Goalie Start 'Em, Sit 'Em ft. Knight, Bobrovsky, Wolf and More

Greetings fellow fantasy hockey managers and welcome back to another edition of Goalie Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em.

We are just over one week into the 2026-27 NHL season and already the hype is out of control: Dustin Wolf is a bust, the Canucks will top the NHL in offense, the Avalanche will go undefeated, and Igor Shesterkin will win the Rocket Richard Trophy as the league’s premier goal scorer. The excitement is real, but over here at Goalie Post we try to take a more methodical approach to fantasy hockey and we prefer to let the dust settle before announcing (or denouncing) anything as a certainty. Now for this week, we’ve got ten games on the slate and that means (at least) 20 goalies in action. So let’s play the matchups, ride the hot hands, and take a few leaps of faith as we sift through the schedule and share some thoughts on who to start and who to sit on this loaded Thursday night. Let’s dive in!

(Please note that at the time of writing this article, most of the goalies listed are considered “probable” to start. Keep refreshing your Goalie Post app to see which goalies are “confirmed” starting. Don’t have the app? Get it for Apple or Android. Stats from FrozenTools.)

Start ‘Em

Spencer Knight, Chicago Blackhawks: Knight has been given a heavy workload to start the season and has so far looked up to the challenge, providing fantasy GM’s with a 3.36 GAA and .891 SV% while remaining under constant pressure from opposing team’s offenses. The 25-year-old notched his first win of the season on Monday and he will now be looking to build off of that success when the Blackhawks square off against the New York Islanders on Thursday night in Long Island. The Islanders have managed to score nine goals across their three outings, but have seemingly struggled to break the puck out of their own end. The former first round pick, Knight, has fared well against New York in his career, posting a 3-0-1 mark through 4 starts. If you drafted Knight, this may be one of the nights you just need to trust him with a spot in your lineup. Start ‘Em!

Linus Ullmark, Ottawa Senators: While his health has been a concern after Linus Ullmark was forced to leave Monday’s contest with Boston after Bruins forward JJ Peterka crashed into his net, there has been no concerns about the Swedish netminder’s play in net. The 33-year-old Ullmark has turned aside 37 of the 39 shots fired his way and has been awarded the win in both of his starts. Thursday’s matchup with the floundering Flyers, one of three remaining winless NHL clubs, should have fantasy manager’s that roster Ullmark licking their lips. The news out of Ottawa has been that his absence has been entirely precautionary, so if the former Vezina Trophy winner suits up as planned, then make sure he is in your lineup as this looks like a game you won’t want your fantasy team to miss. Start ‘Em!

Sit ‘Em

Sergei Bobrovsky, Toronto Maple Leafs: The Maple Leafs offseason generated a ton of roster turnover and thus far it has taken some time for the team to gel. Bobrovsky, in particular, has been a victim of these circumstances and for the time being, it may be hard to warrant starting him against tougher opponents, at least until we see improvement from the team in front of him. Thursday’s tilt with the Vegas Golden Knights, whose 17 goals in 4 games has them tied for second place in the NHL for goals forced, looks like a situation where even the most hopeful “be-Leafer” should play it safe, rather than sorry. Until the moving parts start to click into place, Bob will be on the wrong side of Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em. So - Sit ‘Em!

Dustin Wolf, Calgary Flames: Woof. What else can we say about this matchup between the high octane offense of the Colorado Avalanche and the woeful flickering Flames defense? After pummeling the Kings and Blues for a combined 14 goals in their first two games of the season, the Avs will travel to Calgary on Thursday night after visiting Winnipeg on Wednesday. Sure it’s a road back-to-back for the Avs while Calgary has had three days at home for rest and preparation, but do we really trust a team that has conceded 16 goals in just three games to the Kraken and Canucks? We won’t condemn the 25-year-old Wolf’s season just yet, but this is a scary looking matchup and fantasy managers may sleep better at night if they avoid this start entirely. Of course - goalies - so watch Wolf go out and blank the Avalanche, but simply put, this is the most one-sided match on the slate. Sit ‘Em!

Desperation Mode Play

Adin Hill, Vegas Golden Knights: After leading Vegas to the promised land in 2023, Hill has found himself operating as more of a No.2 twine tender to start the Golden Knights’ latest campaign. In his lone start, Hill offered a respectable showing, earning a victory by allowing just 2 goals on 20 shots for an even .900 SV%. The 30-year-old goaltender has career marks of 2.67 GAA and .905 SV%, but given that his current outlook sees him as relegated to the back-up role, he is only 28% rostered on Fantrax and 12% rostered on Yahoo. Given his wide availability, those in need of goalie support on Thursday night should look no further than the Golden Knights goaltender and their matchup with the traveling Toronto Maple Leafs. Desperation Mode Start ‘Em!

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading! My name is Garrett Finlay and you can follow me on X @garrett_fi51284 and on Bluesky @garrettfinlay.bsky.social where I am often talking goalies and fantasy hockey. You can also find me providing injury news and updates every Wednesday on Dobber Hockey. I’ll be back here next Thursday to try to breakdown the night’s goaltending slate, so until then - Happy Hockeying and good luck out there!