Week 21: Fantasy top 25 goalie rankings for 2016-17

All season long, NHL.com will rank the top 25 goalies for standard Yahoo leagues (wins, goals-against average, save percentage, shutouts). Players with long-term injuries have been removed from this list.
These rankings are based on expectations for the rest of the season. Value is quantified by projected starts, peripheral category coverage, time-share situations, team defenses, past performance and overall upside in standard leagues. It is important to note that our rankings reflect sheer fantasy value, not necessarily the most talented goalies in order.

It's taken five months, but Brian Elliott is finally playing like the Calgary Flames hoped he would when they traded for him at the 2016 NHL Draft.
Elliott got off to an awful start this season; he went 3-9-1 with a 3.31 goals-against average and .885 save percentage over the first two months. He was relegated to backup duty behind Chad Johnson. However, he's found his game. Elliott (74 percent owned in Yahoo leagues) is 10-1-1 with a .927 SV% in his past 13 games, including six wins in a row. He's started six games during Calgary's seven-game winning streak.
MORE FANTASY COVERAGE:
TOP 100 'F'
|
TOP 50 'D'
|
DFS PICKS: MARCH 9
Elliott spent the past five seasons with the St. Louis Blues and was 104-46-16 with a 2.01 GAA, a .925 SV% and 25 shutouts. True, the Blues may play a better defensive game than the Flames, but Elliott was allowing soft goals early in the season. It may have taken awhile for him to adjust, but he's 18-13-3 with a 2.65 GAA and .905 SV%.
Johnson (33 percent owned) has started two of the past 10 games and clearly has taken a back seat to Elliott, who has found his groove and likely will continue to start a majority of the remaining games for the Flames, who are competing for a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

TRENDING UP

Prior to allowing four goals on 19 shots in a 5-2 loss to the New York Rangers on Tuesday, James Reimer had been outstanding. It's worth noting that Reimer got no help from his Florida Panthers teammates, who played very poor defensively in front of him. Reimer (47 percent owned), who has started each of the past three games with Roberto Luongo (79 percent owned) out with a lower-body injury, allowed two goals or fewer in five of six starts prior to Tuesday; he also made 35 saves on 36 shots in a relief appearance against the Philadelphia Flyers on March 2. Reimer's GAA is down to 2.52 and his SV% up to .919, outperforming Luongo (2.68 GAA, .915 SV%). The Panthers are fighting for a playoff spot, and right now Reimer gives them the best chance to get there.

TRENDING DOWN

It's been a tough stretch for the Buffalo Sabres, who have lost seven of eight games. Robin Lehner (66 percent owned) has started six of those games and has allowed four goals or more in four of them, including five goals twice and six goals once. Lehner allowed six goals on 30 shots in a 6-3 loss to the Flyers on Tuesday and has an .878 SV% or lower in five of six starts. Lehner (18-19-8, 2.67 GAA, .920 SV%) is the No. 1 in Buffalo, but he may be fatigued. Backup Anders Nilsson (6 percent owned) has made 20 starts this season and is 9-9-4 with a 2.75 GAA and .920 SV%. It's more than likely he could see more action for the Sabres down the stretch.

WORTH NOTING

-- Craig Anderson allowed two goals on 37 shots in a 5-2 win for the Ottawa Senators against the Dallas Stars on Wednesday and has won five straight games, allowing two or fewer goals in each. Anderson (83 percent owned) has also won seven of his past eight games and should be picked up if he's available.
-- Jonathan Bernier (21 percent owned) has filled in admirably for the Anaheim Ducks with John Gibson injured. Bernier has made five straight starts, allowing three goals in three of them and two goals in the other two. He's gone 3-2-0 and should continue to get most of the work if Gibson's muscle strain keeps him out for much longer.
-- Jimmy Howard returned to the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday and should start his first game since sustaining a knee injury Dec. 20 on Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks or Sunday against the Rangers. Howard (35 percent owned) is 5-7-1 with season with a 1.96 GAA and .934 SV% in 17 games (15 starts), and with the Red Wings essentially out of the playoff race, they likely will want to get the 32-year-old some work.
-- Sergei Bobrovsky continues to add to his Vezina Trophy candidacy. The Blue Jackets goalie has three straight shutouts and has allowed one goal in four games (120 saves on 121 shots).

TOP 25 FANTASY GOALIES

NOTE: These rankings were last updated March 9.
1. Braden Holtby, WSH (SAME)
2. Sergei Bobrovsky, CBJ (+1)
3. Devan Dubnyk, MIN (-1)
4. Carey Price, MTL (+1)
5. Martin Jones, SJS (+1)
6. Matt Murray, PIT (-2)
7. Jonathan Quick, LAK (+1)
8. Tuukka Rask, BOS (-1)
9. Corey Crawford, CHI (+1)
10. Cam Talbot, EDM (-1)
11. Henrik Lundqvist, NYR (SAME)
12. Pekka Rinne, NSH (+1)
13. Jake Allen, STL (+1)
14. Craig Anderson, OTT (+1)
15. Brian Elliott, CGY (+5)
16. Ben Bishop, LAK (-4)
17. Thomas Greiss, NYI (SAME)
18. Frederik Andersen, TOR (-2)
19. Andrei Vasilevskiy, TBL (-1)
20. Cory Schneider, NJD (-1)
21. Connor Hellebuyck, WPG (NEW)
22. James Reimer, FLA (+2)
23. Steve Mason, PHI (+2)
24. Robin Lehner, BUF (-3)
25. Jonathan Bernier, ANA (NEW)
Dropped out: Scott Darling (CHI)
Key injuries: John Gibson (ANA), Roberto Luongo (FLA), Semyon Varlamov (COL)
READ: Last week's Top 25 goalie rankings