DFS: 5 Busy Goaltenders With Daily Fantasy Value
Great goaltending is a vital piece of any roster - including those in daily fantasy.
Goalie points in DFS can accumulate quickly, especially if a goalie faces plenty of shots. These five goaltenders should see an abundance of shots throughout the season, allowing them to produce elite fantasy point totals at a potential bargain price:
Cory Schneider, New Jersey Devils
The Devils decided to rebuild this summer - testing Schneider's ability to carry a team by himself.
Schneider was impressive his first full season as a starter - playing in 69 games and ranking among the top 10 in goals-against average (2.26), save percentage (.925) and shutouts (five).
The Devils surrendered an average of 30.7 per cent shots last year, good for seventh-most in the NHL. Expect Schneider to steal games for his team - and more often than not, he'll rack up the saves while doing so.
Mike Smith, Arizona Coyotes
Once upon a time, Smith backstopped the mediocre Arizona Coyotes to the 2011-2012 Western Conference Finals. That 2011-2012 Smith has vanished.
Smith enters his fifth year playing for the Yotes and has finally been gifted with a decent offense in front of him, giving him a better chance of winning despite the prospect of facing a good amount of shots each night.
The 33-year-old had a rough 2014-15 campaign but has the skill to rebound; that, combined with Arizona's improved roster, makes him a great occasional contrarian option.
Semyon Varlamov, Colorado Avalanche
When Colorado's Varlamov is in the zone, he is extremely tough to solve.
If the young Avs roster hopes to return to the post-season, it will need to rely on the prowess of Varlamov, who posted just 28 wins last season with a 2.56 GAA and .921 SV%.
A return to health and improvements along the Colorado blue-line should lead to better results for Varlamov, who should still record a few 40-save games this season given the Avs' up-tempo philosophy.
Tuukka Rask, Boston Bruins
Rask is an elite NHL goalie poised to face a slew of shots this upcoming season.
The Bruins cleared house this off-season, opting for rebuild mode - and thereby increasing Rasks' $/point value as he becomes one of the busiest netminders in the league.
Rask has a 2.16 GAA and .926 SV% for his career; he'll be pricier than the other busy goaltenders, but should be worth the cost most nights.
Sergei Bobrovsky, Columbus Blue Jackets
The Russian netminder remains the star of the Blue Jackets - and could wind up the busiest goalie in the league.
Columbus conceded the third-most shots in the league last season (33.4) and should be in line to do the same in 2015-16.
Bobrovsky was the main reason the Blue Jackets competed for a playoff berth well into the latter stages of last season, racking up 30 wins despite a 2.69 GAA and a .918 SV%.