Coffee in the Crease: Demko and the Canucks struggles, Hart stays perfect, and goalies to target in week 3

What a week and what a weekend of hockey! It felt like we went back into summer a bit here in the Midwest with the warm weather we’ve had but make no mistake about it, it’s hockey season and there have been plenty of ups and downs to start the year along with a couple surprises we didn’t see coming. Let’s dive in!

Demko’s slow start

Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but the Canucks are off to a slow start and when that happens, we usually start to point fingers as to why the season is off to this type of start. Lines? Yeah, that could be. Injuries? Part of it, sure. Goaltending? Bingo! Demko’s start has been brutal thus far, and as someone who roster’s Demko in multiple leagues, we need to find an answer here and quickly.

Let’s look at the stats, and for those with children, make sure they’re out of earshot if you read them aloud - 4.63 GAA, an .849 SV%, and has allowed four or more goals in four of his first five starts. It started off the way you’d imagine in his last start versus the Sabres on Saturday, allowing two goals in the first period, which if you’re struggling like Demko clearly is, letting two go past you early almost feels unrecoverable. The question here, is this trend for Demko likely to continue or is a turnaround in sight? It’s hard to draw a full season prediction with Demko because outside of last season (61 starts, 33 wins, .915 Sv%), his prior two seasons were both shortened due to COVID so we’re looking at a one season sample along with the extremely small sample size that we’re given thus far.

The Canucks were without Quinn Hughes Saturday who was a late scratch with an undisclosed injury, so that doesn’t help Demko’s case out front, but even then this a Canucks club that is right in the middle of the pack in shots against per 60 minutes so it’s not like overall Demko has been peppered with shots in his times out. What I’m focusing on would be his high danger numbers and really, I’m somewhat encouraged. He’s allowed 7 high danger goals, which is tied for 7th and sure not what you want to see in five games, but an .816 high danger save percentage and -0.29 high danger saves above expected both put him right in the middle of the pack. It’s those numbers to me that could point to a brutal start but hope, as opposed to a predication of things to come.

What I think is best here in the next couple weeks for anyone else who is a fellow roster holder of Demko, if he’s the only netminder you have going on a given night, start ‘em. If you’re between Demko and another goaltender on a given slate, sit ‘em. It might be worth waiting until things begin to turn around for him than throwing him back into your lineup for the time being. For DFS, it might just be price point. I don’t like many options if Hughes is out an extended period of time of correlating a Canucks defenseman with Demko, so I would look elsewhere especially on larger slates.

Hart stays perfect

Alright, biggest news in Philly this morning – Phils advance to the World Series, Carter Hart has not lost a start, literally anything Eagles, the Sixers have not won a game. I think the Phillies get the top spot here no questions asked, but this Flyers club out of the gate has surprised I think everyone who thought that this season could be a disaster for Philly, and Hart is a big reason as to why their record is what it is.

Four starts, four wins, and the advanced stats are also great for Hart. He’s second in high danger saves (35), a .949 Sv% which ranks second among goaltenders with four or more starts, and has a perfect high danger save percentage to start the season. I will say too, and there’s no stat that can track this, but he just looks calmer in net to me. Last season there was a game against Buffalo at home where Hart let in two quick goals to start the game and you could see everyone on the ice for the Flyers going over to encourage him, but it was no use and I believe another goal followed within two minutes and he was pulled. I saw this same exact thing happen with him I feel like three or four times not just last year, but the season prior as well, while this season he looks calmer and much more confident in his stance in net. Again, it’s just eye test but when you’ve seen Hart break down at times as we all have, it’s easy to notice that there has been a very encouraging improvement so far this season.

In fantasy drafts, I think we can all agree it was Igor Shesterkin, Andrei Vasilevskiy drafted near the top, then maybe a flurry of goaltenders (that may have included Fleury himself) drafted in the middle rounds, but be honest, in most drafts Hart was there to take, and I feel like he was passed up and I can’t blame anyone for doing so. Thus far, those who took a chance or were just looking to be deep at goalie and drafted Hart have a winning lottery ticket in their hands. The Flyers are only in action twice this week versus Florida on Thursday and Carolina on Saturday, both on home ice. The Flyers and Hart will surely be tested in those two outings but if you have the option to start him you have to ride the hot goaltender. In DFS we won’t really have an idea of what we can do with him yet, as we don’t know what his price will be set at.

Goalies to target this week

Alex Stalock, Chicago Blackhawks (Rostered in 1% of ESPN leagues, 16% Fantrax, 13% Yahoo) 2 starts, 2 wins, 0 OTL, 2.14 GA/G, .938 SV%, 0 SO

With, I guess we can call him Blackhawks primary goaltender Petr Mrazek, on IR as of yesterday with a groin injury, this gives backup Alex Stalock a chance to take over the starter role in Chicago. This is an option for those looking for a lower rostered netminder for this week and possibly next as it is a riskier play.

I will say, Stalock looked great coming into Friday night’s matchup in the third period to relieve Mrazek, making 10 stops and earning an overtime win vs Detroit. Sunday, different story as he allowed four goals on 30 shots vs Seattle, yet still earning a win. This is a schedule play as much as it is a lower rostered one, with the Hawks in action four times this week with only one set of back-to-back games this weekend versuss Buffalo on the road and Minnesota at home. The Hawks called up Arvid Soderblom from Rockford (who I am high on) but I don’t think that we see him get an opportunity until Sunday’s game on the back end the back-to-back. Unless Stalock comes out cold, this will be his net for the week.

Casey DeSmith, Pittsburgh Penguins (Rostered in 2% of ESPN leagues, 18% Fantrax, 9% Yahoo) 1 start, 0 wins, 1 OTL, 2.85 GA/G, .923 SV%, 0 SO

Jaroslav Halak, New York Rangers (Rostered in 1% of ESPN leageues, 12% Fantrax, 5% Yahoo) 2 starts, 0 wins, 0 OTL, 2.14 GA/G, .938 SV%, 0 SO

I’m putting these two goaltenders together because they’re both going to be in very similar spots given their club’s schedules. Both the Pens and Rangers will have two back-to-backs this week which will allow both of these netminders likely two starts each this week. For DeSmith, the Pens have always tried to get him in net along with Tristian Jarry as a tandem, but to this point it hasn’t really come to fruition. However this week, they’ll be forced to do so given their schedule. Rostering DeSmith could be an advantageous play this week as at the very least he'll have plenty of offense in front of him as the Pens have the highest expected goals for per 60 mins at 4.04.

On the Rangers side it’s likely Halak will see the Islanders on the road as well as Arizona on the road, while Shesterkin is going to get the tougher competition facing the Avalanche at home and Stars on the road. Halak has not been great to start the season but when you’re up against opponents with a combined 3-8-0 record it’s a good spot to earn at least one win.

For continued fantasy news and notes throughout the season, follow me on Twitter @ndySanz