Goalie ADP and Current Value

Average Draft Position (ADP) is a useful addition to any successful fantasy manager’s toolbox. The primary benefit of using ADP is, of course, draft strategy, but it can, also, offer a glimpse into any player’s current relative cost. We will stick with the word “relative” because points and category settings, naturally, vary from league to league. Using ADP, let’s take a look at how our current crop of netminders are being valued and, potentially, how managers can use that to their advantage. Whether you are looking to draft one of these goalies, wish to acquire one through trade, or already have them rostered - knowing their ADP may help you understand what cost other managers are willing to pay to acquire them for the year ahead.

(For this article, we will be using Fantrax ADP.)

2025’s Vezina winner has usurped Connor Hellebuyck as fantasy hockey’s most coveted goalie. Between the Jets bottoming out and endless trade rumors, there is just a smidge too much uncertainty for Helle heading into this season. Meanwhile, Andrei Vasilevskiy enters 2026 with career marks of 2.50 GAA and .917 SV% and high security in his team and role. The Russian keeper has reached 30 wins every season since 2017. There could be fantasy managers out there that were born in 2017. The Atlantic looks like a gauntlet, but Tampa Bay is still committed to playoff hockey and being a contender, which is much more than we can say about Hellebuyck’s situation.

It should be noted that Vasi’s ADP of 83.5 currently has him leaving around the end of the sixth round (12-Person League) with players like Drake Batherson (75.2) and Travis Konecny (82.5), while Hellebuyck’s ADP of 105.6 groups him with the likes of Will Smith (97.4) and John Tavares (104.3). Goalie ADP often climbs as the NHL season approaches, and most Keeper and Dynasty leagues covet elite goalies more highly than these current draft positions reflect. Still, the Zero-G strategy is real, as is the reality that power play defensemen don’t grow on trees. Fantasy managers would be wise to play within their milieu.

The Capitals made a flurry of offseason moves and, so far, most managers are drinking the Kool-Aid. Logan Thompson’s current ADP of 113.1 beats out notable names such as Jake Oettinger (121.2), Ilya Sorokin (124), Igor Shesterkin (126.2), and Jeremy Swayman (139.7). Thompson is coming off back-to-back 31 win seasons, with nearly identical metrics: 2.44 GAA, .912 SV% in 2025-26, versus 2.49 GAA and .910 SV% in 2024-25. The interesting part of it, however, is that 2024-25 saw Thompson post those 31 wins in just 43 games, compared to 58 last year. The 58 games played is better for most every fantasy metric, but if Washington’s bold offseason moves gets Thompson back to the 70% win percentage that he accomplished in 2024, Logan’s Run will push for 40 wins.

You used to get away with fading Karel Vejmelka, but he comes off the board with the eighth highest ADP at 143.2. Utah took great strides last year and the Vejmelka owners of 2025 were the beneficiaries of an additional 12 wins compared to the season prior. For Veggie owners in keeper and dynasty leagues, his value has certainly never been higher. Every fantasy manager knows about “selling high,” but prudent manager’s act on it.

At 31, Juuse Saros (155.6) is still getting drafted before the young and talented group of Jakub Dobes (160.1), Lukas Dostal (165.5), and Jet Greaves (166.7). However, if the Fin puts up another season of 3.00 GAA and .895 SV%, it may be the last time he gets valued above them. With a second serving of Juice on stand by in Nashville, Saros’ role isn’t as certain as it once was either, especially given the uncertainty of direction that the Predator’s brass are aiming their club. If the Predators flat line to start the season, the team will look to sell off assets and may just, as well, see what they have in 26 year old Justus Annunen. If Nashville exceeds expectations and rides a playoff spot early, then Saros may not be afforded a bad stretch of games. Either way, this may be the last season Saros gets valued as a top 10 fantasy goalie.

Managers are expecting the wins to far outweigh the metrics by selecting Jacob Markstrom as the goalie with the 13th highest ADP. Keeper and Dynasty managers should absolutely cash in on the hype surrounding him, now that he is starting for the Stanley Cup favorites, the Florida Panthers. And really, we should feel for any armchair GM that traded him in early June, back when he was being valued as an over-the-hill 20 win keeper, with a 3.00 GAA and .880 SV%.

Mackenzie Blackwood’s ADP of 181.9 is ranked 11 goalies higher than Scott Wedgewood’s 221.2, despite Wedgewood leading the blue paint for the Avalanche during their playoff run. Blackwood has the term on his contract that Wedgewood doesn’t have, and maybe that helps his value in Keeper and Dynasty leagues, but in One Year leagues - Wedgewood looks poised to bring fantasy championship glory to patient fantasy GM’s once again.

Joel Hofer (184.4) is fully expected to take the reigns as the Blues’ No. 1 keeper this season, or at the very least, fantasy managers are valuing him as such. For a guy that appeared in just 5 more games than crease mate Jordan Binnington, Hofer is being drafted, on average, 32 goalies ahead of the Olympian.

Sergei Bobrovsky (184.9), Spencer Knight (186.7), Yaroslav Askarov (187.4), Linus Ullmark (188.4), and Jesper Wallstedt (192.4) round out your top 20 goalies by average draft position. Even in One Year leagues, Wallstedt could provide incredible value for fantasy GM’s in 2026, especially at the start of the season. Tandem partner Filip Gustavsson underwent hip surgery this offseason to take care of some general wear and tear and his status for the start of 2026-27 is still in question, leaving Wallstedt with a "wild" opportunity to potentially prove himself as a legitimate starter for a Cup Contender.

That’s all for this week, thanks for reading! My name is Garrett Finlay and you can follow me on X @garrett_fi51284 and on Bluesky @garrettfinlay.bsky.social where I am often talking goalies and fantasy hockey. I’ll be back here next Thursday, so until then - Happy Hockeying and good luck out there!