Fantasy hockey goalie guide: Best picks, draft strategy

While not statistically impossible, it's exceptionally hard to triumph astatine phantasy hockey without a beardown goaltending force. Not lone are respective categories the work of fewer figures, flip successful the antagonistic integers "earned" by allowing excessively galore goals, and substandard netminding showings tin importantly dent your chances of occurrence successful each varieties of leagues. For instance, successful ESPN's modular game, a goalie who stops 28 of 30 shots successful a 4-2 triumph produces 5.6 prized points. While surrendering 5 goals connected 31 shots successful a 5-4 nonaccomplishment nets a loss of -4.8 points. A perchance achy swing, indeed.

ESPN Fantasy Hockey Default Scoring for Goaltenders:

Wins = 4 points; OT losses = 1 point; shutouts = 3 points
Saves = 0.2 points; Goals Against = -2 points.

Like successful the real-life game, falling abbreviated betwixt the pipes tin marque for a precise agelong phantasy season. Spare a thought for phantasy managers who initially selected Juuse Saros and Jeremy Swayman arsenic their apical 2 netminders up of 2024-25. Hardly a reckless determination astatine the clip -- considering their projected values earlier each went askew -- but a depressing look to manage, each the same.

The look remains identical, twelvemonth implicit year, successful astir accepted phantasy play. Your exemplary phantasy netminder is 1 who competes often, wins a lot, and stops the largest fraction of shots-faced possible. Unfortunately, plucking the close figures from the NHL's alternatively tiny excavation is often easier said than accomplished.

Strategy

Illustrating the worth successful securing the champion of the bunch, one goalie finished with astir 20% much phantasy points than his nearest competition. While rostering Connor Hellebuyck didn't warrant triumph successful 2024-25, the determination surely offered managers a important limb up. As acold arsenic early-reach netminders are concerned, Hellebuyck is simply a database of one. Not up of proven game-changers up beforehand similar Nathan MacKinnon oregon Leon Draisaitl, but close after. If you're incapable to unafraid the champion successful the fantasy-netminding biz, don't sweat it. There are different very good options available, touched connected below.

In deeper accepted leagues comprising 10-12 managers, unafraid your one-two goaltending punch aboriginal on, past pad your roster with high-ceilinged sleepers oregon different underrated performers. If they enactment out, great. If not, they tin apt beryllium subbed retired for pleasant surprises who look arsenic the play wears on. As with different positions, playing adjacent attraction to who's unexpectedly surging tin wage retired affluent phantasy dividends.

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Elite goalies to target

Andrei Vasilevskiy, Tampa Bay Lightning: (projected: 187.6, past season: 219.2)

If anyone tin situation Winnipeg's No. 1 for phantasy supremacy it's the "Big Cat" successful Tampa. Now 2 years removed from undergoing backmost surgery, Vasilevskiy is successful his prime, feeling amended than ever. In fact, the 31-year-old suggested to reporters this outpouring that helium hadn't yet deed his peak. A singular thought, considering Tampa's go-to logged a 38-20-5 record, .921 SV% and 2.16 GAA grounds done 63 contests this past play -- a show that would person attracted much attraction if it wasn't for...