Keeper leagues aren't for the faint of heart.

Careers get put on hold, friendships are temporarily - and sometimes permanently - suspended, and spouses across the country moan and groan while their significant others spend hours pouring over stats and projections in the hopes of landing the next Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews.

However, those types of players only roll around every couple decades. Unless you've been blessed with multiple top first-round picks, the likelihood of those generational talents being available for selection is slim to none. But that doesn't mean you can't nab a productive dynasty league piece in the later rounds.

The five guys listed below might not be destined for enshrinement in the Hall of Fame, but they should be targeted in the tail end of your draft as potentially key fantasy assets down the road.

Adrian Kempe, Los Angeles Kings

The prototypical power forward, Kempe is a physical force who can also provide a boost of offensive production when needed. Despite being somewhat buried on the Kings' depth chart over the last season and a half behind established star centermen in Anze Kopitar and Jeff Carter, Kempe is just starting to scratch the surface.

Regardless, the Kings' 2014 first-round pick would be a nice peripheral piece to a dynasty squad in need of that little bit of extra offensive flair.

Kempe's 16 goals and 21 assists won't exactly have you trading up in the draft to select him, but his speed, 6-foot-2 frame, and offensive potential make him a clear late-round name to target in keeper formats. He also racks up hits and penalty minutes, should your league include those categories.

If Kempe can manage to carve out a little bit more of a role on the Kings next season and earn more minutes than his average of 13:20 per game from last year, don't be surprised if Kempe turns in a 20-goal, 50-point-type campaign.

Juuse Saros, Nashville Predators

Another player biding his time while waiting in the wings, Saros is perhaps the best-kept secret among backup netminders in the entire NHL. Unfortunately for him, Saros has been playing behind one of the best goalies around with Pekka Rinne in Nashville.

It doesn't seem like Rinne is ready to cede his crease to Saros just yet, so projecting his value as a No. 1 option is clearly foolish. But his numbers last year indicate that he can be a valuable fantasy asset. In 26 games last season, Saros registered a respectable 11-5-7 record to go along with a 2.45 goals against average and a solid .925 save percentage.

Banking on an injury is a slip, but if Rinne were to go down to injury, Saros' value would skyrocket. Regardless, he remains a very intriguing late-round target that could be worth his weight in gold if he can win the crease away from his perennial Vezina-winning mentor.

Don't sleep on Saros' No. 1 potential; he'll be holding down a starter's job before long.

Martin Necas, Carolina Hurricanes

Necas used a stellar showing on the international stage last season to establish himself as one of the most talented young prospects outside of the NHL. The versatile Czech forward put up 11 points in seven games at the World Junior Championship, and followed that up with five points in seven games at the World Championships.

The 12th overall pick from the 2017 draft played in only one game for the Hurricanes last season, so his fantasy value will take a hit if he's not able to crack the Canes' lineup out of training camp. But he's already proven to have the soft hands and slick finishing abilities required to hang in the show.

Also, don't forget that Carolina is seriously lacking in forward depth, especially up the middle. So it isn't that much of a stretch to expect the speedy Necas to be an NHL regular next season with at least 50 or 60 games under his belt. Roll the dice on Necas this season in the later rounds before his value skyrockets.

Timo Meier, San Jose Sharks

Potentially the player with the biggest chance of being taken in the earlier rounds of your draft, Meier is a forward who started to show flashes of his true potential last season for the Sharks.

He showed that he belongs in the NHL during his first full season last year, registering 21 goals and 15 assists. His silky mitts and relatively large frame (6-foot, 215 pounds) make Meier a very attractive prospect on a Sharks team that regularly finishes in the top half of team scoring every season.

San Jose isn't done augmenting its roster this summer, but the 21-year-old will be set to play a bigger role next season, which will undoubtedly include more power-play time. He did hold down a spot on the Sharks' second unit last season, producing three goals and one assist.

Meier's name might not be one that gets tossed around a lot, but as a late-round fantasy add, he could be very valuable should he continue to develop into a consistent offensive threat who can both score and dish the biscuit.

Danton Heinen, Boston Bruins

(Photo courtesy: Getty Images)

Heinen plays on the Bruins behind some of the most talented forwards in the entire league in Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, and David Pastrnak, so you can't really blame the guy for not getting the credit he truly deserves as an underrated scorer on the rise.

But the versatile forward can play either wing and showed last season that he can score at the highest level, tallying 16 goals and 31 assists for 47 points in 77 games for Boston.

