Top 10 Defencemen & Goalies | Feat. Michael Amato (Sportsnet & GoaliePost.com)
Episode 82 of the Fantasy Hockey Hacks Podcast! Michael Amato – Fantasy Hockey contributor for Sportsnet and managing editor for GoaliePost.com – joins the Hacks as we reveal the top 10 defencemen and goalies heading into the 2022-2023 NHL season! As we do each week, we’ll also check in on John’s list and “hack” our way through this week’s Headlines.
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Highlights:
- Enter to win a Hacks Holiday in Vegas!
- Top 10 Defencemen & Goalies
- Where to draft Ilya Sorokin?
- #1 Netminder – Andrei Vasilevskiy or Igor Shesterkin?
- Cale Makar in the top 5?
- Darnell Nurse a top 10 defenceman?
- Connor Hellebuyck a value pick this season?
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John’s List
If you have been listening to our podcast for a while, you’ve undoubtedly heard about “John’s List”; which is basically John’s $h!t list of players past and present. If you have any suggestions for players/subjects we should add to the list, let us know!
Player TBD – Player Details
Headlines W/ The Hacks | September 26 – October 3, 2022
The 2021-2022 regular season has wrapped, but if you’re planning to defend your fantasy hockey championship next season be sure to get your draft kit from our partner, Left Wing Lock – Available NOW! We’re giving away a few of these draft kits, starting this week – so be sure to follow us on Twitter (@FHHacks) or Instagram (@FantasyHockeyHacks) to win!
News This Week
- We start the news with the injury imp wrecking havoc – he first visited the Toronto Maple Leafs. John Tavares will be out of the line up for at least 3 weeks with an oblique strain. He then flew to Vancouver to visit an old friend Ilya Mikheyev who is now week to week with a lower-body injury.
- Spencer Knight signed a 3-year $13.5 million contract extension with the Florida Panthers. Not bad for only playing in 32 NHL games so far in his career. Next season the Panthers will have $14.5 million dollars tied up in their 2 goalies.
- The Philadelphia Flyers announce Sean Couturier will not need surgery on his back and is now considered week-to-week.
- DJ Smith says for now the Senators PP1 will be the same as last year. That means Alex DeBrincat and Claude Giroux start the season on PP2.
- The Leafs signed RFA defenseman Rasmus Sandin to a 2-year $2.8 million dollar extension.
- The Bruins injury woes continue. Add Taylor Hall to the list. He is week to week with an upper body injury
- The Montreal Canadiens signed goalie Jake Allen to a 2 year $7.7 million dollar contract extension.
- Cam Talbot of the Ottawa Senators will miss 5-7 weeks with an undisclosed upper body injury. Reports are that his injury is a fractured rib. If you are Anton Forsberg owners this is good news.
- Mathew Barzal of the New York Islanders has signed an 8 year contract extension worth $73.2 million dollars (9.15 million AAV). Is this an overpay by the Islanders?
Top 10 Defencemen & Goalies
For this segment, we are going to evaluate the top 10 defencemen and top 10 goalies heading into the 2022-2023 season. In our evaluation, we’ll consider league settings (points vs. multi-categories), last season stats and underlying metrics, team situation, our own rankings (powered by Left Wing Lock), and Goalie Post’s rankings.
