goalieguild

It was another week of torture for many fantasy owners, as starting goalies struggled to hit the .900 save percentage mark by allowing more goals than usual. This is like some kind of eerie twilight zone, because it seems that no matter how hard some of these goalies work, their stats aren’t improving at all. It’s like rolling a huge rock up a mountain only to watch it roll down the other side and crumble into a million pebbles. So what exactly is wrong with all of these so called sure-handed starters? Well, that’s the problem. Round these parts, there’s no such thing as a sure thing. Heck, there’s no more meaning to the phrase “comfortable lead” either. And so the beat goes on, at least for another week.

Teams have hit the five-game mark of the season, so this is a perfect chance to make a good, educated decision on whether or not a goaltender’s value has gone up or down from your pre-season expectations. The season has started with a noticeable scoring blitz, more so in the West, as many goalies still have some inflated numbers and pretty dismal records. As a result, more backups are getting early chances to show their stuff, which has in turn shown me a really interesting and effective trend regarding their development.

How important is the first five games for starting goaltender these days? Maybe not so important when it comes to their technical game, but thanks to the tight races in all six divisions in the NHL, it’s almost vital to their overall success and their mental game. Think about the momentum gained by winning their first five games. Think about how it can set the tone for a career-setting season. Mentally, coming out of the gates on a tear will raise their confidence level and their abilities to make the big-time saves at big-time moments. So yes, with a great start to the season comes truly great reward for fantasy owners. 

Is there a team more desperate for competent goaltending other than the Los Angeles Kings? Is there a worse situation for future star Ondrej Pavelec than what he’s going through in Atlanta? Has there ever been another Stanley Cup winning goalie that has been forced to deal with waivers besides Nikolai Khabibulin? Is there really a goalie controversy in Ottawa after just two measly games?

With every NHL team’s training camp come high expectations for some goalies, yet absolutely none for others. Many of the netminders in Colorado’s first day of camp, at a glance, had low expectations to make the club. But after breaking down the ones behind Peter Budaj, there’s much more than meets the eye. This includes Andrew Raycroft, Jason Bacashihua and Peter Delmas. Now Tony Granato has verbally confirmed that Budaj is the No. 1 goalie for over a week, so this column does not analyze his first day of camp – same goes for Tyler Weiman, since I feel he’s going to be a full-time NHL’er in a few seasons.

Hail, hail, the furious frenzy of live drafts is upon us. Like a chaotic midnight battle inside the realm of a black forest, survival comes by hacking your way through each round, fending off the heathens and securing prized players poised to bring you glory. We are the true Fantasy Hockey Warlords and we exist everywhere at all times. We all have different drafting skills, strategies and special sleeper picks ready to provide an offensive punch that will pulverize and demolish opponents.

What to Watch For: An Introduction Pt.I

What to Watch For: Six Sources of Struggle Pt. II

What to Watch For: Mental Focus and Strength Pt. III

What to Watch For: The Unique Mental Blueprint Pt. IV

Many of you now have (or already had) a really good understanding of the numerous dynamics that come into play when analyzing a goaltender. With your continued rise in experience and games watched comes wisdom, which is why most of my discussion so far in this series has been about the different aspects that lie underneath the surface of what is normally exposed. But in order to bring closure to this series (on the heels of September’s arrival), the analysis now falls squarely on the exterior aspects of their game, otherwise known as the setting and atmosphere.

What to Watch For: An Introduction Pt.I

What to Watch For: Six Sources of Struggle Pt. II

What to Watch For: Mental Focus and Strength Pt. III

Take a look at current rankings for the upcoming season and Roberto Luongo’s name is almost always atop the pecking order for goalies. Nothing less than 40 wins from him on the season – that’s what they say you can expect. The usual analysts all say the same thing - Luongo will bounce back from last season’s dismal final stretch because his minutes will be better managed by having Curtis Sanford play more games. This will ultimately keep Luongo primed for better numbers and more playoff success, or so they think. But please, before you cement him as your No.1 goalie of choice, take this week’s lesson into account as we dissect his game and evaluate his mental blueprint for the upcoming season.