Are Elite Goalies Worth the Hype in Fantasy Drafts? Find Out Here!
Goalie runs are epic in most fantasy drafts. But are they really necessary? And do you need a top tender to win your league? Short answer? No, on both counts. Sure, I've gotten caught up on a run and drafted an elite goalie too soon. I once took Andrei Vasilevsky - before his string of injuries - in the first round. That was a hard lesson. He's great. But he has also cooled off in the second half for weeks at a time. And not just once. That destroyed me in a weekly format. I didn't have the offense to compete - elite snipers are a much rarer breed. I then had to rely on luck. Luck is not a strategy.
I've also been swept up in a run - who hasn't? Some leagues hoard goalies. I might jump in because a mid twinetender is better than the short half of a platoon. But then again, starters rarely play 60-plus games anymore. Low 50s is more likely. And even then, that's tiring for many. Plus, some "back-ups" will get 30-35 games. That's where streaming can pay off. After all, goalie categories are largely cumulative, unless you're in a weekly.
Some 12-team Yahoo! leagues really only tap the top-36 goalies, give or take. And with the parity in that range, I'd prefer two low-20 starters than the top and bottom goalies. The bottom line? Don't overreach for goalies. There are
Are Elite Goalies Worth the Hype in Fantasy Drafts? Find Out Here!
Goalie runs are epic in most fantasy drafts. But are they really necessary? And do you need a top tender to win your league? Short answer? No, on both counts. Sure, I've gotten caught up on a run and drafted an elite goalie too soon. I once took Andrei Vasilevsky - before his string of injuries - in the first round. That was a hard lesson. He's great. But he has also cooled off in the second half for weeks at a time. And not just once. That destroyed me in a weekly format. I didn't have the offense to compete - elite snipers are a much rarer breed. I then had to rely on luck. Luck is not a strategy.
I've also been swept up in a run - who hasn't? Some leagues hoard goalies. I might jump in because a mid twinetender is better than the short half of a platoon. But then again, starters rarely play 60-plus games anymore. Low 50s is more likely. And even then, that's tiring for many. Plus, some "back-ups" will get 30-35 games. That's where streaming can pay off. After all, goalie categories are largely cumulative, unless you're in a weekly.
Some 12-team Yahoo! leagues really only tap the top-36 goalies, give or take. And with the parity in that range, I'd prefer two low-20 starters than the top and bottom goalies. The bottom line? Don't overreach for goalies. There are lots of solid options. So, pick a strategy and stick to it. And remember - an elite starter taken early won't carry your team.
Outside of an injury, leagues are won and lost in the early to middle rounds. Drafting an elite goalie means you are committed to dominating goalie categories. So, you'll need a strong complement in the second seat. That means you'll take him earlier than you'd like. And that means a compromise somewhere else. Like goals. Or defense. Pick your priority and then let 'er rip.
Let's take a look. And debate! P.S. Each group is in alphabetical order, not ranked best to worst.
The Elite Five - "The 35-Win Club - More the Same than Different"
Mackenzie Blackwood, Connor Hellebuyck, Jake Oettinger, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Igor Shesterkin
Blackwood? Elite skills with a strong team in front of him could earn a Vezina nomination. Hellebuyck is a stud. So is Vasy. Their workloads worry me, but not enough to stay away. Oettinger has Casey DeSmith behind him, and he's elite in 25-game territory. Shesterkin's skills are elite on a declining team. So more SOG, which could mean a higher save percentage. These guys will deliver similar stats and finish with anywhere between four and six shutouts.
Magic Eight Ball - "A Solid 30 Wins, So Let the Ball Choose"
Thatcher Demko, Filip Gustavsson, Adin Hill, Jacob Markstrom, Juuse Saros, Ilya Sorokin, Linus Ullmark, Dustin Wolf
Demko was second to Hellebuyck in the 2024 Vezina race. And his health is finally 100 percent. I'm a believer. Gustavsson will win 30 games, and his save percentage will be above average… although his GAA will be the highest of this group. Hill is athletic and competitive, and Vegas is a great place to play. His consistency can waver, though. Markstrom is a borderline top-10 netminder looking for a new contract. He'll deliver. Saros has nowhere to go but up, and he was on the Vezina shortlist as recently as 2022. Sorokin has long been seen as a top-four netminder; his team will tell the tale. And apparently they're "not" rebuilding. Ullmark went 40-6-1 in just 49 starts to win the Vezina in 2023. The Sens aren't the 2022-23 Bruins, but the Swede is a top-10 twinetender when healthy. Wolf was the Calder runner-up in 2024-25. His ascension will continue, but my gut does twinge a bit. Sophomore slumps do happen, the same way diarrhea comes when leftovers sit on the counter too long.
High-Mileage Worry - "Approach With Caution"
A few short seasons ago, Bob the Goalie was considered almost washed up. Two Stanley Cups later, and he's a bona fide Hall-of-Fame. Beware his odometer, though. The last two seasons have been very long. And his workload will be managed closely so the Panthers can go for a three-peat.
