Top 50 fantasy goalie rankings for the 2022-23 season

There was a ton of offseason goalie movement, and not only that, a number of significant players and coaches found new addresses as well, which will impact the value of a number of netminders for the 2022-23 season.

For the purpose of these rankings, we’ll be looking at one-year leagues with fairly standard categories of wins, save percentage, goals against average and shutouts. We’ll also be taking into consideration the team each goalie is playing behind. Here are the top 50 fantasy goaltenders for the 2022-23 campaign:

1. Igor Shesterkin – NYR: If you had to win a Game 7, I’d still probably take Vasilevskiy, but over a full season I’d rather have Shesterkin. His numbers were historic last year and I think his volume is going to be greater than Vasilevskiy going forward.

2. Andrei Vasilevskiy – TB: No goalie has played more than Vasilevskiy over the past three years when you include the postseason, which is why I think the Lightning may lower his workload slightly this season. He’s still a can’t miss pick, though.

3. Juuse Saros – NSH: Saros’ 67 appearances last season were the most among netminders and his play never dropped off. Expect a ton of volume and great production again this year.

4. Ilya Sorokin – NYI: The Isles had a miserable season, but Sorokin still managed to significantly improve his numbers from his rookie year. If New York is even moderately better in 2022-23, expect Sorokin to be in the Vezina conversation.

5. Jacob Markstrom – CGY: Darryl Sutter plays Markstrom a ton and his system is very goalie friendly. Markstrom should be near the top of the league in wins and save percentage once again.

6. Jake Oettinger – DAL: Oettinger went from third on the depth chart to the undisputed number one on a playoff team in less than a year. If his incredible playoff performance is any indication, Oettinger should be a fantasy stud for years to come.

7. Thatcher Demko – VAN: Demko put up solid numbers on a weak team last year and could be a steal in this slot if the Canucks improve and challenge for the postseason.

8. Frederik Andersen – CAR: Andersen proved many people wrong last season with a strong bounce back campaign. He’s on a great defensive team and the only thing keeping him from climbing higher on this list is his durability. Andersen will be 33 when the season begins and it seems like a longshot he’ll stay healthy for the entire year.

9. Tristan Jarry – PIT: It’s time to start treating Jarry like an elite goalie. He’s got a sample size of 159 games with a .915 save percentage, he’s won almost twice as many games as he’s lost, and he’s on a strong team.

10. Marc-Andre Fleury – MIN: This is the first time in a few years Fleury is on a strong team and isn’t part of a tandem. His volume should go up and Fleury isn’t showing any signs of regression just yet.

11. Darcy Kuemper – WSH: His value takes a hit by leaving the Avalanche, but he’s still a quality starter on a playoff team.

12. Connor Hellebuyck – WPG: It seems weird to see him out of the top 10, but the Jets appear to be trending in the wrong direction and Hellebuyck is coming off arguably the worst statistical season of his career. Hellebuyck will still play a ton, just don’t expect a bounceback to elite level numbers.

13. Sergei Bobrovsky – FLA: The Panthers are going to win with regularity again and Bobrovsky is coming off a year where he went 39-7-3. Filling the win column like that can make you live with some erratic save percentage numbers.

14. Jack Campbell – EDM: Campbell is officially a number one now with a big contract, and it remains to be seen how his production will hold up if he’s asked to play 55-plus games. He’s still in a great spot, though, on another team that will cruise to a 100-point season.

15. Alexandar Georgiev – COL: So much upside for Georgiev on one of the most goalie friendly teams in the league. I think the Avs will try and run a tandem with Pavel Francouz, but Francouz has always struggled to stay healthy, so give the edge to Georgiev in drafts by default.

16. Jeremy Swayman – BOS: If there’s one team I’m mildly concerned about between the pipes this season, it’s the Bruins. Bruce Cassidy’s teams ranked in the top five in goals against every year while he was there and Boston is missing some key players to start the season. It’s going to be interesting to see how that impacts Swayman.

17. Elvis Merzlikins – CBJ: Merzlikins had a .907 save percentage and a winning record on a bad team last season. He could be a steal if the offseason additions give the Blue Jackets a decent boost in the standings.

18. Jordan Binnington – STL: Binnington will face less of a challenge for starts this year and is still on a strong team, but his numbers have been steadily declining in the regular season since the Blues won the Cup.

19. Jonathan Quick – LAK: Quick was a pleasant surprise last season and even if he can’t outduel Cal Petersen once again, in a worse-case scenario he should get close to a share of the playing time on a team likely bound for the playoffs.

20. Cam Talbot – OTT: The Sens aren’t nearly as good as the Wild and Anton Forsberg was one of the most consistent goalies down the stretch last year, so Talbot will have a tough time fending him off for starts. There’s a chance it could work out but Talbot is also 35, so he’s a gamble at best this season.

21. Ville Husso – DET: Much like Alex Nedeljkovic’s fate a year ago, expect Husso’s save percentage numbers to fall now that he’s been to dealt to a weaker team. Husso has good long-term value, though, as he’s likely the goalie of a future on a team that’s heading in the right direction with a lot of young talent.

22. Ilya Samsonov – TOR: Both Samsonov and Murray are essentially interchangeable and complete wild cards this year. I’d draft Samsonov slightly ahead of Murray, however, as I think he’s the most likely to stay healthy and play more by default.

23. Matt Murray – TOR: Murray will get the chance to run with the top job but consistency issues and injuries have plagued him over the past few seasons. He’s a significant gamble at this point.

24. Logan Thompson – VGK: Thompson’s value has suddenly skyrocketed with Robin Lehner being out for the year, but Vegas trading for Adin Hill has made things murkier in net. Since Thompson is waiver exempt, it’s possible he has to start the year in AHL much like Oettinger did last year in Dallas. There’s a ton of upside with Thompson and also a lot of uncertainty.

