Coffee in the Crease: Goalies who could have a second half surge

Welcome back everyone and I hope that you all had a happy and safe Holidays! It’s now time to get back to the fantasy grind on the most awkward week of the year. It’s not quite Christmas but it’s not quite New Year’s. This being sort of the “halfway” point in the season let’s look at some goaltenders who could be on the verge of having an excellent second half. Let’s dive in!

Marc-Andre Fleury

So this is a goaltender pick just as much as it is a club pick, as I think the Minnesota Wild are the team that can make a trade that helps them go on a playoff run. No, not the Ryan Reaves trade, but every season there’s a player on a club that suddenly becomes available and if I’m the Wild I try and make something happen. Last season they did just that with Flower and although it didn’t exactly end with a Cup parade in St. Paul, it was a move for this season just as much as it was last.

Just looking at the stats here, in his last three games he’s only allowed one goal and this is all while playing on a club that has suddenly found its offense, scoring four goals in three of the past five games leading up to the break. While those games might have been a little one-sided, this is what Fleury brings to net – he keeps you in games. And if you’re a club with decent defense and good special teams, that’s going to turn into wins.

For fantasy I do think the Wild possibly rotate between Filip Gustavsson and Fleury whenever possible, but if Fleury is starting in net for the Wild then I think he deserves a start on your fantasy roster.

Juuse Saros

Two words here for Saros in the second half – heavy workload. He started all but two games for the Preds in December and I expectt that trend to continue. Sure, on the back-to-backs we’re going to see Kevin Lankinen and maybe on the occasional Sunday, but this is going to be Saros every start out.

It must be nice, rostering a goaltender that you don’t have to question whether they’ll start or not. I wouldn’t know on any of my fantasy clubs this season outside of one. Saros not only should see the bulk of starts but he’s been very good and will be crucial to keeping this very .500 Nashville club in games. Just over the past month, he’s tied for 4th in high danger saves and first in high danger saves above expected.

I don’t think there’s a way to track this, but I feel like Saros leads the league in, “looks like it was redirected in front”. He is so sound in his mechanics, but I’ve watched on more than one occasion where an errand puck goes off of an Alexandre Carrier stick or a quick redirect that goes off of Jeremy Lauzon’s skate. There’s no pattern to it but it’s just an observation but for those who roster Saros and have noticed the goals against. I think it’s worth noting that it’s as much bad luck at times than anything else.

Darcy Kuemper

I need to have a take somewhere in here, right? Sure, maybe not a stretch from a goaltender that won 37 games last season, and although that was on a loaded Colorado Avalanche club, he still had to put in the work in net.

I’m guessing that following the break with some more time off and given that Kuemper was on ice often during is IR stint, that he’s more than ready to carry the workload for this Washington Capitals club. While we don’t have much to go off in the last month due to the injury, this is a prediction more than anything else. Those who are rostering Kuemper might be in for a nice surprise the next couple months on a Caps club that was playing exceptionally well before the break going, 9-1-0 in their past 10 games. I think if you’re between Kuemper and another goaltender in fantasy, Kuemper might be the best play and in fantasy he might make for a good play on most nights on a club that is nearly impossible to stack. Just go with Alex Ovechkin and a forward on his line, plus John Carlson and move right along.

Goalies to target this week

Jeremy Swayman, Boston Bruins (Rostered in 50% of ESPN leagues, 75% Fantrax, 65% Yahoo) 10 starts, 7 wins, 1 OTL, 2.65 GA/G, .898 Sv%, 0 SO.

Higher roster numbers for Swayman across all three prominent fantasy platforms, but I think he makes for a good target this week. The B’s start the week off on a back-to-back but I’d except Swayman to start tomorrow versus the New Jersey Devils. In leagues that only start one goaltender or smaller leagues, I think he could be available to add and in DFS he’ll make for a good start as well but will be pricey, if not the most expensive goaltender on the slate.

Sammy Montembeault, Montreal Canadiens (Rostered in 2% of ESPN leagues, 22% Fantrax, 6% Yahoo) 11 starts, 6 wins, 2 OTL, 2.89 GA/G, .912 Sv%, 0 SO.

I watch a fair bit of Montreal (what can I say, they’re fun) and when I can catch a Montembeault start he just is a goaltender that keeps them in games. This week the Habs have the classic Florida back-to-back, playing both the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. I’d expect Montembeault to get the nod in one of those contests and I think he makes for a good start just off of the volume he’ll see alone.

For continued fantasy news and notes throughout the season, follow me on Twitter @ndySanz