The System Makes the Man - "Boy Next Door a.k.a Plain and Ordinary"
Darcy Kuemper, Pyotr Kochetkov
The Kings play a 200-foot game that keeps pressure off their netminder. The Canes' system smothers elite opponents and gets the puck out fast. Both Kuemper and Kochetkov will flirt with top-12 status in these situations.
Tandem Excellence - "Can't Have One Without the Other…"
Stolarz has been elite for several seasons, and his 31.2 GSAx was second-best in the NHL last year. Woll is calm, cool and supremely collected. And Toronto is elite. Stolarz could come close to 30 wins with fewer than 45 starts. Yup. Borderline elite in this situation. Plus, Woll himself could flirt with top-10 status.
Battlers - "Back-Alley Dangerous - Never Underestimate Them"
Jordan Binnington, Joey Daccord, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen
Binner helped carry Canada to a 4 Nations win last season. He also barely scratched out a .900 save percentage with the Blues. The Blues are a dark horse this season if consistency comes their way. Daccord is on the rise. He and Jeremy Swayman brought home gold for Team USA at the Worlds a few months ago, and he is one of four goaltenders invited to the US Olympic Camp. Thirty wins are within reach. UPL took a step back in 2024-25 under a very heavy workload, but the skill is still real. And Devon Levi isn't ready to take the top reins.
Rising - "Sending Out Flares"
Yaroslav Askarov, Lukas Dostal, Joel Hofer, Spencer Knight, Jesper Wallstedt
Askarov is elite; the Sharks are not. Still, he'll make a lot of saves, win his fair share, and look great at times. Dostal is the cream of this crop - a guy ready to ascend to top-12 status, but can the Ducks do the same? That's really the only thing holding his potential stats back. Hofer is trapped behind Jordan Binnington, but his skill is real - he has the NHL's ninth-best goals-against-per-60 (0.20) over the last two seasons. That's Russian stud territory. As in Igor Shesterkin and Ilya Sorokin. Knight has the pedigree to be a star, but his team has a lot of holes. Stardom may take three or four seasons, but we'll see flashes this season. Wallstedt struggled in the AHL last season. This year, he'll be the backup in the NHL and is ready to prove he's the future.
Backups/Short-side Platoons That Could Surprise
Casey DeSmith, Kevin Lankinen, Charlie Lindgren, Leevi Merilainen, Calvin Pickard
DeSmith has the best guarantee (and skill) of this lot. He can be elite in 25 starts. The other guys are handcuffed to their team's starter on draft day, except Pickard, of course. The Oilers' crease is foggy at best, and Stuart Skinner will forever face the ire of fans. But Pickard could be AHL-bound if a trade comes.
The System Breaks the Man
Sam Montembeault, Jeremy Swayman
Montembeault finished with the NHL's fifth-best GSAx (24.6) last year, but he also had 22 starts with a save percentage of .880 or below. That's a function of the team. Yes, the Habs will improve again, but that variability is tough for your fantasy goalie. Swayman is coming off a career-worst season. Expectations are low in Boston after missing the postseason. A new coach means a new system. And that means pressure on the netminder, especially early.
Real Housewives of the West - "Yes, Aviva threw her prosthetic leg to make a point."
Drama. Tantrums. Chaos. The Skinner on-again, off-again drama has been enough to delay Connor McDavid's contract extension. Gulp. Gibson hasn't been good enough to be number one for a flock of quacks. Plus, the Yzer-plan is getting a touch tired. Approach with caution.
"Do not touch with a 10-foot pole."
Hang nail. Athlete's foot. I exaggerate, but it feels like the Great Dane is at risk of something. Last season, he missed months with knee surgery. And he takes his time with his recovery - he will NEVER return early to help his team. Missed time is missed time. The risk is far too high.
Meh Tandems
Connor Ingram/Karel Vejmelka, Charlie Lindgren/Logan Thompson
The Mammoths will be OK. So will their tandem. But that's not good enough in fantasy. I see your fury with Logan Thompson's inclusion in this group. I like him, but Lindgren can steal games. And the Caps will play the hottest hand (and sacrifice Thompson's ego) to try to lure Alex Ovechkin into a contract extension.
Tandems to Avoid
Elvis Merzlikins/Jet Greaves, Samuel Ersson/Dan Vladar, Joel Blomqvist/Tristan Jarry
I like Greaves a lot. He's athletic and talented. But that's not enough on a team destined for a dumpster fire. Sorry, Ohio. Ditto Pennsylvania. Dumpster fire. Tire fire. UGH.
Wild Cards
Alexandar Georgiev, Carter Hart, Ilya Samsonov
This group straddles anxiety and controversy, but they need to be addressed. Georgiev and Samsonov are discount store options, but both deserve to be in the NHL. They could be league average in the right situation, but remain unsigned. Hart may make you nauseous, and the NHL needs to determine if he'll even play this season. If he does, his success will come down to two things - rust (he hasn't played since Jan. 20, 2024) and where he lands. Canadian fans will make his life miserable. Original six fans might, too. The rest? The more anonymous the better.
