Week 1: Fantasy top 25 goalie rankings for 2016-17

All season long, NHL.com's David Satriano will rank the top 25 goalies for standard Yahoo leagues (wins, goals-against average, save percentage, shutouts). Players with long-term injuries have been removed from this list.
These rankings are based on expectations for the rest of the season. Value is quantified by projected starts, peripheral category coverage, time-share situations, team defenses, past performance and overall upside in standard leagues. It is important to note that our rankings reflect sheer fantasy value, not necessarily the most talented goalies in order.

The Calgary Flames addressed their goaltending problem when they traded for Brian Elliotton Jun. 24. But, one week into the 2016-17 season, the results have been far less than encouraging.
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TOP 50 DEFENSEMEN
The Flames allowed the most goals last season (257) and ranked last in team save percentage (.892). Elliott entered the season with a career save percentage of .913 and was even better in his five seasons with the St. Louis Blues (.925), but has allowed 10 goals on 55 shots (.818 SV%) in two games, giving him a 5.08 goals-against average.
Elliott hasn't looked good in any situation. He has allowed six goals on 42 shots faced at even strength, three power-play goals on 11 shots and one shorthanded goal on two shots. In 38 starts last season, he allowed four or more goals four times and never gave up six goals (he did in his first start this season).
Calgary fortunately signed Chad Johnson (11 percent owned in Yahoo) on July 1 to back up Elliott. Johnson has started each of the past two games, making 48 saves on 52 shots faced (1.89 GAA, .923 SV%), and had excellent numbers with the Buffalo Sabres last season (22-16-4, 2.36 GAA, .920 SV%). Although Elliott is likely to get the start against the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday and still has plenty of time to redeem himself this season, there's a legitimate chance this could become a time-share situation over time.

TRENDING UP

It was unclear if Roberto Luongo of the Florida Panthers was going to be ready to start the season because of offseason hip surgery. But, not only was Luongo ready, he's started the season in top form. The 37-year-old, drafted on average outside the top 10 goalies, is 2-0-0 after two games, allowing two goals on 46 shots faced (0.98 GAA, .957 SV%). The Panthers signed James Reimer on July 1 to back up Luongo and perhaps take some of the workload. Reimer allowed three goals on 28 shots in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday. Luongo has started at least 60 games in each of the past two seasons and should get 55-60 again this season if he stays healthy. He's again proving to be one of the most underrated goalies in fantasy hockey.

Trending Down

It was obvious Frederik Andersen's fantasy value could decline after he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs on June 20. Andersen was 77-26-12 with a 2.33 GAA, .918 SV% and six shutouts in 125 games with the Anaheim Ducks. In three games with Toronto, he's 1-0-2 with a 3.61 GAA and a .876 SV%. Andersen has given up 11 goals on 89 shots, including five in two of his three starts. The Maple Leafs had a 4-0 lead on the Winnipeg Jets on Wednesday, but lost 5-4 in overtime. That's not all on Andersen; his defense certainly didn't help. But it's clear early on that he is going to face a high shot volume (almost 30 per game through three games), and having a young team in front of him doesn't help. If you own Andersen, try to trade him while you can.

Worth Noting

• Jonathan Quick of the Los Angeles Kings had a non-surgical procedure Tuesday and is expected to miss three months because of a groin injury. It's highly unlikely Jeff Zatkoff (0-3-0, 4.38 GAA, .839 SV%) who has started in Quick's absence, or veteran Peter Budaj (nine saves on nine shots in one appearance this season), will keep the Kings afloat. It's more likely Los Angeles will trade for a more established goalie.
  - Carey Price of the Montreal Canadiens is hoping to make his season debut Thursday against the Arizona Coyotes (7:30 p.m. ET; SN360, RDS, FS-A, NHL.TV). Price has missed Montreal's first three games because of the flu and hasn't played in a regular-season game since sustaining a knee injury Nov. 25. In his absence, Al Montoya has looked great, going 2-0-1 with a 1.30 GAA, a .962 SV% and one shutout.
  - Arizona's Mike Smith sustained a lower-body injury in a 7-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. He was unable to put any weight on his left leg when he went off the ice, but coach Dave Tippett said Smith is day to day. Justin Peters was recalled from Tucson of the American Hockey League, but Louis Domingue (5 percent owned) will get the start at the Canadiens on Thursday.

Top 25 Fantasy Goalies

These rankings were last updated Oct. 20.
1. Braden Holtby, WSH (SAME)
2. Cory Schneider, NJD (+3)
3. Carey Price, MTL (DTD)
4. Jake Allen, STL (+4)
5. Pekka Rinne, NSH (+5)
6. Roberto Luongo, FLA (+8)
7. Ben Bishop, TBL (-3)
8. Martin Jones, SJS (-2)
9. Corey Crawford, CHI (SAME)
10. John Gibson, ANA (-3)
11. Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (SAME)
12. Tuukka Rask, BOS (+9)
13. Devan Dubnyk, MIN (-1)
14. Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT (SAME)
15. Kari Lehtonen (NEW)
16. Petr Mrazek, DET (+1)
17. Jacob Markstrom, VAN (NEW)
18. Jaroslav Halak, NYI (SAME)
19. Brian Elliott, CGY (-6)
20. Chad Johnson, CGY (NEW)
21. Craig Anderson, OTT (NEW)
22. Robin Lehner, BUF (SAME)
23. Frederik Andersen, TOR (-4)
24. Connor Hellebuyck, WPG (-1)
25. Steve Mason, PHI (SAME)
* DTD: Player is day to day because of injury
* IR: Player is on injured reserve but expected to return soon
* NEW: Player has been added to rankings this week
Dropped out: Michal Neuvirth (PHI), Thomas Greiss (NYI)
Just missed: Al Montoya (MTL), Louis Domingue (ARI), Greiss, Andrei Vasilevskiy (TBL), Carter Hutton (STL)
Key injuries: Jonathan Quick (LAK), Matt Murray (PIT), Mike Smith (ARI)