Goaltending is the position that wins or sinks fantasy hockey teams. It is the closest thing the sport has to streaming quarterbacks: get it right and your ratios carry you all season, get it wrong and no amount of scoring saves you. These are our 2026-27 fantasy hockey goalie rankings, sorted into draft tiers, plus a streaming plan for everyone who waits on the position.
Quick Facts: 2026-27 Fantasy Hockey Goalie Rankings
- Andrei Vasilevskiy is the No. 1 fantasy goalie for 2026-27.
- Logan Thompson, Connor Hellebuyck and Ilya Sorokin round out the elite, set-and-forget tier.
- Only about a dozen goalies are true set-and-forget starters; after that, workload and matchups decide value.
- You can win without an elite goalie by streaming two-start weeks and chasing favorable matchups.
- Volume beats name value: a starter with a heavy workload on a good team outscores a bigger name in a committee.
- Wins, GAA, save percentage and shutouts are the standard goalie categories; target starts, not just talent.
2026-27 Fantasy Hockey Goalie Rankings (Top 33)
| # | Goalie | Team | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 – Elite (set and forget) | |||
| 1 | Andrei Vasilevskiy | TBL | #13 |
| 2 | Logan Thompson | WSH | #26 |
| 3 | Connor Hellebuyck | WPG | #27 |
| 4 | Ilya Sorokin | NYI | #28 |
| Tier 2 – High-end No. 1s | |||
| 5 | Jake Oettinger | DAL | #41 |
| 6 | Igor Shesterkin | NYR | #42 |
| 7 | Scott Wedgewood | COL | #54 |
| 8 | Jesper Wallstedt | MIN | #55 |
| 9 | Jeremy Swayman | BOS | #62 |
| Tier 3 – Solid starters | |||
| 10 | Jacob Markstrom | FLA | #79 |
| 11 | Brandon Bussi | CAR | #80 |
| 12 | Jakub Dobes | MTL | #91 |
| 13 | Mackenzie Blackwood | COL | #92 |
| 14 | Karel Vejmelka | UTA | #117 |
| 15 | Sergei Bobrovsky | TOR | #118 |
| 16 | Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen | BUF | #131 |
| Tier 4 – Matchup / committee | |||
| 17 | Linus Ullmark | OTT | #151 |
| 18 | Carter Hart | VGK | #152 |
| 19 | Joel Hofer | STL | #165 |
| 20 | Dan Vladar | PHI | #166 |
| 21 | Lukas Dostal | ANA | #171 |
| 22 | Spencer Knight | CHI | #172 |
| 23 | Jet Greaves | CBJ | #187 |
| 24 | Jacob Fowler | MTL | #188 |
| 25 | Juuse Saros | NSH | #189 |
| Tier 5 – Streamers and late fliers | |||
| 26 | Alex Lyon | BUF | #204 |
| 27 | John Gibson | DET | #205 |
| 28 | Yaroslav Askarov | SJS | #225 |
| 29 | Frederik Andersen | EDM | #226 |
| 30 | Darcy Kuemper | LAK | #227 |
| 31 | Jake Allen | NJD | #238 |
| 32 | Arturs Silovs | PIT | #239 |
| 33 | Dustin Wolf | CGY | #250 |
Want this in a printable one-pager with the tiers? Download the goalie rankings PDF and clip it to your draft board.
How to Read the Tiers
The top tier is made of true workhorses who play 55-plus games behind strong teams; if you draft one, you can set your crease and forget it. The high-end starters in the next tier carry nearly the same value with slightly more risk. From there, the middle tiers are about workload: a clear No. 1 on a decent team is worth more than a more talented goalie stuck in a committee, because starts are what fill the wins and save columns. The bottom tiers are your streaming pool, matchup plays and handcuffs to injury-prone starters.
Draft an Ace or Wait? The Two Winning Paths
There are two proven approaches. The first is to spend an early-to-middle pick on a top-tier anchor, lock in elite ratios, and only need one more startable option. The second is to punt the position, let others reach, and load up on skaters while you wait, then draft two high-volume starters late and stream the rest. Both work. What loses is drafting one mid-tier goalie and hoping, because a single shaky crease can wreck your save percentage and goals-against average for weeks. Pick a lane before your draft and commit to it.
In-Season Streaming Strategy
If you wait on goalies, streaming is your edge. Target goalies with two-start weeks, favorable matchups against low-scoring opponents, and confirmed starts rather than guesses, and always check the morning skate for the starter. Prioritize volume and team quality over reputation, roster a backup to injury-prone starters, and be willing to churn the back end of your crease weekly. A disciplined streamer routinely beats a manager who drafted a big name and stopped paying attention.
Fantasy Hockey Goalie FAQ
Who is the No. 1 fantasy goalie in 2026-27?
Andrei Vasilevskiy, followed by Logan Thompson, Connor Hellebuyck and Ilya Sorokin in the elite, set-and-forget tier.
Can I win fantasy hockey without drafting an elite goalie?
Yes. Punt the position, draft two high-volume starters in the middle-to-late rounds, and stream two-start weeks and good matchups. Discipline in-season beats a big name you ignore.
How many goalies should I draft?
In standard leagues, two to three. Roster a clear starter plus one high-volume option, and use your last crease slot to stream or handcuff an injury-prone No. 1.
What matters most in a fantasy goalie?
Workload and team quality. Starts drive wins and shutouts, and a strong team in front of a goalie protects your save percentage and goals-against average.
More 2026-27 Fantasy Hockey Tools
- 2026-27 Fantasy Hockey Positional Rankings and Tiers
- 2026-27 Fantasy Hockey Rankings: Top 200 Cheat Sheet (Printable PDF)
- 2026-27 Fantasy Hockey Draft Strategy: How to Win Your League
For starting-goalie confirmations and the game slate, check the official NHL schedule.
