car in Los Angeles with Drew Doughty there.

Minnesota Wild

Liam Ohgren – F (20)

Ohgren had four games with the Wild at the end of 2023-24, potting his first NHL goal and adding an assist. There should be an opportunity for him to become a regular in 2024-25, but it is not a given. He has three years of his ELC remaining and is a strong hold even if he isn't a regular next season.

Marco Rossi – F (22)

Rossi has one more year on his ELC but arrived in 2023-24 with 21 goals and 19 assists in 82 games as a rookie. He is a perimeter player but did have 335 faceoff wins (44.7%), which should increase with time.

Brock Faber – D (21)

Faber had an incredible rookie year with eight goals and 47 points in 82 games, adding 65 hits and 151 blocks. He has one more year on his ELC and is one of the biggest bargains for salary in 2024-25. He's a lock to hold for this year.

Nashville Predators

Luke Evangelista – F (22)

He has already played 104 NHL games with the Predators and has 23 goals and 31 assists on 178 SOG (2.3/g). He doesn't provide hits or blocks, but could see time on the second line in Nashville in 2024-25, which could see him improve on his 39 points from 2023-24. He has one more year on his ELC. He's a softer hold.

Yaroslav Askarov – G (22)

With one more year on his ELC, it could be Askarov’s time in Nashville in 2024-25. He probably won't take away the starting role from Juuse Saros, but he could get into 25-35 games and put up some wins. He's a firm hold.

San Jose Sharks

Will Smith – F (19)

Smith turned pro after putting up 71 points in 41 games in his first year at Boston College. He could slot in on the second or third line with the Sharks in 2024-25. Smith has three more years on his ELC and could be a solid contributor sooner than later.

William Eklund – F (21)

Eklund has two years remaining on his ELC after putting up 16 goals and 29 assists in 80 games in 2023-24. He did block 75 shots and won 72 faceoffs, so he could add some secondary stats as well in future years.

Seattle Kraken

Shane Wright – F (20)

Wright is still playing in the AHL playoffs, with his team currently down three games to two. He has 10 points in 11 playoff games after putting up five points in eight NHL games and 22 goals and 25 assists in 59 AHL games. He looked a lot more ready for the NHL in his callup at the end of 2023-24 than the year before. He had four goals in eight games and won 41 faceoffs (50.6%). He has three years of his ELC left.

Ryker Evans – D (22)

Evans is a bit of a soft hold, as he has just one more year on his ELC. He played 36 games for the Kraken in 2023-24 and had nine points, 62 hits and 38 blocks while averaging 19:11 per night. He has some offense to give as he has put up 59 points in 96 AHL games over the past two years. He could be a bargain addition.

St. Louis Blues

Jake Neighbours – F (22)

Neighbours has one more year on his ELC and had already played 52 NHL games before 2023-24 where he had seven goals and five assists and 73 hits. He exploded in 2023-24 with 27 goals and 11 assists to go along with 138 hits in 77 games. While he might not be able to shoot 18.6% most years, he could be a value addition who gets 20-25 goals and over 100 hits.

Utah Hockey Club

Logan Cooley – F (20)

Cooley had a decent rookie year with 20 goals and 24 assists in 82 games, adding in 262 faceoff wins (38.0%). He has two more years of his ELC and should see some progression in his production and in the faceoff circle.

Josh Doan – F (22)

Doan has two years left on his ELC and got the attention of a lot of people in 2023-24 when he posted 26 goals and 20 assists in 64 AHL games before getting called up to Arizona for 11 NHL games. He had an impressive showing with the big club, posting five goals and four assists on 23 SOG. I don't expect him to duplicate his production from that 11-game sample, but he could get 20 goals and 20 assists in 2024-25.

Vancouver Canucks

Jonathan Lekkerimaki – F (19)

Lekkerimaki will probably need a few more AHL games next year, but he still has three years of his ELC remaining and should see quite a few NHL games during that period. He had 19 goals in 46 SHL games in 2023-24 after a pretty disappointing 2022-23 for him. The Canucks will try to be patient, but his skill level might force them to play him in the NHL sooner than later.

Vegas Golden Knights

Brendan Brisson – F (22)

Brisson is on the brink of becoming a regular in the NHL after two similar seasons in the AHL. He put up 18 goals and 37 points in 58 games in 2022-23, followed by 19 goals and 38 points in 52 games in 2023-24. He had 15 games in the NHL with Vegas last year and had eight points. He has just one year left on his ELC and is a soft hold as he could become a regular in 2024-25.

Winnipeg Jets

Brad Lambert – F (20)

Lambert has three years of his ELC remaining after an impressive 2023-24, where he played 64 AHL games and had 21 goals and 34 assists. He has a chance to get a regular role in the next year or two and should be a hold if you believe that might happen.

Nikita Chibrikov – F (21)

Chibrikov faded a little in 2023-24 and finished with 17 goals and 30 assists in 70 AHL games. He played one NHL game for the Jets and scored a goal on three SOG and had five hits. He has two remaining years on his ELC and could see a few more games in the NHL in 2024-25. He's a soft hold at this point.

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Thanks for reading and if you have any questions or players you'd like me to look at please message or follow me on Twitter @gampbler15.