A true Stanley Cup contender needs reliable goaltending in order to reach its ultimate goal. The same is true for a championship contender in NHL fantasy leagues. We took the time to rank the top players at the goaltender position from last season based on the five standard categories including wins, saves goals against average, save percentage and shutouts. Here is a look at the top-five goaltenders in NHL fantasy leagues from the 2016-17 season.
Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets
After injuries and inconsistent play absolutely ruined his 2015-16 season, Bobrovsky bounced back with a career-year for the Blue Jackets. Bobrovsky went 41-17-5 with a 2.06 goals against average and a .932 save percentage while recording seven shutouts for Columbus. His 1,727 saves were the fourth-most among NHL goaltenders. Bobrovsky led the Blue Jackets back to the postseason with his incredible numbers. There is a good chance that whoever was fortunate to grab him in fantasy hockey leagues last season also made a playoff run as no goaltender was better in standard fantasy hockey leagues.
Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals
Holtby’s overall numbers weren’t as good as Bobrovsky’s but they were pretty close. The Capitals’ No. 1 netminder went 42-13-6 with a 2.07 goals against average and a .925 save percentage. He led all NHL goaltenders with nine shutouts. Holtby wasn’t as busy as some of the other goaltenders on this list but he came very close matching Bobrovsky’s GAA and SV% while leading the league in wins and shutouts.
There are all sorts of rumors that the Capitals might be making some significant changes this offseason. The names that keep coming up in the rumor mill are Alexander Ovechkin and Braden Holtby as both seem to lose a step in the playoffs. Obviously, if the Caps were to move Holtby, his NHL fantasy value would take a big hit. NHL fantasy doesn’t include the playoffs, which is why Holtby is so valuable in this realm. If he moved, his stock would take a hit.
Devan Dubnyk, Minnesota Wild
There was no Jekyll & Hyde act that compared to what Dubnyk did last season in Minnesota. After posting a 1.88 GAA and .936 save percentage with five shutouts before the All-Star break, Dubnyk registered a 2.82 GAA and a .904 save percentage the rest of the way. His first half numbers were still good enough to rank third among fantasy hockey league goaltenders but that might not matt much to those that had to deal with his struggles at the most important time of the year. Dubnyk finished the year with 40 wins, a 2.25 GAA and a .923 save percentage with five shutouts. He will be one of the biggest enigmas fantasy hockey league managers will need to figure out ahead of next season.
Cam Talbot, Edmonton Oilers
No goalie was busier than Talbot last season as he led all goalies with 1,946 saves. Talbot posted a 42-22-8 record with a 2.39 goals against average and a .919 save percentage and seven shutouts. The fact that he was so busy between the pipes elevated his value the highest in leagues that count saves. Talbot has established himself as a top fantasy hockey league goaltender and should continue to perform at a high level behind an Oilers team that continues to improve at both ends of the ice. The Oilers finished the 2016-17 season just six points off the pace in the Western Conference.
Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins
Rask and Montreal Canadiens goaltender Carey Price both finished with 37 wins last season. They also posted identical 2.23 GAA’s. So why did Rask earn the final spot on this list ahead of Price? While Price had the better save percentage at .923 compared to a .915 mark for Rask, the Bruins netminder posted five more shutouts on the year. So while Price might have been the more consistent option, Rask’s ability to complete shutouts earned him the slightest edge over Price for the fifth and final spot on this list. Both goaltenders should compete for a spot on this list again next season and it will be very interesting to see if Price can bounce Rask out of a top-five spot among fantasy hockey league goaltenders for next season.
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