Unless you had the privilege of drafting Connor Hellebuyck or Filip Gustavsson this year, having consistent goaltending throughout your fantasy hockey season has been an extremely difficult task. During this time of year, NHL teams are deciding whether they should make a playoff push or decide to prepare for next year. However, with many franchises still within reach of a playoff spot, it’s made certain starting goaltenders who are playing on teams close to wild card positions more valuable. A number of goalies playing for the teams hovering around a playoff spot are not the high-profile names that are already 100% rostered in your fantasy league. In fact, many of these goalies are most likely recent waiver wire pickups or still free agents. Today, we will provide you with three goaltenders you should consider trading for or obtaining on the waiver wire ahead of your fantasy hockey playoffs, who have proven to string together a series of consistent starts over the last month.
3 Goalies To Target for the Fantasy Hockey Playoffs
Dustin Wolf – Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames were not projected to be a contender heading into the 2024-2025 season but have remained in the post-season conversation for most of the year, and a significant reason for their contention has been Dustin Wolf. The 23-year-old has already accumulated 17 wins over 26 starts in goal this season and has posted a 0.918 SV% and 2.49 GAA. Most importantly, he became a reliable option in place of Jacob Markstrom, who was traded to the New Jersey Devils last June. Due to Wolf’s lack of experience in the NHL, it seemed like he was still a few years away from becoming a starting goaltender, but being able to fill Markstrom’s shoes has allowed him to quietly have the fifth-best save percentage in the league. Since the beginning of 2025, the Flames have prioritized Wolf to defend the goal instead of Dan Vladar, who has struggled in net recently and has not won a game since December. For managers looking to boost their save percentage and roster a goaltender who starts on a regular basis, Wolf is definitely someone worth investing in, especially due to his consistency this season.
Darcy Kuemper – Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings have been a solidified playoff contender all season long. Despite being on the edge of falling into a wild card spot, Darcy Kuemper has helped the team remain in the third position of the Pacific division. Kuemper arrived with the Kings this year after a poor season with the Washington Capitals during the 2023-2024 campaign. He averaged his worst numbers since becoming a starter in the NHL in 2013 and began splitting starts with Washington’s other goaltending option, Charlie Lindgren. However, the change of scenery on the West Coast has revitalized the Kuemper that hockey fans remember and has played a massive role in keeping the Kings in a playoff spot. The 34-year-old currently has the second-best GAA in the NHL but remains un-rostered across many fantasy hockey leagues. For managers looking to obtain a goalie who will accumulate wins and receive several starts a week, Kuemper is a perfect option to target near the trade deadline or pickup in free agency.
Joey Daccord – Seattle Kraken
The Seattle Kraken have struggled to slide into a playoff position for most of the year, but have won enough games to keep them in the mix heading towards February. The Kraken currently sit eight points outside of a playoff spot and one of the reasons they are still in the hunt is due to the goaltending of Joey Daccord. The 28-year-old was impressive last season, posting a 0.916 SV% and a 2.46 GAA. After 31 games this year, he has almost been able to replicate the exact same numbers from the 2023-2024 campaign. Although having a goalie on the Kraken can make it difficult to accumulate wins for your fantasy team, Daccord has easily become the prioritized choice in Seattle. He has also started in eight straight games during the month of January. Due to the Kraken still being a questionable team to make the playoffs, fantasy managers can buy low on Daccord or likely find him sitting on the waiver wire.
It’s easy to want to stick with familiar goalies on dominant teams for the rest of your fantasy hockey season. However, at any point, players like Igor Shesterkin or Jake Oettinger could begin playing less if good teams want to split starts between their goalies down the stretch to preserve their health. Whereas teams who are fighting to earn a playoff spot will likely play their starting goalie every night and expect the best performance from them each time. Goaltenders such as Wolf, Kuemper, and Daccord will serve as the backbone for their team going forward and will be relied upon to step in the crease on a nightly basis. This makes all three goaltenders strong options as we near the fantasy hockey playoffs.
