Week 14: Fantasy top 25 goalie rankings for 2016-17

All season long, NHL.com 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 Detroit Red Wings may be entering a fantasy owner's worst nightmare: the dreaded three-goalie system.
Detroit has been using Jimmy Howard (33 percent owned in Yahoo leagues) and Petr Mrazek (59 percent owned) for the past two and a half seasons and each has had success at different times. Howard is 5-7-1 but has a 1.96 goals-against average and .934 save percentage in 17 games, and is nearing a return from an MCL injury he sustained Dec. 20. He skated this week and could be back as soon as the end of this month.
Mrazek was given the chance to start and try to turn around the season for the Red Wings, who are four points out of a Stanley Cup Playoff spot. But Mrazek lost six straight games (0-5-1) prior to Wednesday, when he came off the bench and allowed two goals on 25 shots in a 6-5 shootout win against the Boston Bruins, his first victory since Dec. 17.
MORE FANTASY COVERAGE: TOP 100 FORWARDS| TOP 50 DEFENSEMEN
Jared Coreau (15 percent owned) had two shutouts in his previous four starts but allowed three goals on eight shots before being pulled in the first period Wednesday. The Red Wings have won three straight, and given the fact Mrazek was responsible for keeping them in the game, he likely will start their next game, at the Buffalo Sabres on Friday. The situation isn't clear, but Howard should be picked up when he's ready to return because his numbers are the best of the trio. Keep your eye on this, even if Howard isn't back until after the All-Star break.

TRENDING UP

John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks has been at the top of his game for the past two weeks; he has allowed two goals or fewer in each of his seven starts since Jan. 4, including two shutouts, and has one regulation loss in his past 13 starts (8-1-4).
Gibson has a 2.29 GAA, .921 SV% and three shutouts this season and has the Ducks at the top of the Pacific Division, two points behind the Minnesota Wild and Chicago Blackhawks for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.

TRENDING DOWN

Whether some of the goals have been the fault of the New York Rangers defense, it's clear Henrik Lundqvist has not been playing well. Lundqvist allowed seven goals on 27 shots in a 7-6 loss to the Dallas Stars on Tuesday, the most goals he has allowed since he gave up eight to the New Jersey Devils on Dec. 12, 2008. In his past eight appearances, Lundqvist has allowed at least four goals six times. His 2.89 GAA and .902 SV% are the worst of his 12-year NHL career.
The problem is, backup Antti Raanta (27 percent owned) is injured and even when he does come back, he likely won't replicate the strong numbers he had to start the season. If you own Lundqvist, he's probably not worth dropping but you shouldn't feel inclined to start him every game, because that could be detrimental to your goalie stats.

WORTH NOTING

• Semyon Varlamov (38 percent owned) of the Colorado Avalanche will be out until at least after the All-Star break (Jan. 27-30) because of a groin injury. He has six wins this year and has allowed five goals in two of his past four starts. This means Calvin Pickard (8 percent owned) will get another chance to carry the load. Pickard has allowed at least three goals in five of his past six games including six goals twice, and as bad as your situation at goalie may be, the Avalanche goalies are among the worst to own.
  - Carter Hutton put together back-to-back wins for the St. Louis Blues allowing one goal in two games against the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks last weekend, but came back down to earth allowing five goals on 23 shots in a 6-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. That's good news for Jake Allen owners who didn't like seeing their goalie take a backseat to the backup.
  - Ondrej Pavelec made his season debut on Wednesday with the Winnipeg Jets after being recalled from Manitoba of the American Hockey League on Tuesday. Pavelec was 8-7-2 with a 2.78 GAA and .917 SV% with Manitoba and was brought up to help the struggling Jets. Pavelec made 30 saves in a 6-3 win against the Arizona Coyotes. Connor Hellebuyck (50 percent owned) was pulled in the first period in each of his past two starts, allowing six goals on 13 shots. Michael Hutchinson (4 percent owned) has a 3.23 GAA and .894 SV% and was scratched on Wednesday.

TOP 25 FANTASY GOALIES

These rankings were last updated Jan. 19
1. Devan Dubnyk, MIN (+1)
2. Braden Holtby, WSH (+1)
3. Carey Price, MTL, (-2)
4. Sergei Bobrovsky, CBJ (SAME)
5. Martin Jones, SJS (+2)
6. Matt Murray, PIT (+2)
7. Corey Crawford, CHI (-2)
8. Pekka Rinne, NSH (+2)
9. Tuukka Rask, BOS (-3)
10. John Gibson, ANA (+2)
11. Cam Talbot, EDM (+2)
12. Roberto Luongo, FLA (-1)
13. Ben Bishop, TBL (+2)
14. Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (-5)
15. Jake Allen, STL (-1)
16. Frederik Andersen, TOR (+3)
17. Cam Ward, CAR (SAME)
18. Cory Schneider, NJD (+2)
19. Peter Budaj, LAK (+2)
20. Steve Mason, PHI (-4)
21. Marc-Andre Fleury, PIT (-3)
22. Chad Johnson, CGY (+1)
23. Ryan Miller, VAN (+1)
24. Thomas Greiss, NYI (-2)
25. Carter Hutton, STL (NEW)
Dropped out:Mike Condon (OTT)
Key injuries: Jonathan Quick (LAK), Jimmy Howard (DET), Semyon Varlamov (COL)
READ: Last week's Top 25 goalie rankings