Goaltending. What's yours like? Mine's a mess. But then again, I'm beginning to believe that fantasy netminding has become a black hole for almost everyone.
Maybe it always was.
Goaltending has changed. A lot. The average save percentage has dropped every year since 2014-15. That year, it was .915. This one? It's .896. Wow.
So, what happened? Analytics, that's what. We can all say the equipment is better, which it is. But the game is way smarter. And maybe the players are too. They sure have a lot better data at their fingertips. Almost no one relies on gut feel anymore.
The focus on high-danger scoring changes means goalies face tougher shots. And shooters don't waste time on bad angle shots or ones from distance. Those padded save totals for years. Remember Roberto Luongo? His regular-season average was .919 over 1,044 games.
YouTube him if you don't remember. Luongo went into the Hall of Fame in 2022. And at the time of his induction, he was fourth all-time in wins. He faced a lot of garbage during his career.
Connor Hellebuyck, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin (100, 100 and 99 percent Yahoo!, respectively) all have .917 career average save percentages. I think it's easy to say they're all better than Luongo. And a lot of other HOFers. Their stats are beyond elite given the number of high-danger chances they've faced.
Give it to me. I'm ready for the flack.You know I like to poke you. And I know
Goaltending. What's yours like? Mine's a mess. But then again, I'm beginning to believe that fantasy netminding has become a black hole for almost everyone.
Maybe it always was.
Goaltending has changed. A lot. The average save percentage has dropped every year since 2014-15. That year, it was .915. This one? It's .896. Wow.
So, what happened? Analytics, that's what. We can all say the equipment is better, which it is. But the game is way smarter. And maybe the players are too. They sure have a lot better data at their fingertips. Almost no one relies on gut feel anymore.
The focus on high-danger scoring changes means goalies face tougher shots. And shooters don't waste time on bad angle shots or ones from distance. Those padded save totals for years. Remember Roberto Luongo? His regular-season average was .919 over 1,044 games.
YouTube him if you don't remember. Luongo went into the Hall of Fame in 2022. And at the time of his induction, he was fourth all-time in wins. He faced a lot of garbage during his career.
Connor Hellebuyck, Andrei Vasilevskiy and Igor Shesterkin (100, 100 and 99 percent Yahoo!, respectively) all have .917 career average save percentages. I think it's easy to say they're all better than Luongo. And a lot of other HOFers. Their stats are beyond elite given the number of high-danger chances they've faced.
Give it to me. I'm ready for the flack.You know I like to poke you. And I know you have your favorite goalies…
Now, let's take a look at who caught my eye this week.
Yaroslav Askarov, G, San Jose (20 percent Yahoo!) -- Askarov won his third straight start on Saturday. He took down the Cup champs and did the same to the Avs earlier in the week while making 103 saves with a .963 on this streak. The Sharks continue to alternate Askarov and Alex Nedeljkovic (3 percent Yahoo!), who also put in a stellar showing Thursday against the Jets. Askarov will get the Flames on Thursday, if they stick to their pattern. I really like that matchup and it'll be a nice compare-and-contrast with Calder runner-up Dustin Wolf (87 percent Yahoo!).
Ivan Barbashev, LW, Vegas (30 percent Yahoo!) -- Some things don't add up. Like Barbashev being rostered in fewer than one-third of leagues. He's a first-line winger playing alongside superstars Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner (both 100 percent Yahoo!) AND on PP2. Barbashev is also riding a three-game, five-point run that includes three goals heading into Monday. And 15 points in 14 games. Go make this make sense. Now.
Tyler Bertuzzi, LW/RW, Chicago (33 percent Yahoo!) -- Bertuzzi went on a goal rampage this week. He's on a three-game, six-goal (seven point) stretch going into Wednesday with seven from his last five. Managers noticed… to the tune of a 23 percent jump in rostering over the weekend. Bertuzzi is the epitome of taking a ride with the best available option at the end of the night, and why not? Half of his goals have come on the power play with 14 points overall. Perhaps more impressively, he's plus-2 after a minus-39 last season. Bertuzzi will even toss in a hit every game, which can help in those formats.
Nick Blankenburg, D, Nashville (1 percent Yahoo!) -- Opportunity has knocked for Blankenburg, whose responsibility has ramped up large with Roman Josi (92 percent Yahoo!; upper body) and Adam Wilsby (0 percent Yahoo!; lower body) on the shelf. He's on the quietest, five-game point streak in the NHL. Blankenburg heads into Monday with a goal and five assists - including one of each on the power play, where he's running the top unit. Josi won't be back for at least a couple weeks, so what are you waiting for? He's almost universally available and is firing shots (nine) and even blocking a few (four).
