NHL: NHL Fantasy Hockey goalie rankings 2023-24: Best and worst picks for your team in Week 22

This week, the NHL has 53 games, with the New York Rangers playing five times in seven nights. Meanwhile, 14 teams play four times. Only the Edmonton Oilers, Nashville Predators, Tampa Bay Lightning, Toronto Maple Leafs and Vancouver Canucks play twice.

Considering most NHL fantasy leagues are about to enter playoffs, which goalies are worth starting or sitting? Our Week 22 netminder preview examines the best and worst options this week.

Best goalie options for NHL fantasy hockey for Week 22

#1. Igor Shesterkin & Jonathan Quick (New York Rangers)

Opponents: New Jersey (Mon), Carolina (Tues), Tampa Bay (Thur), Pittsburgh (Sat), New York Islanders (Sun)

The Rangers are the only team with five games this week, which includes two back-to-back contests. Igor Shesterkin is playing better between the pipes than when he won the Vezina Trophy in 2021-22. In the past 10 games, he's 8-1-1 with a 1.80 goals-against average (GAA) and .948 save percentage (SV%).

He won't play every minute this week, allowing Jonathan Quick to see some time in the crease. Despite being 38, the future Hall of Famer is 13-5-2 with a 2.45 GAA and .916, recently earning a one-year contract extension to remain in New York next season.

#2. Adin Hill & Logan Thompson (Vegas Golden Knights)

Opponents: Seattle (Tues), Calgary (Thur), New Jersey (Sat)

The Vegas Golden Knights need to go 3-0 this week to improve their chances of securing a playoff spot. As the second wild-card team in a stacked Western Conference, the time is now for Adin Hill and Logan Thompson to step up and win games.

The duo has combined for a 33-20-7 record, a .910 SV% and a 2.70 GAA. This week, the Golden Knights will face three teams below them in the standings and will need superb performances from Hill and Thompson.

Even though Vegas is adjusting its lineup after acquiring some big names at the trade deadline, its netminders are established NHLers with championship pedigrees.

Worst goalie options for NHL fantasy hockey for Week 22

#1. Andrei Vasilveskiy & Jonas Johansson (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Opponents: New York Rangers (Thurs), Florida Panthers (Sat)

The Tampa Bay Lightning have two games this week against two of the top teams in the NHL, the Rangers and Florida Panthers. Even though Andrei Vasilveskiy is an all-world goalie, his recent struggles won't make him a favorite in either of these upcoming matchups.

After missing two months due to surgery, Vasilveskiy has compiled a 22-16-1 record, with an uncharacteristically high .296 GAA and a career-worst .896 SV%. Since January, he's only 14-9-1 while the Lightning struggle to keep ahead of the teams chasing them in the wild-card race.

The only reason Tampa Bay shows up on the list is because it will be underdogs in both its upcoming matchups, and given how inconsistent Vasilevskiy has been, it's not a recipe for success.

#2. Kappo Kahkonen & Jake Allen & Nico Daws (New Jersey)

Opponents: New York Rangers (Mon), Dallas (Tues), Arizona (Sat), Vegas (Sun)

The New Jersey Devils acquired Jake Allen at the trade deadline, and he brings a 6-12-3 record to his new team. Meanwhile, Nico Daws is now the default starter but has yet to establish himself with a 9-11-0 record and is known to surrender a back-breaking goal on a nightly basis.

Additionally, the Devils acquired Kappo Kahkonen (6-20-3) from San Jose, who has yet to be activated for the stretch drive. Collectively, not a single goalie in New Jersey has a GAA under 3.00 or an SV% above .900, making this upcoming schedule a tough one.

Even though Arizona is no pushover and Vegas is struggling to piece together wins, the Devils may feel deflated by the weekend after grueling games against the Rangers and Dallas Stars, two of the top five teams in the NHL.

#3. Charlie Lindgren & Darcy Kuemper (Washington Capitals)

Opponents: Winnipeg (Mon), Edmonton (Wed), Seattle (Thurs), Vancouver (Sat)

Although they are not mathematically eliminated from the Stanley Cup playoffs, the Washington Capitals will have a challenge this week to keep their playoff hopes alive. They are only three points out of the final wild-card spot, with games in hand. Still, their next four games may decide their season.

Charlie Lindgren and Darcy Kuemper each have winning records, and Lindgren has outshined his batterymate with better GAA and SV% totals. This week, the duo will be put to the test with a gauntlet of elite teams in the Winnipeg Jets, Edmonton Oilers and Vancouver Canucks in six days.

Wedge in between the Canadian trifecta is a matchup with the Seattle Kraken, who will look to play spoiler as their season winds down. As one of the lowest-scoring teams in the NHL, Washington will need nothing but the very best from its two goalies in these do-or-die games.

NHL Goalie League Leaders

(statistics as of Mar. 11, 2024)

Games played - Alexandar Georgiev - 52

Wins - Thatcher Demko - 34

Losses - Petr Mzarek - 25

Saves - Ilya Sorokin - 1,376

Shots Against - Ilya Sorokin - 1,512

Fewest Goals Against (min 10 games) - Ivan Prosvetov - 26

Most Goals Against - Alexandar Georgiev - 145

Goals Against Average (min 10 games) - Anthony Stolarz - 2.02

Save percentage (min 10 games) - Anthony Stolarz: .925%

Shutouts - Tristan Jarry & Connor Ingram - 6

Minutes Played - Alexandar Georgiev - 3053:10