Goalie "Studs and Duds": Week 5
In this post, we examine four goalies who were "studs" last week and "duds" who showed some concerns.
Every Sunday (or Monday depending on time), I am going to be looking at goalie performance from the previous week and make a list of goalies who have been "studs" (i.e. strong performers) and "duds" (i.e., weak performers). These posts will be quicker hard-hitting ones that really focus on the last week and whether those goalie performances will be sustainable in fantasy going forward.
Let's take a look at the four goalie "studs" and "duds" from week five (Nov. 3th-10th).
Studs
Connor Hellebuyck, WPG (100% rostered)
Rated as arguably the top goalie in fantasy going into the season, Hellebuyck proved this past week why he held that title in draft season.
Hellebuyck went 4-0 this week with two shutouts and saving 114 shots on 119 attempts. His GAA was 1.25 and his SV% was 0.958. Winnipeg is currently 14-1 and their 28 points leads the Central division as of Sunday. It's hard to imagine the Jets holding that kind of record or point total without Hellebuyck's sensational goaltending.
The Jets have a tough road slate coming up with contests against the Rangers, Lightning, and Panthers this week. While managers who roster Hellebuyck shouldn't worry, it's unlikely that he's going to have another two-shoutout week in week six.
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, BUF (82% rostered)
Luukkonen had a solid week for the Sabres, going 3-1 over his last four games. He saved 107 total shots over that four-game span while only allowing six goals. He produced a GAA of 1.49 and sported a SV% of 0.947 over that time as well. Lastly, he had four quality starts last week, giving him a QS% of 100% (which is better than Hellebuyck).
The performance doesn't come as a surprise for anyone who invested capital in Luukkonen in their respective fantasy drafts. Dobber Hockey ranked him 16th in their keeper goalie rankings going into this season, and Luukkonen went 27-22-4 last year with five shutouts, a GAA of 2.57 and a SV% of 0.910. This year, his GAA is 2.64 and SV% is 0.910, so he's putting up at least the same production in 2024-2025 as he did a season ago.
The Sabres have Montreal and St. Louis coming up at home and finish the week in Philadelphia on Saturday. So, another solid fantasy week could be expected from Luukkonen.
Anthony Stolarz, TOR (78% rostered)
Stolarz arguably had the best week of any goalie in the NHL, something Maple Leafs fans can get behind. He only got three games under his belt (Joseph Woll got the start last night against the Canadiens), but the results were pretty stellar in that three-game sample.
The 30-year-old American goalie collected two wins and three quality starts last week. His GAA was 0.99 and his SV% was 0.964. His GSAA% was 5.48 last week. That wasn't as good as Hellebuyck (7.02), but it was better than Luukkonen (5.41).
After winning 16 games and putting up a GAA of 2.03 and SV% of 0.925 with the Stanley Cup-champion Florida Panthers last year, Stolarz has found his groove in Toronto so far this season. He is 6-2-2 with a GAA of 2.00 and a SV% of 0.930. He does have a tough slate coming up this week, as he faces Ottawa at home, Washington on the road, and then Edmonton back at home.
Logan Thompson, WSH (60% rostered)
If fantasy hockey managers reading this post are looking for someone who could be available in their leagues and immediately help their goaltending, Thompson may be that guy.
It was a sensational week for the former Vegas Golden Knight who is in his first season with the Capitals. He won three games, had three quality starts, stopped 91 shots, and produced a GAA of 1.67 and SV% of 0.948. His GSAA was 4.70, not as impressive as the other three goalies mentioned in this post, but still encouraging nonetheless.
Thompson has played in seven games this season and his numbers in that sample have been quite eye-popping. The 27-year-old Canadian goaltender has won all seven of his appearances this year and has a GAA of 2.55 and SV% of 0.910. The Caps' 20 points ties them for second in the Metropolitan Division with Carolina and this continued performance from Thompson could help Washington stay near the top of the division for most of the season.
Duds
Igor Shesterkin, NYR (100% rostered)
For many fantasy managers looking to invest early in goaltending in drafts, it typically was a decision between Hellebuyck and Shesterkin for that top goalie pick. Dobber Hockey rated the 28-year-old Russian as the 2nd-best goalie in their keeper rankings for this season.
It was a rough week though for Shesterkin as he went 1-1 with a 4.51 GAA and 0.856 SV% in two starts. He had a -2.05 GSAA in that two-game frame and a 0.755 SV% in even-strength situations. Considering the Rangers had a light week, that kind of "dud" performance only hurt fantasy managers leaning on Shesterkin for goaltending.
For the year, Shesterkin should be fine. Has six wins in 10 games this year, a 70% QS percentage, a 2.62 GAA and 0.920 SV%. He will have a tough task on Tuesday going up against Hellebuyck and the Jets, but the week gets easier with a home game against the Sharks on Thursday and a road matchup against the Kraken on Sunday.
Lukas Dostal, ANA (68% rostered)
After carrying the Ducks earlier in the season, Dostal regressed a bit in the past week of play.
The 24-year-old Czech goalie lost all three of his matchups this past week and had a GAA of 4.71 and SV% of 0.857. He didn't put up a quality start in any of his three matchups, and his -4.20 GSAA was one of the worst marks of any goalie in the NHL from last week.
The overall numbers are fine with Dostal, so there's no need for managers who roster him to panic. He still has a a GAA of 2.73, SV% of 0.923, and QS% of 63.6%. The Ducks are not good (only 10 points, tied for last in the Pacific) and the blue line is questionable, so wins may be tough to come by. However, he's still young and growing pains like last week are to be expected from Dostal.
Sam Montembeault, MTL (43% rostered)
To be fair, it was a tough week for the Canadiens, as they played Calgary at home and Pittsburgh, New Jersey and Toronto on the road. Considering Montembeault is the main goaltender (11 starts; backup Cayden Primeau only has six), I'm wondering if fatigue set in for the 28-year-old goalie this past week.
In four games, Montembeault went 0-3-1 with two quality starts, a GAA of 0.330 and SV% of 0.884. His GSAA was -1.69, suggesting that while he struggled, it wasn't horrendous and he probably wasn't helped by his blue line this past week.
It wasn't a horrid week by any means, but it wasn't what managers who roster Montembeault liked to see in a week where he gets all four starts. He already has had a concerning year with a 3.51 GAA, 0.889 SV% and QS% of 54.5%.
In 12-team formats or deep leagues, Montembault is a hold simply because there aren't a whole lot of better options. In 10-team or more shallow formats? That may be more questionable and he could be worth dropping if he continues this slide.
Alex Nedeljkovic, PIT (14% rostered)
The writing may be on the wall for Nedeljkovic, especially after the return of Tristan Jarry from an AHL conditioning assignment.
In three appearances, the 28-year-old American goalie went 1-1-1 with a 2.92 GAA and 0.884 SV%. His GSAA was -1.93 and he only had one quality start last week. Much like Montembeault, it's not as bad as the numbers from Dostal or Shesterkin, but he's been on shaky footing this season in Pittsburgh due to mediocre numbers.
For the season, Nedeljkovic has a 3.07 GAA, 0.883 SV%, and 28.6% QS% in seven apperances. He also has a -3.01 GSAA, much worse than fellow Penguins goalie Joel Blomvqist. If Jarry can show any progress or growth from his AHL assignment (Jarry had a 5.47 GAA, 0.833 SV%, and -4.73 GSAA before his demotion), then it wouldn't be surprising to see Pittsburgh move on from Nedeljkovic, who is in his second season in Pittsburgh.
Photo credit: Marc DesRosiers-Imagn Images