Several weeks ago I advised fantasy hockey owners to keep an eye on Maple Leafs goaltender James Reimer because it seemed that the unheralded kid was going to be given the chance to prove himself at the NHL level. Following last night's 2-1 victory over the Islanders in which he stopped 28 of 29 shots, Reimer has now not lost in regulation since February 5 and is 4-0-2- in his last six starts. In one of those overtime losses Reimer actually earned a shutout despite losing a 1-0 shootout decision to Craig Anderson and the Senators four nights ago.
In his last six starts Reimer has allowed only ten goals, and overall the 22 year-old is 9-4-2 with a solid 2.12 goals against average and .934 save percentage. If he is still available in your fantasy hockey league and you need goaltending help, grab Reimer and ride him for as long as he stays this confident and this good.
Here are some other goalies to keep an eye on from a fantasy hockey perspective:
Craig Anderson:
After a splendid 2009-10 campaign it has been a big downer this year for Anderson, who last week was traded from Colorado to Ottawa. However he bears watching because he is a free agent at the end of the season, and a strong finish could restore some luster to his pending free agency. Ottawa is going nowhere this season, but perhaps the trade shakes up Anderson enough to play better down the stretch. If so, he could be a decent second or third goalie option for fantasy hockey owners struggling in that area. His Ottawa debut was a beaut: he stopped all 47 shots he faced in regulation and overtime en-route to a 1-0 shootout shutout over the Maple Leafs. Let's see how he fares vs. one of his ex-teams, the Panthers, tonight.
Ilya Bryzgalov:
If you can get your hands on Bryzgalov in your fantasy hockey league then do so because he is as hot as any goalie in the league right now. Bryzgalov has won each of his last eight starts, allowing only 13 goals in total---with a pair of shutouts thrown in for good measure. He has made 30 or more saves in four of his last five starts---including 37 in a 3-2 overtime win over Philly last night---and is now fourth in the NHL in wins (27) despite a good-but-not-great 2.55 goals against this season.
Johan Hedberg:
Martin Brodeur is healthy again in New Jersey, but coach Jacques Lemaire is not messing with a good thing. The Devils are an incredible 16-1-2 in their last 19 games and Hedberg has played a big part in that, stepping in--and up---first, when Brodeur struggled, and then when Brodeur was sidelined. The Moose has won seven consecutive starts, and backstopped his second shutout in his last three games in a 1-0 win in Dallas last night. Hedberg has surrendered just one goal on 60 shots over his last three starts as he has played extremely well, while also benefitting from some great team defense in front of him. He was likely available---either off waivers or in a trade---in most fantasy hockey leagues a month or so ago, but picking up Hedberg now is going to be a difficult trick.
Ray Emery:
With All-Star goalie Jonas Hiller on IR and Curtis McElhinney unimpressive in Hiller's place, the Ducks today recalled veteran Ray Emery from the minor leagues. Emery made three starts for the Syracuse Crunch and posted a .925 save percentage as he continues to work his way back from a serious hip injury. Emery will serve as McElhinney's back-up against the Kings tonight, but considering the fact that McElhinney has surrendered 16 goals in his last three games, it shouldn't be too long before Emery gets a start---his last NHL game action was February 1 of 2010. Keep an eye on Emery. He might be rusty at first, but could turn into a decent No. 2 or 3 goalie option for fantasy hockey owners in the near future.
Have fantasy hockey questions or comments? E-mail them to Jim at jimcerny@gmail.com.