Before we get to Week 23 goalies, I thought we’d take a quick look at the trade action that has already taken place before Monday’s deadline. The Blackhawks traded Brandon Hagel to the Lightning for two first-round picks and two players; the Panthers received Ben Chiarot for a first-round and fourth-round pick; Calgary nabbed Calle Jarnkrok from Seattle, and Colorado traded Drew Helleson and a 2023 second-round pick for Josh Manson.
Do you know what is glaringly omitted from that list? Goalies. As of Friday, all the netminders remained in their original 2021 homes, so we will see if any last-second deals get done in the meantime.
To not continuously recommend the same streamers, I’ve dug deep this week and will highlight which games, in particular, I’m interested in from a matchup perspective. My top two streaming goalies for the week are the same as my top two from last week: Anton Forsberg and Cal Petersen. They remain rostered in less than 80% of leagues and if your league is included, I’d grab them quickly.
For this week, however, we have some new faces that could be a boost to your squad and maybe even be the difference between a playoff spot or waiting until next year. And if you want more goalie info, check out goalie expert Cat Silverman’s guest appearance on the Fantasy Hockey Life podcast.
3 Goalie Grabs for Week 23
Nico Daws (NJ): NYR, @TOR, @WAS, MON
Roster percentage: Fantrax 28%; Yahoo 12%
The 21-year-old goalie appears here for a couple of primary reasons. Since the All-Star Break, Daws has gone 5-6 with a .905 save percentage and is allowing 2.96 goals per game. That said, I would prefer to start him at the two home games on this slate since his home/road splits are quite striking. At home, he allows 2.17 goals per game and a .923 save percentage. On the road, he allows a whopping 4.06 goals per game with a .879 save percentage. I’ve also exploited this strong split in DFS lately and done quite well. You can maybe start him at Washington, but leave him out of Toronto if you can.
James Reimer (SJ): @CGY, @EDM, ANH
Roster percentage: Fantrax 55%; Yahoo 38%
In Reimer’s last seven games, he has not allowed more than three goals and is averaging 32.7 saves. He has been the same player before and after the ASB and is just slightly better on the road, but the split isn’t stark. He doesn’t give you much win equity, but that’s not his fault, and his quality start percentage is incredibly high at .657. Finally, even though he has had six really bad starts (RBS) on the season, he has not had one since February 17. He hasn’t faced the Flames yet, but he had solid games against the Oilers and Ducks earlier this year and I like him for Week 23.
Alex Nedeljkovic (DET): PHI, @NYI, TB, @PIT
Roster percentage: Fantrax 73%; Yahoo 50%
For a couple of games there, I thought stacking against Nedeljkovic was the easiest play in hockey DFS. He gave up seven to the Coyotes and five to the Wild. Then he came in to relieve Thomas Greiss after four first period goals against the Oilers only to allow three more. He has failed the eye test almost every time I’ve watched him. So why recommend him here? I love the matchups against the Flyers and Islanders. In his last meeting against New York, he saved 33 of 34 shots and got the win. He then had the same story against Philadelphia, saving 21 of 24 and earning the win again. And if you need the counting stats, on March 4, he saved 35 of 37 against Tampa Bay. He is such a good goalie overall that I’m willing to roll the dice.
3 Goalies to Avoid in Week 23
Thatcher Demko (VAN): @COL, @MIN, @DAL
In two meetings against Colorado this season, he has given up nine total goals on only 55 shots. He is noticeably worse on the road than at home, allowing almost a goal higher when not sleeping in Vancouver. These three opponents present very difficult road tasks with high-scoring potential that could crash your weekly ratios. Demko is a good goalie overall, but I don’t want him versus this trio.
Cam Talbot (MIN): VGK, VAN, CLS, COL
There is a fun stat that measures how many goals a netminder has saved against the league average (GSAA) and Talbot sits at -2.2. For a team that is 35-20 and playoff-bound, it is not a great sign that their starting goalie is below league average in goals saved. While the four-game week looks appealing at first glance, those four squads shoot the puck and shoot it often. Talbot is actually a bit worse at home than on the road as well. If I rostered him, I would be very selective about which matchups I give him this close to the playoffs.
Ilya Samsonov (WAS): STL, @BUF, NJ
Sticking with the GSAA theme, the third-year goalie is currently at -7.5. While Vitek Vanecek is back and splitting time with him, Samsonov still only has a .300 quality start percentage and has three RBS in his last five. Unless you have to play him, I’d avoid the 25-year-old for the rest of the season.
That’s all I’ve got for you for Week 23. Questions? Thoughts? Feel free to contact me on Twitter @thewonkypenguin. Keep your eyes on NHL trade deadline trackers through Monday and, as always, good luck!