The Olympic Goalies on Your Fantasy Team

As Olympic hockey enters the final stages of tournament play, it may be a good time to check in on the goalies in our fantasy hockey leagues that have been playing overseas and see what direction their performances have them trending.

So far, a total of 18 goalies with NHL ties have taken the ice for their Olympic team in Italy. Let’s take a look at these goalies in a team by team breakdown.

Team Italy

NHL Goalies - Damian Clara (ANA)

Clara started 3 of the 4 games for the host nation and held his own under the circumstances, posting a respectable .911 SV% in spite of his abysmal 5.13 GAA. The 2023 second round pick faced 146 shots, the most out of all Olympic goalies so far and aside from the lopsided loss to Finland, he was able to keep his team in games that they really had no business winning.

Team France

NHL Goalies - Antoine Keller (WAS)

A seventh round pick by the Washington Capitals in 2023, Keller started 1 game for Team France and finished with a 4.58 GAA and .885 SV% in 3 games played. He played about as expected, but failed to inspire against some of the world’s best talent.

Team Latvia

NHL Goalies - Arturs Silovs (PIT), Elvis Merzlikins (CBJ)

Each goalie started 2 games, but it was Silovs who was able to pull off the only win for Team Latvia, making 26 saves on 29 shots faced en route to an upset against Team Germany. Silovs would finish the tournament with a 3.01 GAA and .873 SV%. Merzlikins, however, was unable to carry over his recent stretch of solid play with Columbus and dropped both of his starts, ending up with a 5.40 GAA and .850 SV%.

Team Denmark

NHL Goalies - Frederik Andersen (CAR), Mads Sogaard (OTT)

The Great Dane, Frederik Andersen, picked up Team Denmark’s only win of the tournament, defeating Team Latvia to the tune of a .943 SV%. He would finish the tournament with a 2.75 GAA and .913 SV% in 3 appearances - numbers that reflect some potential for a bounce back down the stretch of the NHL season. Unfortunately, the 25 year old Sogaard was give the honor of starting against Team USA and got pummeled for 5 goals on 37 shots. His numbers have been poor this year when given an opportunity.

Team Czechia

NHL Goalies - Lukas Dostal (ANA), Dan Vladar (PHI)

In a play for both now and the future, Team Czechia turned to 25 year old Lukas Dostal to backstop their medal aspirations. Dostal didn’t look out of place, but he was unable to deny Team Canada’s firepower in 2 attempts and would finish the tournament with a 3.72 GAA, a .886 SV%, and a win over Team Denmark. Vladar started once and turned in a shaky second period versus Team France in which he let by 3 goals on just 5 shots. He held on for the win, but only faced 12 shots in the game and finished with a .750 SV%.

Team Sweden

NHL Goalies - Filip Gustavsson (MIN), Jacob Markstrom (NJD)

After allowing 3 first period goals over two starts, Gustavsson (1W, 2.55 GAA, .889 SV%) would get replaced by Jacob Markstrom for the remainder of the tournament. To his credit, Markstrom represented his country admirably, compiling a 1.97 GAA, a .936 SV%, 2 wins, and a brutal overtime loss to Team USA. For Gustavsson owners, it doesn’t bode well for him that he continues to hand over creases that are his to lose.

Team Germany

NHL Goalies - Philipp Grubauer (SEA)

Team Germany fell short of an Olympic medal, but Grubauer kept sharp between the pipes turning aside 114 shots in 4 starts and collecting 2 wins to go along with his 2.79 GAA and .912 SV%.

Team Switzerland

NHL Goalies - Akira Schmid (VGK)

Schmid made his only start against the mighty Team Canada and got lit up for 5 goals on 39 shots. The 38 year old Leonardo Genoni, however, was up to the task of playing “Swiss Wall” and finished with a stellar 1.47 GAA and .946 SV% while starting 4 games, winning 3 of them and dropping the last one in overtime to Team Finland. He does not have an NHL contract, but that type of goalie performance against world-class talent should be talked about.

Team Finland

NHL Goalies - Juuse Saros (NSH)

Saros is the only goalie to step into the blue paint for Team Finland this year and he is the only one they have needed. After dropping the first game to Team Slovakia, Saros has allowed 3 combined goals in wins over Olympic teams from Sweden, Italy, and Switzerland. Saros (1.49 GAA, .936 SV%) has caught fire in this tournament.

Team Slovakia

NHL Goalies - Samuel Hlavaj (MIN)

After spending most of this year backstopping the Iowa Wild of the AHL, Hlavaj has been turning heads in Italy, making 64 saves in wins over Teams Finland and Germany, and 46 stops in a loss to Team Sweden. With a 2.67 GAA and .932 SV% in 3 Olympic starts, the undrafted 24 year old could be worthy of a roster spot in deeper dynasty leagues.

Team USA

NHL Goalies - Connor Hellebuyck (WPG), Jeremy Swayman (BOS)

Hellebuyck has controlled the ice in front of him and has looked every bit like the reigning NHL MVP and Vezina Trophy winner once again. He has only allowed 3 goals in 3 starts, all wins, and is rocking a savory .958 SV%. Swayman got the start against Team Denmark and defended 18 of 21 shots fired on his net.

Team Canada

NHL Goalies - Jordan Binnington (STL), Logan Thompson (WAS)

Thompson was nearly perfect in his start against Team Switzerland, facing 25 shots and letting the puck slip past him just once, but it has been the infamous Jordan Binnington who has gotten the lion’s share of starts and wins for Team Canada. The 32 year old tender has flipped the script overseas and sports a clean 3 wins to go alongside his sparkling 1.65 GAA and .922 SV%. Though, we would be wise to remember that the St. Louis Blues are not Team Canada.

Best of health to the remaining teams (Finland, Slovakia, USA, Canada) and enjoy watching the games, everbody! 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. Happy Hockeying and good luck out there!