The over may be hitting a lot lately, but don’t get it twisted, this NHL regular season has featured some tremendous goaltending.
From Jack Campbell to Igor Shesterkin to Andrei Vasilevskiy, among others, there’s no shortage of serious contenders for this year’s Vezina Trophy — at least to this point.
Show me a good goaltender and I’ll show you a good team. Undeniably, that modified old saying certainly resonates in the fantasy world as well. Bottom line: A strong crease can take you a long way.
Pertaining to the Sportsnet Fantasy Hockey Pool, you’re required to select teams as opposed to singular goalies with the aim of notching as many wins and shutouts as possible.
With that in mind, here’s the top-10 wins leaders in the NHL right now:
Some food for thought for the next time you put together a roster.
Now to your questions:
@davidragee asks: If Tuukka (and Boston) goes on a run when he comes back, is the crease solely his?
Never say never but I fully expect the Bruins to implement a tandem share system between Rask and Linus Ullmark.
For starters, Rask hasn’t played in an NHL game since May 10 of last season. Additionally, he’s 34 and coming off a serious hip injury. Translation, it wouldn’t be smart to overwork him. And nor should they, especially with Ullmark in the mix and Jeremy Swayman available for spot start duties if need be.
Temper your expectations, at least when it comes to Rask’s workload.
Because we haven’t seen much of either player at the pro level just yet, this one’s tough to quantify.
So, basing this on pedigree alone, I’d say Rossi.
Nonetheless, both forwards had solid debuts on Thursday night in Boston with Boldy, the local product, potting the game-winning goal for the Wild. If you’re unfamiliar with the two, Rossi’s known for his playmaking abilities whereas Boldy’s recognized for his shooting prowess, something that clearly was on full display in Game 1. Due to the injury to Kirill Kaprizov, the two rookies actually spent most of the night playing together on a line alongside veteran Marcus Foligno. They looked like seasoned pros.
Both have bright futures, that’s all you need to know.
@tannerdittmann asks: Looking for a Dman, what’s your take between Dumba, Provorov, or Klingberg?
Unequivocally, the right answer is Klingberg.
Finally, and I mean finally, the pending UFA is starting to cook. The Stars blueliner is in the midst of a season-high five game point streak (1 G, 6 A), hopefully the start of something big. Additionally, to put it mildly, there’s nothing I’ve seen this season offensively from Dumba and Provorov that really excites me.
Quite evidently, the upside is profoundly with Klingberg.
Put it this way: 31 teams should be making calls on Chychrun right now.
Why, you ask? Well, firstly, he’s young (23). Most importantly, though, his contract is outstanding. Following this season, the two-way defender still has three years left on his deal at $4.6 million per year. I mean, talk about value! And lastly, he’s super talented. If this deal goes down mid-season, my best guess is that Chychrun lands on a contender. Take your pick. Rest assured, the haul for the Coyotes would be seismic.
From a fantasy standpoint, even though the Coyotes have really come on offensively lately, a change of scenery would still do wonders for the Chychrun’s stock.
Monitor closely.
@DustyTrout asks: Do I keep playing Koskinen ? #LetsGoOilers
No. At this point, Koskinen should be viewed as no more than a streamer option moving forward.
@chadgun asks: How long until Bouchard takes Nurse’s PP1 spot?
Well, nothing’s been working for Edmonton lately, so might as well give it a longer look, no? Long-term prospective in mind, it’s important that the Oilers exercise patience with Bouchard. The last thing you want to do is destroy the kid’s confidence. He’s only 22.
Once the Ducks return to full health, Comtois will be hard pressed to hold onto that role specifically. Having said that, you can’t mess with production. If the 22-year-old, who by the way is still searching for his first goal of the season, demonstrates consistency, Dallas Eakins’ hand will be forced.
For now, I would just take a wait and see approach to see if Comtois can string something substantial together over the next little while. For what it’s worth him, I love him for second half purposes. Let’s see what happens!
Sorry to break it to you, but that offer isn’t going to cut it.
Needless to say, you’re going to have to add a lot more to entice the other manager to even think about moving MacKinnon. Here’s hoping they weren’t watching on Thursday night when MacKinnon erupted for five points. He now has three goals and 20 assists over a 12-game point streak. Not bad.
Make no mistake about it, MacKinnon’s a top-five fantasy player. Step your game up or move on.
Good luck!
@mexitcanam asks: Ryan Getzlaf or Robert Thomas in a points only league?
Give me Thomas.
For starters, I guess it helps that I’m a big believer in St. Louis this season, I’m still undecided on Anaheim. Undeniably, Thomas is in the middle of a breakout season; I just wish he’d shoot the puck more! In addition to that, I love the chemistry he’s built with Vladimir Tarasenko and Jordan Kyrou. I think there’s some staying power there, too.
When it comes to Getzlaf, it’s fair to expect a bit of regression. After all, the dude’s 36 and it’s been a tough season for everyone, considering the obvious. Anaheim’s been ravaged by Covid lately. I’m also curious to see what the Ducks roster looks like post-deadline.
Thomas over Getzlaf.
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