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Week of March 21-27
Great Options
Ilya Sorokin - New York Islanders: Sorokin pulled off what might end up being the save of the year in a major win over the New York Rangers on Thursday night. This allowed the Islanders to come out of the rivalry game with a win and extended Sorokin’s win streak to four games. He has been rock-solid in his past four outings. In addition to his stellar performance in New York City, Sorokin also picked up a 25-save shutout win over the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 10th. If there is ever a time to capitalize on this positive surge in the Islanders crease it is right now. Sorokin has a record of 21-12-7, along with a save percentage of .926 and a GAA of 2.30. This next week the Islanders will play four times. They have games against the Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, and Tampa Bay Lightning.
Jacob Markstrom - Calgary Flames: Markstrom had a bit of an iffy stretch towards the end of February and early in March, but as of late he is right back on track in terms of posting consistently good performances night after night. He went on a four-game win streak from March 7th till March 16th. In his last outing against Buffalo Sabres on March 18th, Markstrom allowed just one goal on 34 shots, but exited the game with an OT loss. Regardless, his individual numbers have been very consistent. The Flames have a good week ahead of them in terms of matchups. They will play the San Jose Sharks, Arizona Coyotes and Edmonton Oilers. The first two games should provide Markstrom with excellent opportunities to boost his stats. Markstrom also won in his last outing against the Oilers earlier in March, so he could realistically pick up three wins this week. He has a record of 29-11-7, along with a save percentage of .928 and a GAA of 2.06.
Vitek Vanecek - Washington Capitals: Vanecek is currently riding a six-game win streak. He earned one shutout, two average performances and three good showings during that six-game stretch. In his last outing against the Columbus Blue Jackets on March 17th, Vanecek made 39 saves on 41 shots to post a save percentage of .951. He earned a win in that game, which increased his record to 16-7-5. Through 31 total appearances Vanecek has accumulated a save percentage of .919 and a GAA of 2.35. This upcoming week the Capitals will play the St.Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres and New Jersey Devils. These matchups give Vanecek good odds when he gets the start.
Good Options
Spencer Knight - Florida Panthers: Knight earned a 17-save shutout in his last outing on Friday night against the Anaheim Ducks. This was his first shutout of the season. There has been only one game in his past five starts where he failed to post a save percentage above .900. He allowed four goals on 32 shots in a game against the Vegas Golden Knights on March 17th and ended up coming out of that matchup with a loss. With Sergei Bobrovsky likely coming back into the mix soon, Knight may not play in all three of the games the Panthers have this week. When he does play, he is a good option to have. Florida will play the Montreal Canadiens, Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs. Knight has a record of 12-7-3, along with a save percentage of .906 and a GAA of 2.88.
Erik Kallgren - Toronto Maple Leafs: Kallgren made his first two NHL starts this past week, and the 25-year-old put on quite the show. He posted a 35-save shutout against the Dallas Stars during his first time starting in the big leagues on March 15th. He followed that up by making 34 saves on 36 shots against a talented Carolina Hurricanes roster on March 17th. The Maple Leafs ended up winning that game against Carolina by just one goal, and with Auston Matthews not in the lineup it was evident that Kallgren played a major role in Toronto picking up a big win. The biggest question is whether this is just beginner’s luck or not. Regardless, there are two outings this week where Kallgren could keep his impressive introduction to the NHL going. The Leafs will play the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday and the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday. If Kallgren gets the nod for Sunday’s contest against the Florida Panthers, that would be his biggest challenge. Through three total appearances Kallgren has accumulated a save percentage of .963 and a GAA of 1.20.
Mikko Koskinen - Edmonton Oilers: Koskinen has earned wins in his past three consecutive starts. He posted a great individual performance against the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 12th, during which he allowed just one goal on 32 shots. He followed that up with a mediocre showing against the Detroit Red Wings on March 15th. In that game he allowed five goals on 35 shots to end his night with a save percentage of .857. This upcoming week is a challenging one for Edmonton. They will play the Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks, and Calgary Flames. If Koskinen gets the nod for Thursday’s game against San Jose, then he may be a good option in a daily fantasy situation. Koskinen’s record sits at 22-9-3. He has a GAA of 3.04 and a save percentage of .904.
Bad Options
Jordan Binnington - St. Louis Blues: It is clear that a lot has changed since the Blues made their championship run back in 2019, especially between the pipes. Binnington’s last start came on March 13th against the Winnipeg Jets. During that game he allowed four goals on 37 shots and exited with an OT loss. Binnington has not gotten the nod since. It is evident that his ice time is now heavily limited. Based off his recent performances he is not worth considering even if he does get the nod, unless it is in a matchup that heavily favors the Blues. Even then, with Binnington’s level of inconsistency there is always a heavy risk. He has a record of 13-12-4. His save percentage is currently at .903 and Binnington has a GAA of 3.11. St. Louis will travel to Washington to face off against the Capitals on Tuesday before heading home for two games against the Philadelphia Flyers and Carolina Hurricanes.
Nico Daws - New Jersey Devils: There are a plethora of issues that have plagued the Devils all season, with goaltending being one of them. The team barely sits one spot above the last position in the Metropolitan. New Jersey has just 49 points this season, tied with the Philadelphia Flyers, who currently reside in that lowest spot. So far Nico Daws in not appearing to be an answer to their netminding concerns. Daws had a good showing against the Anaheim Ducks on March 12th, but it is clear that was an anomaly as opposed to his regular level of performance. In his last game against the Calgary Flames on March 16th, Daws allowed four goals on 19 shots to post a save percentage of .789 in just under 30 minutes of play. He was pulled in that outing, and in fact has been pulled in back-to-back starts. Thus, Daws is definitely an option to avoid in any fantasy situation. He has a record of 6-6-0, along with a save percentage of .902 and a GAA of 2.99. This week the Devils will play the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals, and Montreal Canadiens. The first three games will provide Daws with some major challenges if he gets the start.
