The sixth week of the 2023-24 NHL season is beginning and there are goalies to be added. Whether you need options for your fantasy hockey team this week or a longer term, we’ll cover the best netminders to add. When looking for goalie streams in fantasy hockey, it’s best to look at back-to-backs and if there are injuries to starters. That is what we have for you here today. This is a look at the three best options in net to stream in Week 6 of the fantasy hockey season.
Fantasy Hockey Week 6 Goalie Streams
Casey DeSmith, Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks have been rolling along nicely and have been getting a ton of scoring and great goaltending. While Thatcher Demko has gotten 10 of the 14 starts due to incredible play, Casey DeSmith has played great in his own right. The Canucks don’t have the busiest week ahead of them, but they do have a back-to-back and three weaker opponents.
DeSmith is sure to get at least one of the starts, likely against the New York Islanders or Calgary Flames. After Demko’s last outing, there is a slight chance DeSmith gets an extra start somewhere coming up. The Canucks’ backup is 3-0-1 with a .911 save percentage, so he has been reliable when put between the pipes. As the Canucks are also 10-3-1, it is more than likely they will win and DeSmith will give you a win in fantasy this week.
Semyon Varlamov, New York Islanders
Semyon Varlamov has been very reliable in net this season for the Islanders. Weirdly enough, he has been the better of the two goalies in net so far. Ilya Sorokin is not looking like himself yet, so the team may give Varlamov a little more playing time and rest Sorokin more so he doesn’t have to play 60 games. To this point, Varlamov, who only started 22 games last season, is already at five while Sorokin is at eight.
If your fantasy league has shutouts, it’s a no-brainer to pick up Varlamov. Both of his wins on the season have been shutouts. In typical fashion, the Islanders aren’t great at scoring goals, so Varlamov is 2-3-0, but he’ll pull above .500. The Islanders also have a fairly easy schedule and he should get two of the four starts this week, likely coming against the Edmonton Oilers and Seattle Kraken. He has a .940 save percentage on the season which is very good. He could turn into someone you keep around for a few weeks until Sorokin figures it out.
Spencer Martin, Columbus Blue Jackets
Who would’ve thought that the goalie arguably doing the most for the Columbus Blue Jackets this season would be waiver claim, Spencer Martin? Last season he was forced into a starter role in Vancouver and it wasn’t a great spot to be when the team was struggling. Things have turned out well for him after not making the opening night roster for the Canucks. After Daniil Tarasov got injured, Martin was brought in and competed for starts in Columbus.
While the team hasn’t provided goal support for Martin in his five starts, he has a better save percentage than Elvis Merzlikins. On a team like the Blue Jackets who are now in last place in the Eastern Conference, Martin has a .905 SV%, which is respectable. The reason he is a decent option to stream this week is due to the schedule of the team. They play four games and he should start two of them. None of the Pittsburgh Penguins, Arizona Coyotes, Washington Capitals, and Philadelphia Flyers have more wins than losses on the season like the Blue Jackets. This gives them a fighting chance and Martin could put in some good work for your fantasy team.
Make sure to take advantage of these goalies for this week. The longer you wait, the more of a chance someone you may want is picked up before you get to them. While a couple of these goaltenders should get at least one start this week, be sure to keep an eye on any other options throughout the week that may become solid options as well.