The Bruins have been mostly silent in terms of offseason additions to their forward group, so Heinen should have even more opportunities next season to continue to prove that he can hang with the big club and produce on a consistent basis.

If you can nab him in the late rounds, Heinen could be a massive steal.

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Two Anaheim Ducks legends are getting their jersey's retired, as both Paul Kariya and Scott Niedermayer will have their numbers raised to the rafters at Honda Center next season.

"Paul Kariya and Scott Niedermayer both had an enormous impact on our franchise," a statement from Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli read. "Paul was the club’s first superstar player, helped put Anaheim on the NHL map and electrified fans with his speed and playmaking ability."

Kariya was drafted by the then-Mighty Ducks fourth overall in the 1993 NHL Draft and went on to score 300 goals and add 369 assists in 606 career regular-season games for Anaheim. He is also a five-time All-Star, two-time Lady Byng Award winner, and Hall of Famer.

As for Niedermayer, another member of the Hall, he won a Conn Smythe trophy and Stanley Cup as a member of the Ducks in 2007. He signed with Anaheim as a free agent in the summer of 2005 and went on to register 264 points in 371 regular-season games for the Ducks before retiring with the club in 2010.

Kariya will have his No. 9 retired on Oct. 21 when Anaheim hosts the Buffalo Sabres, and Niedermayer will have his No. 27 retired on Feb. 17 when the reigning Cup champion Washington Capitals visit Honda Center.

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Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill has, over recent years, made a habit of making a major offseason splash in an attempt to get his club back to a Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 2000.

Nill was beaten to the punch this summer by new Toronto Maple Leafs GM Kyle Dubas' signing of John Tavares. But according to a report Tuesday, Nill doesn't seem to be standing idly by. In fact, if rumors are to be believed, the Stars have emerged as front-runners to land highly-prized blue-liner Erik Karlsson from the Ottawa Senators.

Senators GM Pierre Dorion's future with the Sens hangs in the balance as Ottawa fans wait with bated breath to see if the much-maligned front-office executive can right the ship and resurrect the franchise from what has been a dismal 10-month period.

Karlsson is the face of the Senators, so Dorion needs to get the deal right - to save both himself and the franchise. But where would he even start?

What pieces would be involved?

First off, moving Karlsson means Ottawa will need to fill a massive hole on its blue line, so a promising defensive prospect being involved is crucial.

Quite obviously, no players coming back to the Senators would remotely make up for the loss of Karlsson. But this move is being made to solidify Ottawa's future, not to win a mediocre amount of games in 2018-19 and become a bubble team.

There's no denying that Karlsson was a different player after returning from serious offseason ankle surgery last year, but he remains one of the best puck-moving offensive defensemen in the league. So the package going Ottawa's way will have to be substantial, regardless of the franchise needing to cut payroll.

Reports have indicated the Sens are focusing on making 2017 third overall draft pick and stud defensive prospect Miro Heiskanen part of the deal, which would make a ton of sense from Dorion's perspective. Only problem, is Nill prepared to move one of the more promising players from last year's draft? If he's not, this is another potential deal that could work for both sides:

Realistically, there are myriad packages for what the Senators could get in return for their two-time Norris Trophy-winning defenseman, as the club is in dire need of help at basically every position. But a trade like the one right above fills a lot of holes for Dorion right away.

However, Ottawa is devoid of a 2019 first-rounder from the Matt Duchene deal, so you can expect that Dorion will be holding firm on having a first-round pick being included in any potential Karlsson trade.

How would the trade impact the Stars?

Dallas is going to have to give up at least one or two active roster pieces to land a player of Karlsson's caliber. And there's no denying the bright futures of guys like Heiskanen, Honka, and Janmark. But that would be a small price to pay to add a perennial All-Star to its blue line.

Not to mention, imagine what the Stars' power play would like with Jon Klingberg playing opposite to his Swedish countryman? See you later. Both D-men average an insane amount of ice time per game (23:03 career average for Klingberg, 25:58 career average for Karlsson) and are both capable of hitting the 50- to 60-point mark on a yearly basis.

The price might be steep, and his future cap situation would need some tinkering, but if Nill has the opportunity to add a franchise player like Karlsson, he should be seriously considering coughing up the proper return to bring in that game-changing piece. If Nill can get Karlsson in Big D, the Stars quickly transform into a serious playoff threat.

How would the trade impact the Senators?

