Young Guns: 5 NHL Stars Under 23 Torching the League

The NHL’s next generation isn’t waiting for their turn anymore.

While the league’s established stars continue to dominate headlines, a new wave of players under 23 is already producing at elite levels—and creating serious value for bettors who know where to look. We’re not talking about promising prospects or future cornerstones. These five are already franchise centerpieces — logging big minutes, generating offense everywhere, and making bettors money.

From generational talents living up to the hype to under-the-radar volume shooters, this list highlights the young stars who are must-plays for props, futures, and same-game parlays. If you’re not tracking these names, you’re leaving money on the table.

Let’s get into it.

1. Connor Bedard – Age 20, Blackhawks

The generational talent everyone’s been waiting for is officially here. Bedard was the unanimous first-overall pick in 2023, and after two solid but bumpy seasons learning the NHL game on a lottery team, he’s broken through in year three. At 20 years old, he’s already functioning as a true number-one centre and the primary trigger man on Chicago’s power play. Everything the Blackhawks do offensively runs through him—he’s not just their best player, he’s their entire offensive identity.

2025 Star Season:

Through 21 games this season, Bedard is putting up legitimate Hart Trophy numbers:

• 31 points (14 goals, 17 assists) in 21 games, 1.48 points per game
• 71 shots on goal (3.38 per game) with a 20% shooting percentage—nearly double his career average
• 21:08 average ice time, 72.8% power-play share
• Plus-10 on the season after spending his first two years deep in the red

Bedard’s recent run: back-to-back hat tricks (four points vs. Ottawa, then another vs. Calgary) and a steady stream of multi-point nights that’s put him top five in NHL scoring.

If he maintains this pace, he’s tracking toward 125+ points—legitimate scoring-title territory. His volume is absurd, his efficiency has skyrocketed, and the Blackhawks are finally functional enough to turn his big nights into wins.

Betting Props

You can target these prop bets every game for Bedard:

• SOG overs – 3.4 per game with elite shot quality makes this the safest play
• Anytime goal – 20% shooting percentage against softer defences is automatic
• 2+ points – Live whenever Chicago faces middling opponents; his floor stays high even in losses

Season-long:

• Hart Trophy longshots if Chicago stays playoff-relevant

2. Macklin Celebrini – Age 19, Sharks

The 2024 first-overall pick and instant franchise pillar. Celebrini is the rare 19-year-old who gets trusted in every situation—PP, PK, late-game defensive zone draws. He’s a 200-foot center with elite hockey sense and a mix of playmaking vision, strong skating, and a sneaky shot.

Coaches and media consistently rave about how he elevates linemates and drives possession. San Jose went from an easy win to a legitimately competitive team with Celebrini as their offensive engine and emerging locker-room leader.

2025 Star Season

Celebrini’s sophomore season has been a legitimate breakout:

• 32 points (13 goals, 19 assists) in 22 games, 1.45 points per game
• 20:35 average ice time with 63% power-play share and regular PK duty
• 62 shots on goal, plus-3 on the season

His plus/minus has swung from minus-31 as a rookie to plus territory this year, mirroring both his defensive growth and a more competitive Sharks roster around him. He’s producing at a pace that puts him among the league’s top scorers despite playing for a bottom-half Pacific Division team. San Jose’s offensive success runs almost entirely through him, and he’s already firmly in the conversation for Team Canada’s 2026 Olympic roster.

Betting Props

Celebrini offers high floor and high ceiling thanks to heavy usage across all situations. Here’s what to target:

• Points and assists Overs – He’s the playmaker on most Sharks scoring plays, and books undervalue him because of team perception
• “To record a point” / “2+ points” parlays vs weaker defenses – His involvement rate is elite
• Same-game parlays tied to Sharks team-total overs – When San Jose scores, he’s almost always on the sheet

3. Leo Carlsson – 20, Ducks

The 2023 second-overall pick who’s already playing like a finished product. Carlsson is a big, poised two-way center with a mature 200-foot game—less flashy than Bedard or Celebrini, but incredibly effective. 

He protects the puck, wins battles in tight spaces, and distributes at a high level while eating tough defensive assignments. He’s the type of player who makes everyone around him better without dominating the highlight reel.

2025 Star Season

Carlsson is a huge reason why Anaheim sits atop the Pacific Division:

• 29 points (11 goals, 18 assists) in 22 games with a plus-11 rating
• 19:38 average ice time with 62.5% power-play share and 36.2% shorthanded share
• 57%+ Corsi at five-on-five, showing he tilts the ice in possession
• Over 20% shooting percentage with 3 game-winning goals—shows up in big moments

The Ducks are in the hunt, and Carlsson’s the answer to every “what’s going right in Anaheim?” question. His efficiency as a finisher, combined with strong underlying metrics, make him one of the most well-rounded young centers in the league. He’s frequently mentioned as a near-lock for future Team Sweden duty, and this season marks his arrival as a legitimate top-line NHL center.

