Goalie Start 'Em, Sit 'Em ft. Daccord, Shesterkin, Levi and More

The NHL is back, fantasy hockey is back, and we’re back with Goalie Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em! Thursday is the all crucial pivot night for fantasy hockey and fantasy managers have got to make sure they make their goalie starts count. So we’ll be here every Thursday to 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. For this week, we’ve got eight games on the docket, that means (at least) 16 goalies in action. It’s week 1 of the new 84-game season and as such there will be plenty of unknowns, then again, we are talking about fantasy’s most volatile position; week 1 is just as unpredictable as week 33. So lets throw caution to the wind and dive right in to Goalie Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em —

(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

Jake Allen, New Jersey Devils - Last I checked, Jack Hughes was healthy and in the lineup for the New Jersey Devils entering their home opener against the Philadelphia Flyers, granting Jake Allen intriguing upside for this game and the season ahead. The 36-year-old netminder recorded 17 wins alongside a 2.74 GAA and .904 SV% in 37 games last year and has managed to secure an above .900 save percentage in all three of his seasons with the Devils thus far. New Jersey solidified their top-6 this offseason, adding wingers Luke Evangelista and Anthony Mantha to an already elite core that features fantasy studs Timo Meier, Jesper Bratt, Nico Hischier, and, the oft-injured superstar, Jack Hughes. As of now, it’s opening night and the sky is the limit for this hungry Devils club, so go ahead and start their netminder, Jake Allen, with confidence against a Flyers crew that currently lacks a true top line identity and will be playing in the second half of a back-to-back following their ugly loss to Pittsburgh on Wednesday night. Start ‘Em!

Joey Daccord, Seattle Kraken - Speaking of lacking a top line, the Seattle Kraken will be in action this Thursday evening, as well. Will this be the year that the Kraken finally break free from the confines of four equal lines? Newly acquired Mackie Samoskevich looks like he will get a shot at skating alongside Matty Beniers and the Kraken’s other shiny new(ish) toy Bobby McMann, who potted 10 goals and 14 points in his 18 games with Seattle at the end of last season. If these three get some favorable deployment and a slightly longer leash, it’s possible they form the identity line that has eluded the Kraken since their inception in 2021. In net, Daccord will be looking to bounce back after a mediocre season in which he provided just 20 wins and an unsightly 3.03 GAA and mediocre .897 SV% in 47 games played. It’s unlikely that Daccord can crack 30 wins, even in an 84-game season, but he can provide metrics akin to his career averages of 2.83 GAA and .904 SV% and he may just have what it takes to start the Kraken’s campaign off with a victory against an underwhelming Calgary Flames roster. Start ‘Em!

Sit ‘Em

Igor Shesterkin, New York Rangers - Yes, it’s Shesterkin, but remember at the beginning of last season when the New York Rangers completely choked every time they took to home ice? Last year, the Blueshirts managed two measly goals over the course of their first five home games, all loses by the way, and this year they started off by dropping a goose egg in their season opener against the Bruins on Tuesday night. The Rangers have undergone some roster turnover lately, namely trading away their leading scorer of the past six seasons, Artemi Panarin. And yes, they brought in a lethal goal scorer in Pavel Dorofeyev this offseason, but a new offense and new power play can take some time to gel and the longer the Rangers stay off the scoresheet, the more insidious their doubts will become. And the more incredulous their fanbase will grow. Pit that up against a Tampa Bay Lightning club that cooked along at 3.54 Goals Forced per Game (fourth in NHL) and will be looking to keep up with the Jones’ of the Atlantic division and this game looks like it could spell trouble for Igor Shesterkin’s fantasy owners. It’s the first week of the season, so do what you will, but we may be better off sitting Shesty for Thursday’s tilt against the heavyweight Lightning and then plugging him back in as needed for Sunday’s battle with the Utah Mammoth. Sit ‘Em!

Spencer Knight, Chicago Blackhawks - The Chicago Blackhawks showed their mettle in Tuesday night’s opening clash versus the Vegas Golden Knights, but those Golden Knights completely overwhelmed the young Blackhawks and their own Knight. Spencer Knight got rocked for four goals in his debut, including two in the opening frame. The 25-year-old piled up 32 saves, so depending on your league’s format, he may still offer solid fantasy contributions from net this season, but the wins may be few and far between, especially while captain Connor Bedard remains sidelined with a shoulder injury. This Thursday, the Blackhawks will be visiting Utah to take on an offensively potent Mammoth club that will be looking to give the home crowd something to cheer about in their own season opener. Again, it’s the first week of the season, a lot of unknowns, but this just looks like an ugly matchup for Knight. If you can afford to — Sit ‘Em!

Desperation Mode Play

Devon Levi, Edmonton Oilers - It’s hard to imagine that the Edmonton Oilers wouldn't turn to 24-year-old Devon Levi for Thursday’s rematch against the Vancouver Canucks after “starter” Tristan Jarry got bombed for six goals on 23 shots in Tuesday’s home opener. While the Oilers seem to enjoy regularly leaving their goalies out to dry (as evidenced by last season’s 3.28 GA/G, 25th in NHL), one would at least expect that the Oilers will try to tighten things up defensively after starting the season so disappointingly. Admittedly, Levi hasnt played an NHL game since the 2024-25 season when he put up similarly woeful numbers compared to Jarry’s time spent with the Oilers last season (Levi: 4.12 GAA, .872 SV%, Jarry: 3.86 GAA, .858 SV%), but will the Canucks really score more than ten goals in their first two games of the season? Can the Oilers really drop two in a row to the lottery bound Canucks? Chances are the Oilers will play a more composed and structured game on Thursday and fantasy managers desperate for goalie starts (as in anyone who needs to lessen the sting from starting Jarry on Tuesday) should take a swing here. Consider Devon Levi your week one 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 at DobberHockey.com providing injury news and updates every Wednesday throughout the season. Happy Hockeying and good luck out there!