Philipp Grubauer, G, Seattle (4 percent Yahoo!) -- Grubauer is now the de facto starter in Seattle after Joey Daccord (upper body; 78 percent Yahoo!) hit the IR Saturday. Matt Murray (0 percent Yahoo!) is in net Sunday and Grubauer will likely get the Jackets on Tuesday and one of the Jets (Thursday) or Sharks (Saturday). Netminding is painfully thin on the wire. You need him, and maybe Murray if you're hurting. I already missed him.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau, RW/C, NY Islanders (11 percent Yahoo!) -- Pageau is on a roll. He does this every season and maybe even a couple times, so he should be on your radar in dailies. Pageau has stacked up six points - three of those goals - across five appearances heading into Monday alongside eight shots, seven hits and six blocks. None of that involved any man-advantage output, but he does hit the ice on PP2. Pageau did pop in a shorthanded goal, and those are unicorns if your league counts them.
Evander Kane, LW, Vancouver (34 percent Yahoo!) -- Kane was moved up to the first line this week, and it lit a fire. The aggressive winger had three goals on 18 shots in only three outings going into Sunday night, and he's playing with that historic Kane swagger. We both know that can be a blessing and a curse, especially if it crosses the line. But I'm buying in. Confidence is everything.
Chris Kreider, LW, Anaheim (42 percent Yahoo!) -- Kreider is not dead. Far from it. He had a four-game, five-goal streak snapped Saturday with nine in 10 games. Right now, he's on a Cy Young campaign with only one assist before Sunday. But goal scorers don't grow on trees. Kreider isn't going to get 60 or 70, like his current pace. But Leo Carlsson (80 percent Yahoo!) is dishing him the puck. And he's on PP1. More and more managers are catching on. Get him. Don't be saddled with FOMO.
Joseph Woll, G, Toronto (38 percent Yahoo!) -- Woll (personal) is back. He spent the weekend in the AHL to get into game shape and likely needs more time there. And necessity is the mother of invention, so he could be back fast. Anthony Stolarz (91 percent Yahoo!) has been dealing with a heavy workload and a scuffling team. His stats are queasy and was pulled Saturday after four goals on 19 shots. Woll is a calm, stable netminder where he and Stolarz were among the NHL's best pairings last season. The Leafs need a jolt in net, among many things. Woll could be back sooner rather than later, so snap him up. I'm invested in Stolarz in one league, and I already missed him. Yes, I'm last in that league. Sigh.
Cam York, D, Philadelphia (12 percent Yahoo!) -- Surprise, surprise - Philly is in a Wild Card spot right now. Go figure. It won't last. Toronto, Florida and Ottawa are among the teams looking in, and all are better squads. But the Flyers are playing well, and York is on track for a career campaign as he's already registered nine points - including eight assists - in 12 contests that covers four points (one PPG, three assists) from his last three. And with five blocks and four shots during the same span, York's multi-cat impact elevates his value.
Olen Zellweger, D, Anaheim (15 percent Yahoo!) -- Zellweger is a solid offensive puck mover who's found his game and offense beside Jacob Trouba (71 percent Yahoo!) at both even-strength and on PP2. Heading into Sunday night, he has four points (one goal, three assists), 11 shots, 10 blocks and a plus-9 rating over his last five matchups. And that goal came while up a man. Jackson LaCombe (85 percent Yahoo!) is still the top dawg on the PP, though Zellweger is showing he may be able to fill those skates if needed. At minimum, the Ducks are scoring a lot of goals and you'd be wise to tap into that run.
Back to struggling goalies.
Yes, I'm sore about netminding. Several of my teams are suffering. I built one team around Anthony Stolarz (91 percent Yahoo!). And another around Linus Ullmark (83 percent Yahoo!) and Stuart Skinner (61 percent Yahoo!).
And I have another with Jacob Markstrom (82 percent Yahoo!) and Thatcher Demko (87 percent Yahoo!). I hope the latter isn't out for long…
Every league I've been in overvalues netminding, and I've been playing fantasy hockey for a long time. I've drafted elite skill and still been burned, either by injury or a multi-week downturn.
I'm looking at you, Vasilevskiy. Then again, I'd take you right now ahead of every one of my starters.
Until next week.
