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. A fair number of goaltenders to discuss, so let’s get to it!

Calvin Pickard - Edmonton Oilers (6% owned on Yahoo / 21% owned on Fantrax)

The Oilers will hit the road to face off against two original six teams in the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday followed by a date with the Montreal Canadiens on Sunday. Calvin Pickard is going to see some game action, however, I would be more than hesitant to seek him out on the waiver wire due to his poor performance so far this year. The Oilers backup is sporting a 3-3-2 record accompanied by a horrendous 4.04 goals against and .851 save percentage to go along with a 20.0% quality start rate and -7.50 GSAx, not exactly the kind of numbers that give fantasy managers much confidence.

Combine that with the fact that the Oilers are currently ranked 28th overall defensively at 3.47 GA/GP as well as Toronto (5th overall at 3.34 GF/GP) and Montreal (10th overall at 3.14 GF/GP) rank in the league's top ten offensively. I would safely fade Pickard this weekend and pivot to a more favorable option.

Jakub Dobes - Montreal Canadiens (32% owned on Yahoo / 63% owned on Fantrax)

Sam Montembeault - Montreal Canadiens (43% owned on Yahoo / 0% owned on Fantrax)

Jacob Fowler - Montreal Canadiens (11% owned on Yahoo / 41% owned on Fantrax)

It looks like we will have a three headed monster as it pertains to the Montreal Canadiens goaltending……..at least in the short term. The Canadiens recent slide in the standings combined with some poor goaltending of late has sparked the organization to call up its goaltender of the future Jacob Fowler. Fowler was tabbed as the starter on Thursday to face the Pittsburgh Penguins on the road, it remains to be seen if the young netminder will stick around for games this weekend versus the New York Rangers at MSG on Saturday before returning home to face the Edmonton Oilers.

The way Montreal has been defending of late combined with the teams poor goaltending would lead me to stray from adding any of their options through the waiver wire. On top of that, the Habs are currently ranked 31st overall defensively at 3.55 GA/GP which does not lend itself well to the Oilers quick strike offense, meanwhile the Rangers are one of the stingiest teams in the NHL as they currently rank sixth defensively at 2.63 GA/GP. This would be another case in which fantasy managers should fade Montreal’s netminders until performance improves.

Jake Allen - New Jersey Devils (30% owned on Yahoo / 49% owned on Fantrax)

I would expect Jacob Markstrom to draw the start at home against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday which would leave Jake Allen to face the Vancouver Canucks on Sunday also on home ice. Allen has been rather steady for the Devils this year as the 35-year old has put together an 8-6-0 record with a solid 2.52 goals against and .908 save percentage including one shutout, that’s on top of a 53.3% quality start rate as well as a 5.82 GSAx. The Canucks are an absolute mess right now with a possible Quinn Hughes trade seemingly being a disruptive force at the moment. That being said, the Devils will be without the services of Jack Hughes (injured) as well as Timo Meier (personal) however, I’m still leaning New Jersey here and am quite comfortable with Allen as a viable option this weekend. A solid pickup.

Dan Vladar - Philadelphia Flyers (48% owned on Yahoo / 61% owned on Fantrax)

Sam Ersson - Philadelphia Flyers (3% owned on Yahoo / 26% owned on Fantrax)

The Philadelphia Flyers and Carolina Hurricanes will reacquaint themselves this weekend with a home and home (Sat/Sun) to close out the week. Dan Vladar should have already been scooped up from your league’s waiver wire, however, if he is still available he could potentially be a sneaky good play this weekend. The 28-year old is on another hot streak having won five of his last six games with five quality starts in those six games. In addition to Vladar’s recent hot streak, the team itself is playing a strong defensive game having only given up six goals in the last three games played. It’s going to be a tall order against a very structured Hurricanes squad, that being said, Vladar is a viable option in this spot.

Sam Ersson’s season has not gone as planned with the 6’3” 194lbs Swede owning a 5-3-2 record with a rather pedestrian 2.98 goals against and .871 save percentage. Ersson has clearly lost the number one role to Vladar while he struggles to find his game. I’m a little less optimistic about Ersson chances against Carolina with the body of work he has put together so far this season and for that reason I would steer clear of Ersson this week.

Arturs Silovs - Pittsburgh Penguins (13% owned on Yahoo / 47% owned on Fantrax)

The Pittsburgh Penguins will welcome in the San Jose Sharks on Saturday followed by the Utah Mammoth on Sunday. I do like this spot for Silovs regardless of which opponent he may face as the Penguins are playing some pretty good hockey at the moment with a 5-2-3 record in their last ten games played. Conversely the Sharks (4-6) and Mammoth (3-7) have a combined record of 7-13 in each of their last ten contests. Add in the fact that the Penguins land in the leagues top ten both offensively (9th overall at 3.14 GF/GP) and defensively (8th overall at 2.71 GA/GP) and fantasy managers will want to take a hard look at the Penguins backup for a potential streaming option this weekend.

Arvid Soderblom - Chicago Blackhawks (1% owned on Yahoo / 10% owned on Fantrax)

Arvid Soderblom should draw the start tonight against the St-Louis Blues in the first half of the teams back-to-back. Even with the Blues struggling this year, I’m not investing in the Chicago Blackhawks backup netminder as Soderblom is sporting a brutal 3.92 goals against and .876 save percentage along with a 33.3% quality start rate and -6.23 GSAx. Quite simply, there are more viable options out there before hitching your wagon to Soderblom. Hard pass.

Brandon Bussi - Carolina Hurricanes (28% owned on Yahoo / 39% owned on Fantrax)

The feel good story of the year so far when it comes to the goaltending position is indeed Brandon Bussi who, for the time being, is the lead dog for the Carolina Hurricanes. All the 27-year old has done is fashion a stellar 9-1-0 record accompanied by a 2.05 goals against and .905 save percentage in addition to one shutout while holding down a 54.5% quality start rate and 5.53GSAx. Bussi will look to keep the good times rolling with at least one start in the team's upcoming back-to-back with the Philadelphia Flyers who have been playing solid hockey of late with a 7-3-0 record in their last ten games played. All that being said, I still like Bussi in this spot not only because of his personal performance this year but also due to the team that is in front of him. I would be rather surprised if Bussi is still sitting there on the waiver wire, however, if he is available you need to add him to your roster immediately.

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

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