Defencemen
Top 10 Fantasy Targets (Goalie Post Rankings)
1. 🎯 Cale Makar, D | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 5.5 | PTS. PREDICTION: 25 Goals, 87 Points
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #14
- Last Season: 86 Pts, 28 G in 77 GP
- 📈11.7 iSH% a career-high
- 📈3.1 SOG/GM, 1.23 Hits/GM, and 1.43 Blks/GM all career-highs
- 3-Yr Avg: 83 Pts, 22 G
2. 🎯 Roman Josi, D | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 20.5 | PTS. PREDICTION: 20 Goals, 77 Points
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #32
- Last Season: 96 Pts, 23 G in 80 GP
- 📈37 PPP career-high
- 📈1.20 Pts/GM career-high
- 3-Yr Avg: 81 Pts, 20 G
3. 🎯 Victor Hedman, D | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 14.5 | PTS. PREDICTION: 17 Goals, 75 Points
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #33
- Last Season: 85 Pts, 20 G in 82 GP (85-point Pace)
- 85 Pts, 20 G, 218 SOG, 38 PPP, 68.8% PP Share all career-highs
- 9.2 iSH% and 2.7 SOG/GM 2nd-highest of career
- 3-Yr Avg: 75 Pts, 16 G
4. 🎯 Adam Fox, D | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 17.1 | PTS. PREDICTION: 11 Goals, 70 Points
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #59
- Last Season: 74 Pts, 11 G in 78 GP (78-point Pace)
- 7 iSH% and 2.0 SOG/GM both career-highs
- 33 PPP 70.7% PP Share career-highs
- 3-Yr Avg: 66 Pts, 10 G
5. 🎯 Aaron Ekblad, D | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 34.4 | PTS. PREDICTION: 18 Goals, 65 Points
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #34
- Last Season: 57 Pts, 15 G in 61 GP (77-point Pace)
- ⚠️0.80 A2/60 300% higher than the previous season, and 128% higher than his 3-yr average (0.35 A2/60). 29 of 42 total assists were secondary.
- ⚠️10.3 tEVSH% career-high
- 3-Yr Avg: 61 Pts, 16 G
6. 🎯 John Carlson, D | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 38.8 | PTS. PREDICTION: 15 Goals, 71 Points
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #72
- Last Season: 71 Pts, 17 G in 78 GP (75-point Pace)
- 8.7 iSH%, 17 goals career-highs
- 8.9 tEVSH% lowest since 2015-2016
- 3-Yr Avg: 78 Pts, 17 G
7. 🎯 Quinn Hughes, D | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 50.6 | PTS. PREDICTION: 8 Goals, 66 Points
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #110
- Last Season: 68 Pts, 8 G in 76 GP
- 3-Yr Avg: 67 Pts, 8 G
8. 🎯 Darnell Nurse, D | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 98.6 | PTS. PREDICTION: 12 Goals, 46 Points
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #141
- Last Season: 35 Pts, 9 G in 71 GP
- 📉4.4 iSH% (5.7% 3-yr avg)
- 📉6.9 tEVSH%
- 3-Yr Avg: 43 Pts, 12 G
9. 🎯 Morgan Rielly, D | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 54.9 | PTS. PREDICTION: 12 Goals, 69 Points
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #102
- Last Season: 68 Pts, 10 G in 82 GP (68-point Pace)
- 2.7 SOG/GM, 40 PIMs, 67% PP Share career-highs
- 3-Yr Avg: 58 Pts, 8 G
- Inconsistencies in iSH% and shot volume in 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 make his 3-yr average a bit misleading.
10. 🎯 Kris Letang, D | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 59.5 | PTS. PREDICTION: 15 Goals, 70 Points
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #77
- Last Season: 68 Pts, 10 G in 78 GP (71-point Pace)
- 4.7 iSH% lowest since 2017-2018
- 2.19 Hits/GM career-high
- 3-Yr Avg: 67 Pts, 14 G
Goalies
Top 10 Fantasy Targets
1. 🎯 Igor Shesterkin, G | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 8.8 | PREDICTION: 65 Starts (79% Net Share), 36 Wins
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #74
- Last Season: 35-13-4, 2.07 GAA, .935 SV%, 39.86 GSAx
- 3-Yr Avg: 37-17-4, 2.31 GAA, .928 SV%
2. 🎯 Andrei Vasileskiy, G | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 8.7 | PREDICTION: 65 Starts (79% Net Share), 40 Wins
