In this week's Eastern Edge, we'll discuss why Jake Guentzel and Joonas Korpisalo are players you want on your fantasy team this year.

Jake Guentzel

Guentzel has hovered around a 40-goal, point-per-game pace in each of the last five years but based on where he's going in fantasy drafts right now, I don't think that past production is being respected. Summing across the past five seasons, he ranks 26th in points and 14th in goals, yet he's being drafted 60th overall in the average Yahoo league. It seems Guentzel's fantasy stock has fallen because he underwent ankle surgery early last month. Officially, he's set to be re-evaluated in late October, approximately five games into the season. I guess that term 're-evaluated' has some fantasy managers concerned – because it's not a concrete return date, and it leaves the door open for Guentzel to miss even more time. With that being said, GM Kyle Dubas seems optimistic Guentzel will return after that five-game absence, so I'm happy to appraise Guentzel's fantasy stock based on that optimism –  as Dubas is undoubtedly more informed than the rest of us. I understand concerns about an extended absence, or sub-par play immediately after returning, but I don't think those concerns are substantial enough to lower Guentzel's value to this extent. The way I see it, his perceived fantasy value has fallen much further than his actual fantasy value, creating an opportunity for you to get a great deal if you snag him outside of the top-50. He's an elite player in his own right, but exposure to a star-studded cast in Pittsburgh – which now features Erik Karlsson – certainly helps.

Joonas Korpisalo

There is a lack of consistency among goaltenders that makes it difficult to justify using high draft picks on big names. Even some of the most reliable goalies are prone to single season struggles. Sure, Andrei Vasilevskiy put up a good number of wins last year, but considering he was drafted in the first or second round of most fantasy leagues, his 2.65 GAA and .915 save percentage was honestly pretty underwhelming. The same can be said for Igor Shesterkin, who went early in most fantasy drafts last year, following an outstanding 21-22 campaign. Although he won a lot of games, he was bound to fall short of lofty expectations, and ended up posting a rather pedestrian 2.48 GAA and .916 save percentage.

When selecting your first-string fantasy netminder, there are a few boxes you want to check. In my opinion, the most important factor is the quality of the team in front of said netminder. There are elite individuals who shine behind average teams, but team quality is more reliable and easier to project than the performance of one individual. Even the best goaltenders will put up lackluster numbers behind a defense that gives up lots of high danger opportunities. Not only does a good team lead a goalie to more wins, but they also make it easier to post a strong GAA and SV%. Another factor to consider is volume of opportunity. You want a starter that'll see lots of action, because the more they play, the more of an impact they can have on your fantasy matchups.

To get a goaltender that sees a high volume of starts, possesses individual talent, and plays behind a strong team, you have to pay top dollar.  The thing is, at such a high price, there isn't much room for them to outperform expectations and provide excess value. This creates a situation where most goalies at the top of draft lists end up disappointing fantasy managers. Since skater performances tend to be more consistent, I think it makes sense to use high draft picks on skaters, who are more likely to meet or exceed expectations. I personally wait until mid/late rounds to take goalies, because with lower costs, there's actually room for them to outperform expectations.

My endorsement of Korpisalo is based on two things: his contract and the quality of the team in front of him. Korpisalo signed a five-year deal with the Senators this offseason, making him the team's highest paid goalie. In order to get a solid return on that investment, Ottawa is likely to give Korpisalo a starting role this season. There's certainly some risk involved as (1) he hasn't started more than 39 games in a single season and (2) his career numbers aren't great. However, I'm a big believer in the Sens this year. As long as Korpisalo stays healthy, his contract will give him a decent number of starts. The team in front of him is capable of playing strong defense to support his GAA and SV%, but also strong offense to help him tally a good number of wins. Ottawa looked good last year, and I think they're ready to take a step forward this season. In my eyes, their top-six forwards and top-four defenseman are both above league average. The Sens will benefit from a healthy Josh Norris, who was sidelined much of last year with a shoulder injury, and a full year with Jakob Chychrun, who only suited up for 12 games with the team last season.

I think we'll see other 'average goaltenders on good teams' get drafted ahead of Korpisalo, simply because the Senators haven't fully graduated to 'good team' status just yet. They're still in the final stages of their upswing, which means you can probably get a discounted rate on Korpisalo now, before the team fully takes off.