Weekend Waiver Wire

Welcome fantasy managers to another edition of the Weekend Waiver Wire. It is time once again to take a look at what goaltenders may be available as a streaming option this weekend to help you take down your fantasy matchups. Let’s get to it!

Frederik Andersen - Carolina Hurricanes (33% Yahoo / 45% Fantrax) [COL - Sat / @NJ - Sun]

I would expect Frederik Andersen to start against the New Jersey Devils on Sunday with Brandon Bussi taking on the Colorado Avalanche in Carolina. That being said, regardless of the opponent, I'm not investing in any Andersen stock with the way he has performed this year. Andersen is sporting a 5-9-2 record accompanied by a 3.38 goals against and .865 save percentage in addition to a 37.5% quality start rate and -6.31GSAx. Andersen’s recent performances have been even worse, having put together a 0-6-2 record with a horrible 3.75 goals against and .831 save percentage in addition to zero quality starts. Until he can string together some quality starts he’s a hard pass for me.

Elvis Merzlikins - Columbus Blue Jackets (6% Yahoo / 28% Fantrax) [BUF - Sat / PIT - Sun]

Elvis Merzlikins is having a brutal year statistically speaking with a 6-6 record accompanied by a 4.04 goals against and .877 save percentage in addition to 42.9% quality starts and a -6.10GSAx. It certainly does not help that the Blue Jackets struggle defensively giving up 3.33 goals against per game (ranked 28th overall). Couple all that with a potential matchup against a high flying Buffalo Sabers squad (10-0 in their last ten games played) or a Pittsburgh Penguins team ranked just outside the league’s top ten in offensively (11th overall at 3.21 GF/GP) and I’ll be fading Merzlikins for more favorable options.

Jakub Dobes - Montreal Canadiens (24% Yahoo / 58% Fantrax) [@STL - Sat / @DAL - Sun]

Jacob Fowler - Montreal Canadiens (26% Yahoo / 54% Fantrax)

Sam Montembeault - Montreal Canadiens (35% Yahoo / 57% Fantrax)

I’m going to lump all three netminders together here, for me it simply comes down to which goaltender will face the St-Louis Blues on Saturday as that is a much more winnable matchup versus a date with the formidable Dallas Stars on Sunday. Fantasy managers should obviously be extra cautious in regard to Montembeault regardless of his performance against Florida on Tuesday, however, the way Monreal has played of late (6-1-3 in their last ten games) any of the three netminders should offer a solid option coming off the waiver wire.

Arvid Soderblom - Chicago Blackhawks (1% Yahoo / 9% Fantrax) [@WSH - Sat / VGK - Sun]

Soderblom is just another portfolio that I simply cannot invest in at the moment with the Blackhawks backup having a 4-7-1 record with a bloated 4.02 goals against and .872 save percentage in addition to a 30.8% quality start rate and -7.08GSAx. On top of that Soderblom is 1-5 in his last seven starts (pulled in his last game - no decision) with a putrid 5.00 goals against and .842 save percentage. Bake in the fact the team remains without its greatest weapon in Connor Bedard and ove can understand why fading Soderblom this week is the right decision.

Jake Allen - New Jersey Devils (31% Yahoo / 49% Fantrax) [UTA - Sat / CAR - Sun]

The preferred matchup here would be against the Utah Mammoth rather than a fairly dominant Carolina Hurricanes squad, however with that said, Jake Allen has been a reliable option all year for the New Jersey Devils. Allen has posted a tidy 11-8-1 record with 2.52 goals against and .912 save percentage including one shutout. In addition, the veteran netminder also has a solid 57.1% quality start rate and 11.92GSAx. If Allen gets the Utah matchup he becomes a rather sought after commodity in my book, a little less so if he’s tabbed with the start against the Hurricanes.

Stuart Skinner - Pittsburgh Penguins (37% Yahoo / 74% Fantrax) [@DET - Sat / @CLB - Sun]

Arturs Silovs - Pittsburgh Penguins (13% Yahoo / 43% Fantrax)

The goaltender who draws the Columbus Blue Jackets is who you’ll want to target in this particular spot with the Detroit Red Wings on a 7-2-1 run in their last ten games compared to the Blue Jackets who are 4-6 in their last ten. Arturs Silovs has been the better goaltender of late going 2-1-2 in his last five while the newly acquired Stuart Skinner is still trying to find his footing with a 1-3 record in his last four games played. It really does come down to the opponent for me, a situation to monitor closely.

Joel Hofer - St - Louis Blues (25% Yahoo / 41% Fantrax) [VGK - Sat / MTL - Sun]

It certainly seems like Joel Hofer has indeed usurped Jordan Binnington for the starter’s role in St-Louis Blues. Binnington, who was just recently named to Team Canada Men’s Olympic hockey team, is a paltry 1-5-1 in his last seven games with a horrendous 4.00 goals against and .839 save percentage. Meanwhile Hofer has fashioned a solid 4-2 record in his last six games played with a superb 2.17 goals against and .925 save percentage. A stark contrast between the two goaltenders which is why I’m not against rostering Hofer in particular if he gets the start on Friday versus the Golden Knights who have struggled to a 3-4-3 record in their last ten games without the services of star centre Jack Eichel.

Kevin Lankinen - Vancouver Canucks (7% Yahoo / 25% Fantrax) [SEA -Sat / BOS - Sun]

It has been a rather tough year for Lankinen who has stumbled to 6-10-3 record with a not so flattering 3.41 goals against and .885 save percentage in addition to a 42.1% quality start rate and -4.43GSAx. This after fashioning a 25-15-10 record last year with a 2.62 goals against and .902 save percentage, which was due in large part to a season long injury to Thatcher Demko. Nevertheless, he has been unable to regain that his mojo to this point in the season and with the Canucks nearing a tipping point in their campaign I'm not overly confident in the team's goaltenders to provide much in the way of fantasy value from here on out. Of course, much of that will depend on management’s direction as we get closer to the trade deadline. That being said, I will be fading Lankinen this week.

There you have it folks, some streaming options to consider for your fantasy squad heading into the first weekend of 2026.

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