25. Spencer Knight – FLA: After a bit of a shaky start in 2021-22, Knight looked great in the second half of the season and the Panthers started to give him more playing time. Bobrovsky hasn’t exactly been one of the most consistent goalies in the league, so there’s a decent chance Knight will play a fair bit this year and the team in front of him is great.

26. Pavel Francouz – COL: For the first time Francouz doesn’t have a legitimate number one to compete against for playing time. If he could only stay healthy, Francouz has a real shot at a significant amount of starts this season.

27. Anton Forsberg – OTT: Forsberg seemed like a great option on an up-and-coming team after a strong season, but the arrival of Talbot complicates things. It’s looking more like Forsberg is going to have to work just to earn 50% of the playing time.

28. Linus Ullmark – BOS: The same concerns I have about Swayman I have about Ullmark. Losing a strong defensive coach and a bunch of injuries to key players aren’t ideal for goalies.

29. Semyon Varlamov – NYI: Sorokin has taken over the top job and I don’t see the Islanders net being split as evenly as it once was, so Varlamov shouldn’t be as valuable as he was in years prior.

30. Cal Petersen – LAK: Petersen’s numbers were very disappointing a year ago and he was outplayed by the much older Quick. He’s probably the better long-term bet in Los Angeles but he is far from a sure thing this season.

31. Vitek Vanecek – NJ: The Devils aren’t as strong as the Caps, so it remains to be seen how that’s going to impact Vanecek’s numbers. If New Jersey takes a big step forward, Vanecek will be a steal if he gets the bulk of the playing time.

32. John Gibson – ANA: Three straight seasons with 20 wins or less and no better than a .904 save percentage for Gibson. The Ducks appear to be in full rebuild mode, so it’s tough to see Gibson’s numbers improving greatly in 2022-23.

33. Alex Nedeljkovic – DET: Nedeljkovic’s numbers did not hold up moving from the Canes to the Wings and now Husso is there to take away playing time. He’s probably not draftable unless you’re in a really deep league.

34. Antti Raanta – CAR: Raanta managed to stay healthy last season and posted pretty strong numbers, though the likelihood of him avoiding injuries at 33 years old again seems slim. Plus, he’s stuck behind Andersen on the depth chart.

35. Philipp Grubauer – SEA: The most concerning thing about Grubauer’s awful 2021-22 was that they Kraken were actually pretty good in front of him defensively. Grubauer will give you volume but not much else.

36. Carter Hart – PHI: Maybe John Tortorella’s coaching style helps Hart’s numbers somewhat, but the Flyers have a very weak roster. Even in a best-case scenario I’m not sure Hart is going to have much value this year.

37. Mackenzie Blackwood – NJ: With the addition of Vanecek, Blackwood will finally have someone to push him for playing time. Since the Devils gave up draft picks to get Vanecek and signed him to a decent contract, it appears he’ll be given a significant opportunity, so Blackwood would have to bounce back in a major way to have any real value. Seems like a longshot at best.

38. James Reimer – SJS: Reimer was a pleasant surprise last season on a team that struggled in San Jose, but with Kaapo Kahkonen there now, he figures to play a little less than the 48 appearances he made last year. The Sharks will also likely be weak again and at 34, banking on Reimer to duplicate the magic of 2021-22 seems risky.

39. Adin Hill – VGK: It sounds like Laurent Brossoit may not be ready to start the season due to injury, so Hill, who has shown a lot of promise, may be able to takeover the job at some point if Thompson falters.

40. Kaapo Kahkonen – SJS: There’s a lot of upside with Kahkonen if he finally gets a chance to play more in San Jose. His numbers were strong in a small sample size with the Sharks a year ago, though wins were, and will be, hard to come by.

41. Jake Allen – MON: It’s hard to imagine Montreal being very competitive this season, so Allen will likely give you volume and not much more. If the Canadiens are a surprise team, though, keep an eye on him on your waiver wire.

42. Anthony Stolarz – ANA: Stolarz was excellent last year and actually outplayed Gibson. He’s still not likely to play much, however, so unless something changes with Gibson, Stolarz’s value is minimal.

43. Stuart Skinner – EDM: Skinner could actually be a bit of a sleeper this year. Campbell has never played 50 games in a season, so there’s a strong chance Skinner gets 30-35 appearances on a good team even in a worst-case scenario.

44. Filip Gustavsson – MIN: Can Fleury still play 60-plus games anymore as he turns 38 later this year? That seems less than probable, so maybe Gustavsson, like Skinner, gets more playing time than expected on a good squad.

45. Karel Vejmelka – ARI: Vejmelka isn’t draftable but half of his 52 appearances a year ago were quality starts. He’ll be one of the better options on your waiver wire for spot starts if you can get the matchup right.

46. Pyotr Kochetkov – CAR: What are the chances Andersen and Raanta make it through another season without a significant injury? Seems unlikely, so Kochetkov, who has a lot of potential, might get an opportunity to run with on an elite team.

47. Eric Comrie – BUF: Comrie was excellent last year in a small sample size, but he’s now on a much weaker team. He’s a good candidate for spot starts, though, and his long-term value is promising.

48. Charlie Lindgren - WSH: The Caps made a pretty significant commitment to Lindgren, yet he’ll be stuck behind Kuemper. He could be a good waiver wire scoop if Kuemper goes down.

49. Thomas Greiss – STL: Binnington hasn’t exactly been able to keep a solid grip on the starting job since the Blues won the Cup, so Greiss might play a fair bit and there’s a strong squad in front of him.

50. Daniil Tarasov – CBJ: Much like Kochetkov, Tarasov is a deep sleeper should the Blue Jackets improve this season and suffer an injury in goal.

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