Goalie Gab: Five Fantasy Hockey Make or Break Goaltending Situations to Watch

Hey folks. We are almost there. The NHL regular season is just around the corner, which means fantasy hockey drafts are either happening now or quickly approaching. While we have a pretty good idea of who the top goaltenders are going to be, there are still plenty of situations that could change dramatically between now and opening night.

This is where the ZeroG approach can really come in handy. Some of these goaltenders are going to be drafted early because the opportunity is obvious, while others could still be sitting there in the middle or late rounds. The problem is that the information surrounding these situations is changing quickly, and what looks like a great pick today could look very different a few days from now.

These are five goalie situations I think fantasy managers need to keep an eye on as we get closer to the regular season. Some could turn into fantastic fantasy pickups, while others could become players you want to stay away from. Knowing when to pull the trigger could be just as important as knowing which goalie you want.

Let's dive in and take a last peek at the crease before the regular season starts and your fantasy drafts are complete.

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Connor Hellebuyck - Winnipeg Jets (for now...)

I don't think the Hellebuyck situation changes how I view him as a fantasy goalie. He's still the best goalie in the world, and I would be willing to take the gamble on him even with all the uncertainty surrounding his situation. Hellebuyck has requested a trade, did not report to Winnipeg's training camp, and remains suspended while the Jets look for the right deal. There is still no clear timeline for when this situation will be resolved.

From a fantasy perspective, Hellebuyck is one of those rare players where I am willing to take the risk because the upside is so massive. At worst, you could be looking at an IR stash for a short period of time, and if Hellebuyck gets moved to a team where he can immediately take over the crease, he could potentially help win you your fantasy season. I'm not expecting him to stay with Winnipeg long term, but regardless of where he lands, I still expect him to provide fantasy value.

The problem is simply that we don't know when that value is going to arrive. That makes him an interesting ZeroG decision. If you're drafting early enough that Hellebuyck is still available, you have to decide how much uncertainty you're willing to accept for a goalie who could be a difference-maker once this situation is finally resolved. For me, the talent is too good to simply pass on because we don't know when or where he will play. This is a situation where I would rather stash an elite goalie and wait for the situation to resolve itself than watch somebody else benefit from his eventual return.

Stuart Skinner - Winnipeg Jets

Skinner is the complete opposite side of the Hellebuyck situation, and he's a goalie I think fantasy managers should be keeping a very close eye on. Skinner is going to get a big workload to start the season while the Jets figure out what they are going to do with Hellebuyck, and that alone gives him some value. He has also looked good during the preseason, although we know his play can be streaky, so I'm not ready to assume that he's suddenly turned into a long term No. 1 goalie.

What makes Skinner so interesting is what happens after the Hellebuyck situation is resolved. If Winnipeg doesn't get a starting goalie back in the trade, Skinner could have a legitimate opportunity to take the job and turn himself into a very-late-round fantasy gem. Even if the Jets do bring another starter back, I think there's a chance Skinner plays his way into a 1A tandem if he gets off to a strong start. We don't know how Winnipeg will handle the situation yet, but Skinner should have an opportunity to show them what he can do.

From a fantasy perspective, I don't think it's too early to take Skinner. In fact, he's going undrafted in a lot of leagues right now, and that's where I really like him. You're not paying much of anything for a goalie who could potentially see a huge workload early in the season and possibly play himself into a bigger role for the entire year. For the price of a late-round pick, this is essentially zero risk with a lot of upside. If the situation doesn't work out, you can move on. If it does, you may have just found one of the better late-round goalie values in your draft.

Brandon Bussi - Carolina Hurricanes

Bussi was one of the biggest surprises in the NHL last season, and I still believe he should enter this season as the 1A in Carolina. After taking over the crease during the Stanley Cup Final, Bussi proved he could handle the pressure, and I think the net is his to lose heading into the regular season. The Hurricanes are clearly comfortable giving him that opportunity, but there is still plenty of uncertainty surrounding this situation.

The biggest concern for me is that we've seen goalies have one great season and then fall apart in their sophomore year (looking at you, Sam Montembeault). I'm hoping that isn't the case with Bussi because I still believe he can put together another successful season. The Hurricanes have a strong team in front of him, and Bussi has already shown that he can thrive in this system. At the same time, Carolina's decision to re-sign Pyotr Kochetkov to a two-year extension is something fantasy managers need to pay attention to. Kochetkov missed most of last season after hip surgery, but the Hurricanes still believe he has the ability to become an elite goalie.

From a fantasy perspective, I'm still buying into Bussi, but I'm a little more cautious about where I draft him than I would have been earlier in the offseason. If Bussi establishes himself as the clear 1A, he could be a fantastic fantasy goalie, but Kochetkov being healthy and now locked into Carolina's plans could lead to a more even split than some fantasy managers are expecting. Bussi is a goalie I want on my team, but I'm not interested in paying his highest possible ADP when there are still questions about how this tandem will actually be deployed.

Sergei Murashov - Pittsburgh Penguins

Murashov is probably the biggest dark horse on this list. He is getting a ton of attention from the fantasy hockey community after dominating the AHL last season, but we have to remember that this is still an unproven NHL goalie. Murashov has only five NHL games under his belt, and while he has shown plenty of promise, we simply don't know yet if that success will translate over a full NHL season.

There is certainly a reason to be excited. Kyle Dubas and the Penguins have invested heavily in their young goaltending, and Murashov has put himself in position to earn an NHL job. Pittsburgh has also made it clear that the competition between Murashov and Joel Blomqvist is real, although Arturs Silovs is currently expected to begin the season as the primary starter, and Blomqvist has been placed on IR. Murashov should still have an opportunity to see volume, especially if Silovs struggles or the Penguins decide Murashov is ready to take over more of the workload.

The problem is that I think fantasy managers are starting to get a little too aggressive with him. Murashov was shelled in one of his recent preseason appearances, although he had an AHL-heavy lineup in front of him, so I'm not putting too much stock into that game. I also don't have any doubts that Dubas is betting on some underlying numbers and believes Murashov can become a legitimate NHL goalie. My concern is that Pittsburgh is a team with an aging core and not a ton of depth up front, which could force a young goalie into a bigger role before he is ready. Murashov is absolutely worth a mid round chance because the upside is there, but his ADP has climbed to the point where I'd rather take a proven defensemen inside the top 100 and let somebody else take the gamble. In a redraft league, I'm not willing to pay the current price for an unproven goalie when we haven't seen him handle this kind of workload yet.

Sergei Bobrovsky - Toronto Maple Leafs

I am fully buying into a Bobrovsky bounceback this season. Toronto has put a much better team in front of him, and that should make a massive difference after what was a brutal final season in Florida. The Maple Leafs added Darren Raddysh to the blue line, which allows Morgan Rielly to move back into a more natural role, while the addition of Gavin McKenna gives this team another legitimate offensive weapon.

Bobrovsky looked good enough in his preseason debut, stopping 10 of 11 shots before giving way to Anthony Stolarz, and Toronto appears committed to making him the guy in the crease. Stolarz is familiar with Bobrovsky from their time together in Florida, but I expect him to have more of a true backup role this season rather than this becoming a tandem situation.

From a fantasy perspective, Bobrovsky should be your second goalie. I know the .877 save percentage from last season is going to scare some people away, but I think you're going to see a very different environment in Toronto. I expect Bobrovsky to receive a heavy workload, and if he can simply get back toward his career norms, the combination of volume and a much improved team in front of him could make him extremely valuable. This is one of those situations where I would rather bet on the proven goalie getting a fresh start than overthink one terrible season.