While Sens fans continue to groan and eye-roll in disapproval at seemingly every piece of news that comes out of the nation's capital this summer, Dorion has the chance to put the past season of mayhem behind him and turn the page on a new chapter of Ottawa hockey.

It was previously believed that any deal involving Karlsson would have to include winger Bobby Ryan and his hefty cap hit of $7.25 million over the next four years. But that rumor appears to be just that, as the Senators have reportedly agreed to not include Ryan in any Karlsson negotiations.

A trade with the Stars involving Karlsson wouldn't bring Ottawa back to life overnight, but it would go a long way in setting the club up for a successful future.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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The Dallas Stars have emerged as the front-runners to land highly sought-after defenseman Erik Karlsson, sources told Chris Stevenson of The Athletic.

Related - Report: Senators give teams permission to negotiate with Karlsson

News regarding Dallas' keen interest in the two-time Norris Trophy winner comes only one day after the Senators reportedly gave teams permission to negotiate a new contract with Karlsson.

Despite it being heavily rumored that any deal involving Karlsson would have to also include Bobby Ryan and his beastly $7.25-million cap hit over the next four seasons, the deal with Dallas would not include the much-maligned winger, per Stevenson.

Ottawa offered its prized rearguard a contract extension on July 1 worth a reported $10 million per season, but given the relative mess the franchise currently finds itself in, it's widely expected Karlsson has played his final game in the nation's capital.

Karlsson is coming off a season in which he registered nine goals and 53 assists in 71 games.

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The New York Islanders agreed to terms with goaltender Robin Lehner on a one-year contract Tuesday, the team announced. The deal is worth $1.5 million, according to Stephen Whyno of The Associated Press.

Lehner moves to an Islanders squad that finished with the most goals allowed last season with a staggering 293 tallies. He also joins a goalie depth chart that includes only career backup Thomas Greiss and unproven AHL netminder Christopher Gibson.

A veteran of eight NHL seasons split between the Ottawa Senators and Buffalo Sabres, Lehner has a career regular-season record of 72-97-35 to go along with a career 2.82 GAA and .915 save percentage.

Lehner struggled last season for the Sabres, both with injury and with his consistency, while registering a 14-26-9 record with three shutouts. He was drafted by the Senators in the second round of the 2009 NHL Draft.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs spent the last few days focusing on one of the best free-agent forwards in recent memory. On Tuesday, their attention turned to the back end with the signing of defenseman Justin Holl to a two-year contract, the team announced. The deal carries an annual average value of $675,000.

Holl made his NHL debut last season, playing two games for the Leafs and scoring a goal in each appearance.

The majority of Holl's 2017-18 campaign was spent with the Marlies, Toronto's AHL affiliate. He registered seven goals and 21 assists in 60 regular-season games. Holl also chipped in with three goals and two assists in 20 playoff games during the Marlies' championship run.

Holl played collegiately for the University of Minnesota Gophers, and he was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the second round of the 2010 NHL Draft. His deal with the Leafs is of the one-way variety, according to Sportsnet's Chris Johnston.

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Deals on the first day of the NHL free-agency period came fast and furious Sunday, and although most of the big signings were players re-upping with their current clubs, a small handful of guys are poised to see their fantasy value increase exponentially in new settings.

Related - Bang for your buck: Ranking the top bargain FA signings from Day 1

Whether it's because of increased roles or improved quality of teammates, here are the three free-agent signings whose fantasy value is set to skyrocket.

Carter Hutton

Before you start button-mashing and spewing vitriol across all theScore's social media accounts, we are well aware that Hutton is set to hold down the blue paint for the Buffalo Sabres, one of the more inconsistent teams in the NHL in recent years.

However, Hutton is going from a backup who sees 20-30 starts a year to being the de facto No .1 playing in 50-60, so his value as a starter compared to as a backup is obviously much more significant. He also proved last season with the St. Louis Blues that he is more than capable of putting up starter-type numbers.

Hutton temporarily stole the crease away from starter Jake Allen midway through the season, but ended up ceding the net back to him for the rest of the campaign. Hutton still managed an excellent overall record of 17-7-3, as well as a stellar 2.09 goals-against average, and a sensational .931 save percentage.

There really is no sugarcoating how awful the Sabres have been over the last decade, and it's not exactly looking like they are ready to turn things around just yet. Buffalo allowed the third most goals-against per game last season, averaging 3.39 per contest, so Hutton will obviously have his work cut out for him.

Regardless, there are only 31 starting netminders in the league, so Hutton should be a relatively hot commodity come draft time. He may not have a save percentage north of .930 next season, but his value as a legitimate No. 1 is undeniable.

