We have a few hot hands to mention, as well as a situation in Columbus for this week’s edition of the fantasy hockey goalie guide.
Fantasy Hockey Goalie Report
Not using Fantrax for your fantasy hockey league? Check out our Fantasy Hockey Commissioner and find out why you should be.
Sergei Bobrovsky, CBJ: Bobrovsky wasn’t with the team for Thursday’s match with Nashville, being held out due to an incident. We don’t know the details, but this doesn’t bode well for Bobrovsky’s future with the Blue Jackets. He’s a pending unrestricted free agent, and if Columbus isn’t able to get him re-signed in the coming weeks, there’s a real possibility of him being dealt ahead of the trade deadline. Bobrovsky has a no-move clause, and can decide whether or not to be moved. If he is traded, his destination could have a significant impact on his value.
Hot Hands
Matt Murray, PIT: After a rough start to the season, an injury, and Casey DeSmith’s emergence led to many giving up on Murray (myself included). He’s filling the doubters with regret, as he’s been lights out since returning from injury. He’s won nine straight contests, only being beaten by 14 shots, and posting a pair of shutouts along the way. He’ll look to stay hot as his Penguins hit the road to face San Jose, Arizona, and Vegas. The Pens are 12-5-4 on the road, and have won 10 of their past 11 games.
Jordan Binnington, STL: The 25-year-old got his first NHL start, and blanked the Flyers with a 25-save performance. He followed that up by stopping 28 of 29 shots from the Canadiens en route to another victory. Considering Jake Allen’s struggles – 14 wins with a 3.07 GAA and .896 save percentage in 34 games – Binnington has a chance to earn more starts and prove himself as an NHL goaltender. The Blues will head out to visit the Capitals, Islanders, and Bruins, before heading home to host the Senators.
Robin Lehner, NYI: Lehner continues to roll, increasing his win streak to eight. He’s allowed six goals against in his last two outings, taking a step back after only allowing five goals in the previous six contests. His Islanders are hot right now, and have climbed into a playoff position. Be wary of sustainability though, as he’s beginning to show some cracks, and could come back down to earth soon. The Islanders will take on St. Louis, New Jersey, Washington, and Anaheim this week.
Injury Notes
Toronto Maple Leafs: Frederik Andersen was hoping to have made his return by now, but he remains out with a groin injury, extending his absence to seven games. Garret Sparks (concussion) was able to do some skating, but still isn’t cleared to practice. Michael Hutchinson will carry on as the starter, with Kasimir Kaskisuo backing him up. Hutchinson is 2-2 for the Leafs, and was able to pick up his first shutout since the 2016-17 season. The Leafs will face Colorado, Tampa Bay, Florida, and Arizona this week.
New Jersey Devils: MacKenzie Blackwood has missed the past three contests with a lower body injury, but is targeting a return Saturday. Keith Kinkaid has taken the reigns again, but will likely split duties once Blackwood is back. Corey Schneider was able to face some shots for the first time, which is a positive sign, but shows that he’ll still be out for some time. The Devils start out with a back-to-back with the Blackhawks and Blue Jackets, followed by matchups with the Islanders and Ducks.
Nashville Predators: Juuse Saros missed Thursday’s tilt due to illness, forcing the Preds to call up Troy Grosenick. Grosenick was sent back down to the AHL, suggesting that Saros won’t miss additional time. Pekka Rinne remains the undisputed starter, and could start all three games this week against Washington, Winnipeg, and Florida, should Saros not be feeling 100 percent. All three games are at home, where the Preds are 15-7-0.
Other Injures: Craig Anderson, OTT (concussion), Corey Crawford, CHI (concussion), Brian Elliott, PHI (lower body), Antti Raanta, ARZ (lower body) all remain out indefinitely. Meanwhile, Ryan Miller is two weeks away from returning based on his original timeline.
NHL Teams with Four Games
Ten teams will face four opponents this week, including: Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals.
NHL Teams with Two Games
Vegas Golden Knights: Vegas is the lone team with two games this week, and they’ll head to Winnipeg for a Tuesday tilt, then head home and be visited by the Penguins. Malcolm Subban is out with an illness, so Maxime Lagace is up with the big club in his absence. Marc-Andre Fleury figures to get both starts, and build on his league-leading 25 wins and six shutouts.
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.
Fantrax is one of the fastest growing fantasy sites of 2018. With multi-team trades, designated commissioner/league managers, and drag/drop easy click methods, Fantrax is sure to excite the serious fantasy sports fan – sign up now for a free year at Fantrax.com.