Hockey is back on after the Holiday break, and there will be plenty of action as teams try to get back into the swing of things. The Fantasy Hockey Goalie Report will keep you up to date on goaltending around the league.
Fantasy Hockey Goalie Report
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Injury Notes
Montreal Canadiens: Carey Price is on injured reserve with a lower body injury. He isn’t expected to be out long, and could return sometime this week. In the meantime, Antti Niemi will act as the starter, with Michael McNiven filling in as the backup. If Price remains sidelined for the week, Niemi could get all three of Montreal’s starts as they take on Dallas, Vancouver, and Nashville.
Ottawa Senators: Craig Anderson is out with a concussion, and remains without a timetable for a return. The 37-year-old has been a workhorse for the Sens, playing in 31 games, trailing only Marc-Andre Fleury of the Golden Knights (34 games). Mike McKenna steps in as the acting starter, but has struggled in the role. He has just a single win in 10 appearances, with a 3.96 GAA and .897 save percentage. Marcus Hogberg has been recalled to serve as backup. Ottawa has a four-game week, taking on Columbus, Vancouver, Minnesota, and Carolina. The latter two are a back-to-back, creating an opportunity for Hogberg to make his NHL debut.
Anaheim Ducks: John Gibson was absent from Friday’s practice with an upper body injury. It remains to be seen if Gibson will miss any time, but it would be a devastating blow if the Ducks were without him for a significant amount of time. They’re already without Ryan Miller for another month with a knee injury, meaning they’d be relying on waiver pickup Chad Johnson. Anaheim has three games this week, against Tampa Bay, Vegas, and Edmonton. Each contest takes place in their home barn, where they have a 10-4-5 record.
Chicago Blackhawks: Corey Crawford is still recovering from his concussion, and there has not been an update on his status. Cam Ward will carry on as the starter, and has won two of his three games since Crawford went down. Collin Delia has been serving as Ward’s backup, and playing incredibly well. He’s stopped 81 out of 84 shots, leading his Hawks to a pair of victories. Chicago hosts the Winter Classic against the Bruins on New Year’s Day, then heads out to take on the Islanders and Penguins.
New Jersey Devils: Corey Schneider isn’t ready to return from his abdominal injury. Keith Kinkaid will continue as the starter, with MacKenzie Blackwood backing him up. Blackwood picked up his first NHL win, stopping 40 pucks from the Bruins on Thursday. The Devils have four games this week, taking on Vancouver, Dallas, Arizona, and Vegas.
Arizona Coyotes: We surprisingly haven’t heard any update on Antti Raanta since he initially went down with a lower body injury. The longer we wait, the bleaker it looks. Darcy Kuemper has been the beneficiary of more starts, and has the inside track to be the starter for as long as Raanta remains out. Adin Hill is firmly entrenched as the backup, but has the potential to make it a timeshare with Kuemper. The Coyotes will face the Oilers, Devils, and Rangers this week. All three are at home, where Arizona has a league-worst 7-10-1 record.
Philadelphia Flyers: Brian Elliott was able to do some skating before the Christmas break, but isn’t close to returning. He’s been out since November 15 with a lower body injury, having only appeared in 14 games for the Flyers. Anthony Stolarz is on injured reserve with a lower body injury, but may not get back in Philadelphia’s crease even when he becomes healthy. Carter Hart has solidified the goaltending for the time being, and he has Michal Neuvirth to back him up.
Close to Returning
Jack Campbell, LAK: Campbell was sent to the Ontario Reign of the AHL on a conditioning stint, indicating his return is near. He’s been out since November 10 with a knee injury, and should re-establish himself as Jonathan Quick’s backup. This would make Calvin Petersen the odd man out, who could find himself in the AHL in short order.
NHL Teams with Four Games
Due to the Holidays, last week was short, meaning plenty of teams have four games this week to even out the schedule. The ones that will see the most are: Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, Nashville Predators, New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals.
NHL Teams with Two Games
Toronto Maple Leafs: The Leafs are the single team with just a two-game week. They’re off until Thursday when they host Minnesota, then wait until Saturday for when Vancouver comes to town. Frederick Andersen has been on top of his game, winning 20 of his 30 outings with a 2.50 GAA and .923 save percentage, bringing his team near the top of the standings – with 54 points, trailing only the Tampa Bay Lightning.
For more great fantasy hockey talk, listen in on Chris Meaney and Neil Parker on the Fantrax Fantasy Hockey Podcast, as they hit on all the injuries, streamers, and recent trends you need to know to stay on top of the fantasy ice.
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