Deal or No Deal: Looking Out For (a New) Number One
Are any of the goaltenders who have seemingly taken over the starting role worth picking up in your fantasy league?
Robin Lehner, Sabres
If wins didn't matter, Lehner would likely be owned in more than the roughly 60 per cent of leagues he already is. Following an injury in Buffalo's first game of the season that sidelined him for more than three months, the ex-Senator has made six starts, allowing exactly two goals in five of them.
Only two wins accompanied those strong performances; while the Sabres are much more competitive than they were last season, they're still among six teams that have fewer than 50 points in 2015-16.
Lehner was brought in to to be Buffalo's goalie of the present, and he'll be afforded the majority of the starts for the rest of the season. If the lack of wins can be forgiven, Lehner is a worthy acquisition, should he be available.
Verdict: DEAL
Ben Scrivens, Canadiens
Scrivens has helped Montreal overcome a horrendous slump; since Dec. 3, the team had lost of 21 of 26 games before beating both Edmonton and Carolina over the weekend. The journeyman started both of those games, allowing just one goal in each, while making 57 saves.
He'll get another start Tuesday against Tampa Bay, and a strong performance could help Scrivens stake his claim to the No. 1 role that looks there for the taking with Carey Price out indefinitely.
This might be just a brief hot streak for Scrivens, however; in four previous starts with Montreal, he went winless, allowing 15 goals. In 57 games with Edmonton last season, he posted a GAA of 3.16 and a save percentage of .890. While the team in front of him is better than that lottery-bound Oilers squad, it's unlikely that Scrivens will keep up his recent play much longer.
Montreal's other goaltender, 25-year-old Mike Condon, has been up-and-down this season, but will likely be handed another shot if and when Scrivens falters, making the veteran a very short-term pickup only.
Verdict: NO DEAL
Louis Domingue, Coyotes
Domingue was named the NHL's rookie of the month for January after going 6-3-2 with a .925 save percentage and one shutout. In his last three starts, however, he's allowed five goals in each and unsurprisingly lost all three.
Working in his favor: Mike Smith (abdomen) is expected to be out for at least another month. Backup Anders Lindback has largely been confined to the bench despite Domingue's struggles; Lindback also allowed five goals in his most recent start on Friday, and his career .904 save percentage doesn't make him a serious threat to the rookie.
The immediate schedule is relatively kind to Arizona, with a trip to San Jose sandwiched in between five home games. Encounters with Vancouver, Calgary and Montreal seem eminently winnable. Domingue has likely shed a lot of owners of late, but he's seemingly assured of a heavy workload at least until Smith can return.
Verdict: DEAL