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Jake Oettinger, Stars (15-6-0, .921 Sv%, 2.34 GAA)
The Stars have been the toughest team to figure out this season, alternating between really good stretches and really bad stretches, but at least one thing’s been consistent: Oettinger has been their best goalie. Sunday’s loss to the Coyotes was a huge downer because a win was well within reach, but more importantly for Oettinger, it was his seventh start in eight games. Judging by the rumors about a potential move for either Anton Khudobin or Braden Holtby, it’s clear the Stars’ goalie of the future has arrived earlier than expected. Yet for a team seven games over .500, Oettinger is still available in more than 30 percent of Yahoo leagues.
The Stars face some tough questions the next few weeks — are they buyers? — as the trade deadline approaches, so fantasy managers can roster Oettinger with full confidence in his role as the starter. Some good matchups are coming too, with two games against the struggling Preds and the Sabres and Kings at home, where Oettinger is 12-3-0.
The key for Oettinger’s fantasy value, aside from his own performance, will also depend on his goal support; if Roope Hintz, Jason Robertson or Joe Pavelski is missing from the top line, all bets are off because the other nine Stars forwards look lost in space in the offensive zone most nights.
Samuel Montembeault, Canadiens (Since Feb. 10: 2-2-0, .925 Sv%, 2.43 GAA)
Last week, I had a sneaking suspicion that Andrew Hammond‘s short-term impact may be getting overlooked, but it’s really a “rising tide raises all ships” kind of scenario. The Habs are playing with much more purpose under Martin St. Louis, who has three wins in six games when Dominique Ducharme took 11 games to get there, and the scoring has come alive with many thanks to Cole Caufield and improved play from top defenseman Jeff Petry. Under St. Louis, the Habs rank 13th in 5v5 CF%, according to naturalstattrick.com, a huge improvement from Ducharme, when they ranked 24th.
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A difficult five-game road trip is upcoming, but that’s also a time when teams can really bond because they’re together all the time. The matchups aren’t all that intimidating, either, with Buffalo and Ottawa this week and then Seattle, Arizona and Philadelphia two weeks from now. It would not be surprising to see the Habs go on a bit of a run — what’s there to lose?
It would be wise to not be overzealous with the Habs goalies, however, but they’re no longer the laughing stock they were months before, and fantasy managers with players playing against the Habs might have to think twice. Montembeault is much more desirable over Hammond, though history has shown Hammond can get hot and take over for short stretches.
Anton Forsberg, Senators (Last 5 GP: 3-0-1, .942 Sv%, 1.91 GAA)
Matt Murray missed Tuesday’s game against the Wild for personal reasons but is expected to return to the lineup after practicing Saturday, and he’ll be given a chance to be the starting goalie again having played well following a short banishment to the minor leagues. However, his prolonged absence opened the door for Forsberg, who played in five of the last six games and has been outstanding, including a 40-save win against the Wild.
The danger facing bad teams late in the season is that they play a bit freer; there are no expectations, and after being kicked in the teeth most of the season, the best time for revenge is when the opposition lets its guard down. The Sens seem to be happy playing spoiler and relishing the challenge despite still missing key players. Forsberg is rostered in only 17 percent of Yahoo leagues and could be a worthwhile addition, though it’s probably still best to sit both goalies in upcoming games against the Panthers and Lightning before starting them against the Coyotes.
Honorable Mention: Jeremy Swayman, Bruins; Jacob Markstrom, Flames; Frederik Andersen, Hurricanes; Marc-Andre Fleury, Blackhawks; Darcy Kuemper, Avalanche; Jean-Francois Berube, Blue Jackets; Ilya Sorokin, Islanders; Igor Shesterkin, Rangers; Ilya Samsonov, Capitals; Connor Hellebuyck, Jets
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Mike Smith and Mikko Koskinen, Oilers (Last 5 combined: 3-1-0, .870 Sv%, 3.50 GAA)
You’ve heard this song and dance before; the only difference is the Oilers’ offense has bailed out their goaltending (again) and won four of their last five games. When it rains, it pours in Edmonton, and an ugly 7-3 loss to the Wild on Sunday just showcased that bad goaltending can sink even the most talented offensive teams. With a five-game road trip upcoming that includes stops in Tampa Bay, Florida and Carolina, it’s advisable to keep all Oilers goalies on the bench. If they can’t beat a middle-heavyweight like the Wild on home ice, they certainly will be significant underdogs against the East’s elite teams.
Cam Talbot, Wild (Last week: 0-3-0, .867 Sv%, 4.49 GAA)
It’s not like Kaapo Kahkonen was very good against the Oilers, but if Talbot isn’t careful, he could lose the starting job. Kahkonen’s already shown he has the chops to be the No. 1 during Talbot’s injury, and after beating the Rangers and Canes, Talbot followed that with 16 goals allowed in the following three games. Talbot’s a good fantasy asset because the Wild win a lot, but his peripherals will never stand out very much, and three very challenging games await with the Leafs on Thursday and then a home-and-home series against the Flames.
Jack Campbell and Petr Mrazek, Maple Leafs (Last week combined: 1-2-1, .887 Sv%, 3.76 GAA)
Acquiring Carter Hutton from the Coyotes for essentially nothing shouldn’t move the needle very much, but it certainly was a signal that the Leafs realized that they needed extra insurance in the crease. Campbell’s workload has never been this tough, and both he and Mrazek are known to be injury-prone. This late in the season, the Leafs cannot afford to lose any momentum, and their defensive depth has also taken a hit with Jake Muzzin potentially out long term. Both goalies are still worth rostering, but it’s a rotation that’s starting to become difficult to figure out, and Campbell’s definitely not as reliable as he was earlier in the season.
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With the trade deadline approaching in most fantasy leagues, it might be a good time to see if Campbell can be peddled for at least a more consistent goalie even if the team he plays on might not win as many games as the Leafs.
Dishonorable Mention: John Gibson, Ducks; Elvis Merzlikins, Blue Jackets; Cal Petersen and Jonathan Quick, Kings; Juuse Saros, Predators; Martin Jones, Flyers; Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith, Penguins; James Reimer, Sharks; Philipp Grubauer, Kraken; Thatcher Demko, Canucks