Risers and Fallers: Gibson On The Rocks

I assume the majority of readers are residents of Canada but for any of my fellow Americans, a Happy Thanksgiving to you and your families! Though you may have your differences you only get one, make the most of the day! I hope you enjoy and appreciate the time spent with your loved ones.

Jesper Wallstedt will be the number one goaltender in the state of hockey by the All-Star break. Prior to this season, the young Swede had not shown much to hint dominance was coming. But there’s a reason he was selected in the first round and now he’s showing why. While I believe heavily in “follow the contract” this feels different. Gustavsson owners should be defecating bricks.

We’ve got a funky week as far as condensed schedules with the holiday so no teams really offer an advantage to draw from. The one team that may be of benefit is Dallas who will be on the backside of a back-to-back tonight which should see Casey DeSmith go after Jake Oettinger started yesterday if in need of a spot start.

Risers

Eric Comrie

With Connor Hellebuyck expected to miss upwards of two months after an arthroscopic knee procedure, the journeymen backup becomes the de facto starter on a contending squad for the foreseeable future.

Insert any name here and they would find themselves a riser in my eyes playing on this unit with a good chance to collect several wins along the way. Perhaps ratios will be up and down but I would wager he’ll be more of a benefit rather than hindrance while serving as the primary option.

Ilya Sorokin

Things are turning around in Elmont, NY for the Russian with four quality starts in his last six tilts. His first three seasons going back to ‘20-’21 were of an elite caliber but over the last three including the current campaign he’s been more league average.

If the Islanders want to escape the murkiness of the Metropolitan Division they will need the guy between the pipes who can post a collective SV% above .910. While I’m not saying he’s there yet he’s been solid going back to Halloween. The one bummer is that David Rittich is playing lights out when called upon the past two weeks leaving Ilya little room to struggle.

Linus Ullmark

The 32-year-old is playing excellent as of late with five quality starts in his last five games collecting three wins to boot. Unlike other goaltending depth charts, consider Ottawa a classic workhorse/backup setup making the former Boston Bruin a solid own for the long term.

The Senators should be in the mix for a playoff spot come season’s end and with captain Brady Tkachuk’s return imminent, expect a big boost to morale for the franchise. Although he’s never started fifty times in a season I get the feeling this is the campaign we see it transpire.

Fallers

Frederik Andersen

The Dane has not been sharp since the calendar flipped to November having recorded just one game with a SV% above .900 in six starts. When it came to the 36-year-old in the past you knew what you were signing up for in that an injury was guaranteed but you’d get solid enough goaltending when available.

But that’s not looking to be the case any longer as he enters the backside of his thirties. If we look at the former Anaheim Ducks body of work so far in '25-'26 it’s more bad than good. Only three quality starts in 12 games played is not a great look. Competing with two other goalies for starts now, it may be time to knock him down your rankings.

Jakub Dobes

This is officially a trend for him where he starts the season hot followed by a big time dropoff. You may not recall but the Montreal crease played out in mirror fashion last season with Sam Montembeault struggling early, Jakub Dobes ascending, and then deflating drastically.

If neither goaltender figures it out a promising, dangerous Montreal franchise will be dead in the water. Monty put the team on his back eventually last campaign to get into the playoffs starting 60 and winning 31. Right now though he can’t stop a beach ball. Dobes had a good game this past Saturday against the Maple Leafs so one hopes it’s the start of improvement.

John Gibson

The Pittsburgh native has been porous to say the least floundering in all of his past four starts. Having not posted a quality start since Nov. 4, he is losing plenty of ground to tandem partner Cam Talbot, who’s seen four games to Gibson’s one since Nov. 16th.

Talbot has earned at least a 60/40 split of shares if not 70/30 for the time being, making rostering the former Anaheim Duck rough. I would not hesitate to move on from him in shallower leagues as Detroit has come back down to Earth, now 4-5-1 in their past ten.

Other Thoughts

Anton Lundell at 40% ownership on Yahoo is disrespectful.

Go grab Tyson Foerster now and thank me later.

You need to make room for Jesper Wallstedt if available in your league(s).

Darren Raddysh is a viable fill-in for Victor Hedman in his extended absence.

Peyton Krebs has been a sneaky multi-cat tool the past couple weeks.

Be patient with Robert Thomas, the flood will come.

Add Curtis Douglas if you need PIM.

John Carlson is an ageless wonder cementing his legacy as one of the greatest American defenders all-time.

Keep tabs on Ukko Pekka-Luukkonen as he might be rounding into form while retaking the number one role.

Look to New Jersey and Utah for adds in the month of December with the most off-night games.