Fantasy Hockey Goalie Gab: Joseph Woll, Dennis Hildeby, Jet Greaves and More

Hey folks. Welcome back to the newest installment of our recurring fantasy hockey series; Goalie Gab. Since the last edition, the crease has only gotten more chaotic. Depth charts have flipped, leash lengths have shortened, and more than a few “safe” situations are anything but anymore.

This update focuses on the goaltenders quietly changing the fantasy landscape, we've got more injury woes who put a team in dire straits, an injury giving another tendy his first crack at carrying the load, and a fierce battle for the net that is heating up.

Let's check back in on the current state of the blue paint and break down the latest group of true starter stealers.

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Toronto Maple Leafs

The Toronto Maple Leafs have suddenly found themselves in one of the more concerning goaltending situations in the league. Joseph Woll is once again on the shelf with another injury setback, while the outlook on Anthony Stolarz continues to grow murkier by the day, as he has yet to even resume skating.

With no clear timeline for either netminder, Toronto is now staring down the very real possibility of having to navigate a crucial stretch of the season without either of its planned tandem options.

That leaves the crease in the hands of third-stringer Dennis Hildeby, a goaltender with size, raw potential, and intrigue, but almost no NHL experience in a true starter's role. This team has gone from having one of the best tandems in the league, with a contender status, to looking from the outside in with a playoff spot that gets more and more out of reach as the season progresses. Having both Stolarz and Woll out now is the worst possible scenario for the Maple Leafs.

What was once viewed as a depth position meant strictly for emergencies has now turned into a high-pressure assignment for a young tendy who had no expectation of carrying the load at this level this season. The Leafs' roster is built to compete right now, which places even more weight on Hildeby's shoulders, as every start suddenly carries added importance in the standings, and a pressure that nobody thought would be on the AHL starter this season. This is a true trial by fire situation.

From a fantasy perspective, this is the type of situation that demands close attention. Opportunity alone can create short-term value, especially if Toronto continues to control play and generate strong offensive support. As of late they have been back to winning games, however their defensive core is still looking like swiss cheese, and their blue paint needs to be protected at all costs.

However, relying on an unproven netminder behind a team with sky-high expectations is a dangerous gamble in most formats. The workload could be there, but the volatility will be just as real. For now, Hildeby represents a high-risk, high-opportunity add - one that could quietly swing matchups in either direction. Whether he can rise to the moment or becomes another cautionary example of a rushed promotion remains to be seen, but his role as Toronto's temporary answer in the blue paint makes him impossible to ignore in fantasy leagues.

Both Stolarz and Woll should be IR stashed, and again if you are looking for high workload, Hildeby is expected to get virtually every start for the high scoring Maple Leafs until one of them returns.

Stolarz has six wins in 13 games started as a goaltender. He also has a .928 save percentage, 2.44 goals against average, and zero shutouts.

Woll has four wins in eight games started as a goaltender. He also has a .905 save percentage, 3.27 goals against average, and zero shutouts.

Hildeby has one win in three games started as a goaltender. He also has a .919 save percentage, 2.86 goals against average, and zero shutouts.

Colorado Avalanche

The Avs' crease might be heading for another power shift, and it started quietly when Scott Wedgewood was forced to exit his most recent appearance. In stepped Mackenzie Blackwood and instead of simply stabilizing the situation, he shut the door completely in relief, reminding everyone why Colorado targeted him in the first place. 

Since then, Blackwood has taken over the crease completely, suiting up for every game as originally expected when the season began, while Wedgewood continues to be listed as out.

What was once shaping up to be a potential timeshare has quickly tilted in Blackwood's favor. His steady play, combined with the structure in front of him, has restored some consistency to Colorado's back end at a time when they desperately need it. For a team with Stanley Cup aspirations, predictability in net is everything, and right now, Blackwood is delivering exactly that.

The longer Wedgewood remains unavailable, the wider the window opens for Blackwood to re-establish himself as the guy in Colorado. Not starting the season has been nothing but detrimental to Blackwood, and fantasy owners who drafted him were kicking themselves as Wedgewood became everything that Blackwood was anticipated to be. Even once Wedgewood is healthy, the momentum may be difficult to ignore, especially if the Avalanche continue stacking wins behind Blackwood's play, although Blackwood was in net for the Avs' second regulation loss this season.

From a fantasy standpoint, this is the exact type of swing moment that can define a season. Blackwood is no longer fighting to regain the crease, he has it and is once again carrying legitimate upside as a potential long-term answer in a battling-for-position Avalanche squad. 

I do think that once Wedgewood is healthy again, it will go back to A1 vs. 1B, but Blackwood now finds himself on the A side, instead of the B side.

Wedgewood has 13 wins in 19 games started as a goaltender. He also has a .920 save percentage, 2.07 goals against average, and one shutout.

Blackwood has seven wins in eight games started as a goaltender. He also has a .920 save percentage, 2.23 goals against average, and two shutouts.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Just when it appeared that goaltender Elvis Merzlikins was beginning to reassert his grip on the Columbus crease, the momentum shifted in a big way. After showing signs of settling in and potentially reclaiming the 1A role outright, Merzlikins was shelled in his most recent outing after three consecutive starts, and sadly this performance could quickly reopen the door he was in the process of closing.

That sudden stumble may be the opportunity goaltender Jet Greaves needed to increase his chances of working his way back into the driver's seat. Greaves, who impressed earlier in the year with his composure and efficiency, now finds himself in position to reclaim meaningful starts if Columbus opts to cool Merzlikins down. With this team still searching desperately for stability in net, consistency - or the lack of it - will dictate the pecking order on a night-to-night basis.

What once looked like Merzlikins' job to lose is once again very much up for grabs. If Greaves is given another run and performs, he could quickly carve out the 1A spot in a situation that has flipped more than once already this season. 

For fantasy managers, this is a classic example of how quickly crease value can change and why the Blue Jackets' net remains one of the most volatile, yet potentially exploitable, situations in the league.

Greaves is available in virtually every league, and obviously comes at a hugely discounted price being able to pick him up off of the waiver wire, while Merzlikins is a veteran who commands name value and is battling for starts anyways. Grab Greaves if you have a hole in net, as the price is well worth the gamble.

Merzlikins has six wins in 12 games started as a goaltender. He also has an .885 save percentage, 3.87 goals against average, and zero shutouts.

Greaves has seven wins in 16 games started as a goaltender. He also has a .901 save percentage, 2.81 goals against average, and zero shutouts.