Fantasy Hockey Goalie Report: Schedule analysis, waiver wire pickups for opening week of 2026-27

Finding dependable goaltending can be a challenging task. Due to the volatility of the position, netminders are being faded in some drafts or scooped up quickly in others. No matter how important goalie stats are in your league, fantasy hockey managers are always seeking an edge.

They will benefit tremendously from riding the hot hand, avoiding the cold ones, managing the schedule and making roster changes to fill short- and long-term needs.

With only preseason statistics, there isn't much to talk about here yet, but Alex Nedeljkovic stopped all 20 shots he faced in his lone exhibition appearance for the San Jose Sharks . He could share playing time with Yaroslav Askarov again in 2026-27. Sam Montembeault turned aside 34 of 35 shots in three appearances. He appears to be the backup for the Montreal Canadiens after the team sent Jacob Fowler to the AHL's Laval Rocket on Sunday. The move could be temporary, but if the Canadiens don't want to carry three goalies, it makes sense to give Fowler significantly more playing time in the minors.