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Fantasy Hockey Goalie Report: Ilya Sorokin and Pyotr Kochetkov shining bright
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- Fantasy Hockey Goalie Report: Ilya Sorokin and Pyotr Kochetkov shining bright
Finding dependable goaltending can be challenging. However, fantasy hockey managers can benefit from riding the hot hand while avoiding the cold ones, managing the schedule and making roster changes to fill short- and long-term needs.
Jake Oettinger was highlighted last week, but he deserves an honorable mention after notching his third shutout in six appearances this season. Despite a 3-2-1 record, the 27-year-old Dallas puck-stopper has been sensational. He has allowed two goals or fewer in five of six outings.
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Goalie Stock Up
Ilya Sorokin, NYI:Despite a rocky start to the 2026-27 season for the Islanders, Sorokin has been excellent. He has posted a 4-2-0 record with one shutout, a 1.68 goals-against average and .940 save percentage. Sorokin won both of his outings last week, stopping 52 of 55 shots. He could be in the crease for all three of the team's games this week. The Islanders host Anaheim and Los Angeles before visiting Dallas.
Pyotr Kochetkov, CAR:Kochetkov has won his first five starts of the season, making 93 saves on 102 shots for a 1.78 GAA and .912 save percentage. He has split games evenly with Brandon Bussi so far, but the 27-year-old Kochetkov has superior numbers and made three straight starts before Sunday's matchup against Calgary. The situation is worth keeping an eye on because Bussi probably hasn't been squeezed out completely. However, Kochetkov has proven to be a more than worthy fantasy option and appears to be Carolina's 1A option between the pipes. He's also still available in just over 40% of Yahoo leagues.
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Devon Levi, EDM:Levi has made strides after a concerning Edmonton debut. He still got the win against Vancouver, even though he surrendered seven goals on 22 shots. However, he has played much better since, posting a 3-1-0 record with a 1.77 GAA and a .939 save percentage in his last four outings. Levi was inching toward being the Oilers' No. 1 netminder, but Tristan Jarry has also improved in his past two appearances. The battle for playing time could continue, but Levi is in the driver's seat.
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Goalie Stock Down
Joey Daccord, SEA:Daccord had two solid performances to begin the 2026-27 campaign, but has struggled in his last three outings. Over that three-game span, he has posted a 1-2-0 record and has allowed 16 goals on 94 shots. He permitted eight goals on 37 shots in Saturday's embarrassing 8-3 loss to Florida. Daccord and Philipp Grubauer have been sharing starts, but the latter is in a prime spot to become the top option.
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Dustin Wolf, CGY:In Thursday's 6-2 loss to Vegas, Wolf surrendered six goals for the third time in five appearances this season. He was solid in a 4-2 win over Anaheim on Tuesday, making 23 saves, but the 25-year-old goaltender has struggled early in the 2026-27 campaign. Devin Cooley was outstanding in Sunday's 3-2 win over Carolina and could cut into some of Wolf's playing time.
Schedule Analysis
Teams with four games:ANA, COL, MIN, SJS, TOR
Teams with three games:BOS, CAR, DAL, DET, EDM, FLA, LAK, MTL, NSH, NJD, NYI, NYR, OTT, PHI, PIT, SEA, STL, TBL, UTA, VAN, VGK, WPG
Teams with back-to-backs:ANA, COL, MIN, SJS, TOR, FLA, NSH, OTT, TBL
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Lukas Dostal will likely get three games during Anaheim's four-game road trip this week. However, Ville Husso could get the second half of the team's back-to-back against the Islanders on Tuesday. Dostal has lost two of his last three outings, but he has bounce-back appeal in potential matchups against the Rangers, Devils and Flyers.
Colorado, Minnesota, San Jose and Toronto also have four-game weeks, including one back-to-back set. That opens the door for Mackenzie Blackwood, Jesper Wallstedt and Sergei Bobrovsky to receive three starts apiece. However, the Sharks could be a different story, and the situation will be worth monitoring.
Goalie Waiver Wire Pickups
Adin Hill, VGK (29% rostered):The Golden Knights played four games last week, including a back-to-back. Hill and Carter Hart alternated starts, and the 30-year-old Hill was superb. He won both appearances and stopped 48 of 52 shots. Hill has registered a 4-0-0 record with a 2.20 GAA and a .906 save percentage. Vegas won't have another back-to-back until November, but Hill's hot play could keep the rotation going at least through this week, and it could become a regular occurrence if both netminders keep performing well.
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Alex Nedeljkovic, SJS (10% rostered):Nedeljkovic has made two straight starts, posting a 1-0-1 record and stopping 56 of 61 shots. He has won two of his three appearances this campaign, earning a 2.20 GAA and .920 save percentage. Nedeljkovic has outplayed Yaroslav Askarov and could get a chance to string together more games. While the 30-year-old Nedeljkovic hasn't usurped the No. 1 role, he could get two of the team's four games this week.
Calvin Pickard, MIN (1% rostered):In his Wild debut last Tuesday, Pickard surrendered five goals on 25 shots in a 5-2 loss to Winnipeg. However, he will likely be a popular roster addition this week if he starts on the road against Vancouver on Sunday. Pickard has a strong chance of playing in that matchup, as it will be Minnesota's third game in four days and the second game of a back-to-back. The Canucks have lost seven consecutive contests while scoring two goals or fewer each time.
