BTP: OUT WITH THE NEW AND IN WITH THE OLD?
Looking over the top goalies in the NHL this season and what immediately comes to mind is; where are the elite names like Lundqvist, Rask and Price? The top 10 is populated with names such as John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks and Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets, both of whom started the season in the minors with thoughts they would be gaining a valuable year of seasoning before plying their wares in the NHL. In fact, they are #’s 1 and 3 in GAA so not too shabby for rookies. Then there is Petr Mrazek of Detroit and Philadelphia’s Michal Neuvirth having GAAs of just over 2.00. So where do the recent elite goaltenders stand in this year’s NHL?
Well, we all know Montreal’s Carey Price is out with an injury and will be back in another month or so. This scenario is eerily similar to what happened with the NY Rangers last season when Henrik Lundqvist went down for a chunk of the season and was fresh for a long playoff run that ended just shy of a 2nd straight Stanley Cup appearance. Will the same thing happen with the Canadiens this spring?
Speaking of Lundvist, we all know what he’s capable of bringing so it is no surprise that the Rangers are in the top three of the Metropolitan Division and should make another playoff appearance. Will Lundqvist have enough to get through the long and tough playoff schedule in hopes of raising the coveted Cup after appearing in 38 games already? The Rangers know what it takes to get to the dance and stay, perhaps they are just saving themselves for the second season.
Boston Bruin goaltender Tuukka Rask has been nothing short of brilliant the past few seasons posting 30+ win seasons with better than average metrics. This year’s team was expected to be a transitional club but they seemed to have turned the corner earlier than expected but Rask’s numbers have suffered as his record stands at 16-13-3 with a 2.45 GAA and a .918 SP which are sub-standard in for T-Rask.
You know all three have the pedigree to go long stretches bringing dominance to the crease, plus they know how to turn up their game when they need to, so if you get a chance to grab one of them while they are muddling along in mid-season, now is your chance because when it comes to fantasy hockey, you just need the right players at the right time and you can make up a lot of ground in a hurry and what better way to slot in some elite goalies into your lineup.