Every Monday during the season, goalie specialist and founder of The Goalie Guild Justin Goldman will provide you with an in-depth analysis of fantasy goaltenders in NHL.com’s weekly segment: “In the Cage.” From updated goalie rankings to guys you should keep a close eye on and much more, Goldman will be your fantasy goalie expert all season long.

IN THE CAGE: THE VETERAN PRESENCE

The NHL’s All-Star Weekend is just over the horizon, and with each passing day, teams are gearing up for the post-season push. For goalies, that means every save is more important than the last, and one weak effort could mean the difference between making and missing the playoffs. Since timely stops are so crucial right now, it’s often the presence of an experienced veteran that can key a young team’s success.

With that in mind, we see two goalies, Evgeni Nabokov and Jean-Sebastien Giguere, rising well above the rest. Nabokov is owned in 34 percent of Yahoo! Fantasy Leagues, and Giguere in 37 percent.

Giguere’s veteran presence has earned him the No. 1 job in Colorado, and with a whole week to rest during the All-Star break, he’ll have plenty of gas left in the tank when play resumes. He has been a motivational leader since early December, going 9-3-1 in his last 13 games and winning three of his last four. He’s also 3-1-1 in his last five games, with a 2.37 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage. [Click above to read the full article]