Lehtonen turning things around?

[CliveBixby]

For awhile it looked like Niemi was stealing #1 but I never trusted him to keep it and now it looks like Lehtonen might be making the case to be #1.

Past 3 games:

Date	Opp.	Score	GS	Min	W	L	OTL	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
Nov 8	@DET	W 4-1	1	60	1	0	0	0	1	1.00	22	21	.955	0
Nov 6	@CAR	W 4-1	1	60	1	0	0	0	1	1.00	31	30	.968	0
Nov 3	@BOS	W 5-3	1	60	1	0	0	0	3	3.00	39	36	.923	0

Leht is available on FA so I could easily drop Niemi to grab him but I think this is still a very volatile situation.

What do you guys think?

I could also grab Hutchinson, Vasilevsky, Neuvirth, etc.

[Pengwin7]

I targeted Lehtonen late in several leagues this year (including a dynasty).
Many people on this site had him as a #9-#10 ish goalie in one-year leagues last year.
I thought that was too high, but he's certainly not worth of being a waiver-wire #30 or worse goalie.

Dallas basically threw about 4 brand new raw defensemen in front of him...
And his SV% dropped from previous years of .922, .916, .919... to .903.
It's not really a suprise to me that he's back up around .915 to .920sv% territory.
He's 31... he's solid goalie.

It's amazing what we can allow ourself to be swayed in just one year.
He's now 6-1 with a 2.37gaa & .921sv%.
He could play 50gp and go 30-20.. with those numbers... that's top 15 goalie in fantasy hockey.

[metaldude26]

I think the move is to drop Varlamov and keep both Niemi and Lehtonen. Looking like a valuable duo.

[Savages]

agree drop varlomov and run with the Stars tandum

[CliveBixby]

He's certainly an intriguing case. I mean he's a career .914 /

2.69 GAA goaltender. (not that great but a few outlier seasons have pushed that number upwards)

I'm tempted to pick him up but the situation seems murky. Either way, I still don't trust Niemi. I had him in my pool last year and he went undrafted this year in our league.

Year	Team	GP	GS	Min	W	L	OTL	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO

2009-10	DAL	12	10	663	6	4	0	0	31	2.81	350	319	.911	0
2010-11	DAL	69	68	4119	34	24	11	9	175	2.55	2043	1868	.914	3
2011-12	DAL	59	59	3497	32	22	4	6	136	2.33	1739	1603	.922	4
2012-13	DAL	36	35	1986	15	14	3	3	88	2.66	1050	962	.916	1
2013-14	DAL	65	64	3804	33	20	10	5	153	2.41	1888	1735	.919	5
2014-15	DAL	65	65	3698	34	17	10	3	181	2.94	1875	1694	.904	5
2015-16	DAL	7	7	380	6	1	0	0	15	2.37	190	175	.921	0

- - - Updated - - -

I think the move is to drop Varlamov and keep both Niemi and Lehtonen. Looking like a valuable duo.

Varlamov took awhile but he turned things around mid season last year. Do you think it's unlikely he does it again?

[metaldude26]

Varlamov took awhile but he turned things around mid season last year. Do you think it's unlikely he does it again?

Whether he does or not is irrelevant to me. It's all about value. You've got concerns about Niemi. Easy way to sate those concerns is to have both. That way you are covered if one of these guys does run with the job.

One thing is certain with Varlamov, the Avs are going to suck.

[Big Ev]

I added him last week. I expect decent numbers but I don't expect them to keep winning so much.

[Axeman33]

He's the hot goalie in Dallas right now. As early as next week, it could be Niemi again. That's the fun part of these 1A/1B combos.

I agree with MD26; drop Varly and grab the combo.

[CliveBixby]

He's the hot goalie in Dallas right now. As early as next week, it could be Niemi again. That's the fun part of these 1A/1B combos.

I agree with MD26; drop Varly and grab the combo.

The deed is done - thanks for the advice fellas

[Bass56]

What kind of value do you think he has? I own him in my keeper (see team in sig.) and the Lundqvist owner owns Niemi. I have Raanta who the Lundqvist owner wants from me, but I'm not sure I want to part ways with him. I would maybe ask for Niemi in return (which I doubt he accepts even though he would have a lethal tandem), but I'm not so sure I need him if Lehtonen runs the show in Dallas (or at least for the time being).

Just trying to see what can come from the situation in Dallas. I'm thinking it will be a yearly tandem but Dobber predicted that it would be Niemi's crease. From what I've read and heard, I'm pretty confident Dallas' management intends on rolling with the hot-hand for the near future. What happens after that is anybody's guess...

[CaptainK]

Along the same lines, do you value him higher than Elliott? He's available on my FA and I could drop Elliott for him.

[NoWayOut]

Something to keep in mind with Lehtonen, over his last 31 starts he's much better on the road than at home. After yesterday he is 15-1 over his last 16 road starts with decent, but not great, ratios, something like 2.40/.920. Not exactly sure on the ratios after the Red Wings game, but he came in 2.48/.919.

In his last 15 starts at AAC, he's 6-6-3, 3.00/.890. The Stars as a team are more shaky at home so that factors in as well.

And given Ruff's notorious juggling act with line combos I'm not confident in trying to guess how he will deploy Lehts/Niemi. Best course as stated by others is to roster both.

EDIT: I should add for the record, those stats came from the Stars broadcast.