James van Riemsdyk

Though JVR notched a career high in goals last season with 36, with his move to the offensively potent Philadelphia Flyers, his value is set to increase in a big way.

Sure, Van Riemsdyk is coming from a Toronto Maple Leafs squad that also boasted a potent offensive attack, finishing the year tied for the third-most goals in the league (270). But Van Riemsdyk averaged only 14:54 of ice time (his lowest such mark since his sophomore season), a number that should significantly increase in the City of Brotherly Love.

His increased role and minutes will obviously drive up his overall fantasy value, but Van Riemsdyk's stock may really skyrocket on the power play, where he will have the opportunity to play with proven offensive studs Claude Giroux, Jakub Voracek, and Sean Couturier, not to mention former No. 2 overall draft pick Nolan Patrick and budding star Travis Konecny.

Last season's 36-goal performance is obviously not easy to replicate, but given the experienced group he's about to slot into, coupled with his potential to eat a lot more minutes, Van Riemsdyk is a fantasy target whose value is primed for takeoff.

Parade plans in Toronto might have been in full swing for the last 24 hours, but a more realistic plan would be to have a seriously keen eye on Tavares at the top of your draft. Tavares will be injected into a top-six Maple Leafs forward group that already boasts some of the best young talent in the game in Auston Matthews, William Nylander, and Mitch Marner. Add Tavares, and Toronto has a potentially lethal mix of offensive weapons.

Johnny T is coming off the second-most productive offensive campaign of his career, registering 37 goals and 47 assists across a full 82-game slate with a New York Islanders squad that finished in the top 10 in league scoring. And while the Islanders might have some nice pieces in Calder Trophy winner Mathew Barzal and criminally underrated forwards Josh Bailey and Anders Lee, Tavares is joining a power play that features some of the best offensive youngsters in the NHL, so a 90-point season really isn't much of a stretch.

Stanley Cup qualification, on the other hand, is probably a reach for a Leafs club still missing a piece or two on the back end, but that won't hold Tavares back from being an absolute beast when it comes to fantasy value.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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The Ottawa Senators continue to try and work themselves out from under the mess that has become their offseason, as the club has given teams permission to discuss a contract extension with Norris Trophy-winning rearguard Erik Karlsson, according to the New York Post's Larry Brooks.

Related: Senators offer extension to Karlsson

Ever since the off-ice drama between the Karlsson family and former Senators teammate Mike Hoffman and his fiancee, rumors have been hot and heavy over Karlsson's potential departure out of the nation's capital.

Ottawa offered Karlsson a contract extension Sunday, but given the relative disarray the franchise currently finds itself in, there is a real possibility that the premier blue-liner has played his final game with the Senators.

Despite playing last season with half an ankle bone, Karlsson still managed a respectable campaign on a ragtag Sens squad.

Karlsson racked up nine goals and 53 assists in 71 games, and even though he looks to have lost a step following last year's surgery, he is still one of the best defensemen in the game who will have multiple teams trying to acquire his services.

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As the New York Islanders continue to try and pick up the pieces left in the wake of John Tavares' move to Toronto, the club signed forward and two-time Stanley Cup champion Tom Kuhnhackl to a one-year deal Monday, the team announced.

Kuhnhackl is coming off a campaign in which he registered two goals and six assists in 69 regular-season games while averaging just over 10 minutes in ice time per night.

The Germany native was drafted by the Penguins in the fourth round of the 2010 NHL Draft, and went on to win two Cups with Pittsburgh in 2016 and 2017, but is probably most famous for this viral clip from the 2018 postseason:

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The San Jose Sharks re-signed forward Tomas Hertl to a four-year contract Monday, the team announced. Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"Tomas took a big step forward last season, both on and off the ice, and we feel that he is just starting to hit his prime," Sharks general manager Doug Wilson said.

"He has the ability to be a dominant player in this League and proved during the playoffs that he can take over any given game with his combination of skill and strength. His capability to play both center and the wing gives our team some flexibility, and he has one of the most infectious personalities in our dressing room. We're excited he made this commitment to our organization."

Hertl is coming off a season in which he produced a career-high 22 goals to go along with 24 assists. He also led the Sharks in game-winning goals with five, and paced the club in faceoff wins with 587.

In 10 playoff contests for San Jose last season, Hertl registered six goals and three assists. The Czech native was selected by the Sharks in the first round of the 2012 NHL Draft, 17th overall.

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