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #36
- Last Season: 39-18-5, 2.49 GAA, .916 SV%, 9.89 GSAx
- 3-Yr Avg: 40-16-3, 2.44 GAA, .919 SV%
3. 🎯 Juuse Saros, G | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 41.6 | PREDICTION: 65 Starts (79% Net Share), 36 Wins
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #37
- Last Season: 38-25-3, 2.64 GAA, .918 SV%, 7.69 GSAx
- 3rd in Wins
- Tied for 6th in SO (4)
- 9th in SV%
- 3-Yr Avg: 32-20-3, 2.57 GAA, .919 SV%
4. 🎯 Ilya Sorokin, G | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 30.3 | PREDICTION: 54 Starts (66% Net Share), 30 Wins
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #93
- Last Season: 26-18-8, 2.40 GAA, .925 SV%, 16.99 GSAx
- 3-Yr Avg: 32-19-9, 2.33 GAA, .923 SV%
5. 🎯 Jacob Markstrom, G | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 30.5 | PREDICTION: 62 Starts (76% Net Share), 35 Wins
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #46
- Last Season: 37-15-9, 2.22 GAA, .922 SV%, 13.37 GSAx
- 1st in SO (9)
- 4th in Wins
- 12th in SV%
- 3-Yr Avg: 33-20-6, 2.51 GAA, .916 SV%
6. 🎯 Jake Oettinger, G | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 45.7 | PREDICTION: 56 Starts (68% Net Share), 34 Wins
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #71
- Last Season: 30-15-1, 2.53 GAA, .914 SV%, -1.9 GSAx
- 12th in Wins (30)
- 36th in SO (1)
- 26th in SV% (.914)
- 3-Yr Avg: 32-18-6, 2.47 GAA, .913 SV%
7. 🎯 Thatcher Demko, G | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 57.2 | PREDICTION: 63 Starts (77% Net Share), 35 Wins
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #73
- Last Season: 33-22-7, 2.72 GAA, .915 SV%, 5.26 GSAx
- 9th in Wins (33)
- 36th in SO (1)
- 25th in SV% (.915)
- 3-Yr Avg: 30-24-5, 2.83 GAA, .913 SV%
8. 🎯 Frederik Andersen, G | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 54.0 | PREDICTION: 55 Starts (67% Net Share), 36 Wins
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #63
- Last Season: 35-14-3, 2.17 GAA, .922 SV%, 25.9 GSAx
- 9th in GAA and 11th in SV% last season
- 3rd league-wide in GSAx (27.8 – MoneyPuck)
- 3-Yr Avg: 36-16-6, 2.59 GAA, .912 SV%
9. 🎯 Tristan Jarry, G | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 66.2 | PREDICTION: 58 Starts (70% Net Share), 36 Wins
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #65
- Last Season: 34-18-6, 2.42 GAA, .919 SV%, 5.92 GSAx
- 3-Yr Avg: 36-18-5, 2.52 GAA, .917 SV%
10. 🎯 Marc-Andre Fleury, G | 2022 Yahoo ADP: 52.2 | PREDICTION: 55 Starts (67% Net Share), 32 Wins
- FHH Top 200 Rank: #103
- Last Season: 28-23-5, 2.90 GAA, .908 SV%, -11 GSAx
- 12 in SO (4)
- 14 in Wins
- 34th in SV%
- 3-Yr Avg: 34-21-4, 2.62 GAA, .912 SV%
Contest Announcement | Hacks Holiday!
Help the Hacks celebrate 100 episodes of fantasy fun! We truly appreciate all the support we’ve received from listeners, partners, and guests, making this first 100 episodes a genuinely enjoyable experience. All of us on the podcast enjoy creating fantasy hockey content, and will do so for as long as people will listen. To show our appreciation, we are sending one listener and a guest on a “Hacks Holiday” to Las Vegas next February! Thank you to our partners – Lucky Bastard Distillers & Left Wing Lock – for their support in making this contest possible. Winner will receive:
- 2 tickets to a Vegas Golden Knights home game against the Tampa Bay Lightning – Saturday, February 18, 2023
- 2 round-trip tickets to Las Vegas
- 3-night accommodations at a hotel near T-Mobile Arena
- 1 year FREE subscription to the Left Wing Lock iPhone app!
Go to the contest page – FantasyHockeyHacks.com/HacksHoliday – and follow the directions to enter the contest.
“HACK THE CODE” Number For Episode 81: 19
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