UPDATE! December 21st – Fantasy Hockey Goalie Rankings
In honour of the Red Wings vs. Maple Leafs game tonight, here is a look at Detroit starter Jonas Gustavsson during his days with Toronto. He will face his former team and James Reimer tonight in one of the 12 games on the NHL schedule. Three games started this afternoon so we have nine tonight, including seven that start at 7 p.m EST. With a couple of teams on back-to-backs there are still a number of goalies unconfirmed so this list a little thin right now. If any confirms come in prior to 6:30 p.m EST (warm-ups) I will add the goalie in these rankings.
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1. Tuukka Rask (vs. BUF) – One of fantasy’s most reliable goalies vs. a bad O in Buffalo.
2. Carey Price (@ NSH) – Expecting a strong bounce-back game from Price who has a 1.37 GAA and .953 SV% in the 16 games he has won this year.
3. Ben Bishop(vs. CAR) – Bishop has won three straight while stopping 88 of 91 shots (.967 SV%). Strong matchup vs. a Hurricanes team who are losers of four out of their last five.
4. Brian Elliott (@ EDM) – Elliott has a 2.21 GAA and .913 SV% which are more than encouraging numbers as he takes on the NHL’s 29th placed team (11-23-3).
5. Frederik Andersen (@ NYI) – It is tough to argue with a 8-1-0, 1.74 GAA and .938 SV%. Andersen has a great spot-start matchup tonight.
6. Martin Brodeur (@ WSH) – Brodeur has won two straight against the 10th and 14th ranked offence, tonight he takes on the seventh best (2.94 G/PG).
7. Jonas Gustavsson (@ TOR) – Gustavsson got a much needed win on Thursday and should be fired up to face his former team and prove he is better than the 39-45-15 record he posted in three seasons in T.O.
8. James Reimer (vs. DET) – Reimer snapped a streak of six straight games of allowing 3-plus goals when he held the ‘Yotes to one on Thursday. With both the Leafs and Wings struggling of late, this game is a toss up. Expect a one-goal game.
9. Ray Emery (@ CBJ) – Emery has had his troubles this season, but the Flyers should have a lot of confidence after coming back from a three goal deficit to beat these Blue Jackets just two days ago.
10. Justin Peters (@ TB) – Peters has won three of his last six game with a 1.81 GAA and .942 SV%. He has a solid matchup vs. Tampa Bay.
11. Kari Lehtonen (@ SJ) – Lehtonen played very well on Thursday and takes on a Sharks team who have lost six of their last eight. It is not the best of matchups, but there are definitely worse options than Lehtonen tonight.
12. Ilya Bryzgalov (vs. STL) – Bryz has looked sharp in his short time in Edmonton, but this is not a pretty matchup for the Russian netminder.
13. Evgeni Nabokov (vs. ANA) – Same idea has Bryzgalov, Nabby has looked solid since returning from IR but draws a terrifying matchup from a fantasy perspective.
14. Alex Stalock (vs. DAL) – Stalock has been a great spot-start candidate this season, but the Stars are a scary team to mess with.
15. Curtis McElhinney (vs. PHI) – After watching the Flyers push five past McElhinney in the third period on Thursday, I would avoid playing him tonight.
16. Marek Mazanec (vs. MTL) – Mazanec was at the top of the fantasy mountain for about a week, but he is not Pekka Rinne and he does not have a good matchup tonight.
17. Jhonas Enroth (@ BOS) – Enroth hasn’t won a game in nearly two months and he takes on team with 14 more wins than the Sabres… If that does not deter you from spot-starting him, I don’t know what will.
Unconfirmed
Washington – Braden Holtby / Philipp Grubauer