Betting Angle

Carlsson offers a higher floor than most young stars thanks to his all-situations role and strong team context. Here’s what to target:

• “To record a point” and assists props – Safer play than pure goal chasing; his playmaking and PP involvement are consistent
• Same-game parlays tied to Anaheim wins or team-total overs – When the Ducks score, he’s involved
• Anytime goal in tight matchups – 20%+ shooting percentage and 3 game-winners support clutch scoring

4. Cutter Gauthier – 21, Ducks

The power winger who quietly cashes while Carlsson gets the headlines. Gauthier is a north-south shooter with a lethal release—he drives the net, fires from everywhere, and doesn’t need many touches to impact a game. 

Drafted fifth overall by Philadelphia in 2022 (then traded to Anaheim in a blockbuster), he’s developed into exactly what scouts projected: a volume shooter who thrives in the dirty areas and shows up late in close games. He fits perfectly next to Carlsson as the shoot-first complement on a Ducks team that’s legitimately competitive again.

2025 Star Season

Gauthier is having a breakout season as part of Anaheim’s Pacific Division surge:

• 26 points (13 goals, 13 assists) in 22 games with a plus-13 rating
• 98 shots on goal (4.5 per game)—elite volume with a sustainable 13.5% shooting percentage
• 17:58 average ice time with 51% power-play share
• 3 power-play goals plus multiple game-tying and game-winning tallies

His underlying numbers are rock solid: 55% Corsi and roughly 60% offensive-zone start percentage, showing the Ducks deploy him in prime scoring situations. He’s not the flashiest player on this list, but his volume and clutch finishing make him one of the most reliable young goal scorers in the league.

Betting Angle

Gauthier is a shot volume monster, which creates multiple betting angles. Here’s what to target:

• SOG overs – 4.5 per game makes him one of the safest shots-on-goal targets among young players
• Anytime goal and multi-goal ladders – Volume plus PP role and clutch usage, especially vs weak penalty kills
• PPG/PPP markets – Books often misprice him behind bigger-name Ducks; the opportunity is real

Parlay angles:

• Same-game parlays tied to Ducks moneyline or team-total overs – When Anaheim wins or pushes totals over, Gauthier is usually on the sheet

5. Matthew Schaefer – 18, Islanders

The 2025 first-overall pick who’s already being treated like a number-one defenseman. Schaefer is a mobile right-shot blueliner who transitions the puck cleanly, jumps into the rush with confidence, and owns a bomb from the point. 

The Islanders wasted zero time throwing him into the fire, and he’s handled the workload like a veteran. At 18 years old, he’s already functioning as PP1 quarterback and a regular penalty-killer—the type of all-situations trust that’s rare for a teenager, let alone a rookie defenseman on a playoff-hunting team.

2025 Star Season

Schaefer is logging true number-one minutes in his first NHL season:

• 15 points (7 goals, 8 assists) in 22 games with a plus-8 rating
• 22:48 average ice time—heaviest load among all rookies
• 65.8% power-play share (4 PPG, 7 PPP) and 25.8% shorthanded share
• 60 shots on goal and 27 blocks through 22 games

The Islanders are in the thick of the Metro race, and they’ve basically dropped an 18-year-old straight onto their top pair. The coaching staff clearly trusts him in every game situation—late leads, deficits, and all special teams situations. 

He skates the puck out cleanly, drives transition, and fires a dangerous one-timer from the blue line that’s already produced multiple power-play goals. He looks like what he was drafted to be: a future franchise cornerstone.

Betting Angle

For a defenseman, Schaefer is unusually live in many prop markets thanks to his PP1 role and heavy minutes. Here’s what to target:

• “To record a point” and PP points props – D-men usually get softer lines, but his usage is elite
• SOG overs – 60 shots in 22 games show he’s not shy about firing from the point
• Blocked shots props – 27 blocks and heavy PK usage make this a live bet whenever the Isles are underdogs or facing volume shooters

Season-long:

• Future Norris-type narratives, but highly unlikely he’s in consideration this year
• Calder Trophy — defensemen rarely win, but his usage and production will not go ignored

The Bottom Line

This isn’t a future headline — it’s the current reality in the NHL right now. The youngest stars are already driving production, minutes, and betting markets — and most of them still can’t rent a car.

Whether you’re chasing high-ceiling props, building same-game parlays, or looking for season-long value, these five should be on your radar every night they hit the ice.

Books are still adjusting to how good these kids actually are. That’s your window.