Daily Fantasy Lineup Calls: Goalies, Injuries and PP1 Angles for December 16

Today’s slate is all about getting the goalie calls right and understanding how injuries tweak power-play looks. With a handful of clear starting confirmations and one intriguing debut, fantasy managers need to lean into matchup context, PP1 auditions and short-term confidence levels to squeeze out every category win.

What’s New & Why It Matters

The headliners in goal are Jeremy Swayman for the Bruins, Thatcher Demko for the Canucks, and a first NHL start for Jacob Fowler with the Canadiens. Dan Vladar is expected to go for the Flyers, but his matchup is far less appealing. On the skater side, the big news is Logan Cooley being out for the Mammoth with a lower-body injury, which chips away at their offensive punch.

Cooley’s absence makes the Mammoth more attackable for opposing goalies and could shuffle their PP1, opening a short-term audition for another forward to step into a bigger role. For Boston, that boosts Swayman’s floor in standard leagues and his ceiling in points-only formats. In Montreal, Fowler’s debut creates a classic boom-bust streaming spot: a young goalie behind a roster that can score in bursts but also leave him exposed. Vladar, meanwhile, finds himself on the wrong side of that matchup, with the Canadiens’ offensive depth making him a risky roll outside of very deep formats.

Fantasy Implications

Points-Only

In points-only, you’re chasing wins and minimizing blowups. Swayman is the clearest green light. The Mammoth are missing Cooley, one of their key offensive drivers, which should soften their attack and reduce the chance of a multi-goal outburst against Boston. If you have any reasonable alternative to Swayman, you’re still starting him; this is a matchup you want exposure to.

Demko is also a strong play, though for slightly different reasons. Against the Rangers, he’s more likely to face volume, which can be a double-edged sword. In points-only, the risk of a higher goals-against is offset by his ability to steal wins when he’s locked in. Unless your bench is unusually strong, Demko belongs in your active lineup today.

Fowler is where format and risk tolerance really matter. In points-only leagues with limited goalie slots, you generally don’t want your day hinging on a goalie’s first career start unless you’re desperate for volume. He’s more of a speculative play if you’re chasing counting starts in a weekly lock format. Vladar, on the other hand, is a clear sit in points-only unless you’re in a deep league with no alternatives; the matchup against Montreal’s offense carries more downside than reward.

Categories / Bangers

In categories, Demko gets a bump because of his save potential. Even if the Rangers push play, that can translate into a strong saves total and a shot at wins, especially in leagues that reward volume heavily. He’s a recommended start in most categories formats, with the understanding that goals-against and save percentage might be a bit more volatile than Swayman’s.

Swayman remains a priority start in categories as well, but for a different reason: his matchup profile suggests a safer GAA and save percentage, even if the raw save count trails Demko’s. If you’re protecting ratios late in the week, Swayman is the more conservative choice, while Demko is the higher-variance, higher-volume option.

Fowler is a classic categories streamer. In leagues where you’re chasing saves and potential wins and can absorb a bad line, he’s viable as a high-risk play. If your ratios are already fragile, though, this is not the spot to gamble. Vladar is the opposite of what you want in categories today: tough opponent, questionable win equity and real blowup risk. Sit him unless your league is so deep that every starting goalie is automatically active.

Dynasty / Keeper

Dynasty managers should pay special attention to Fowler’s debut. Even if you’re not starting him today, this is a key data point for his long-term trajectory in Montreal. How he handles NHL pace, rebound control and traffic will inform whether he’s a stash, a trade chip, or a longer-term project. In deeper dynasty formats, streaming him today is as much about information gathering as it is about immediate stats.

Cooley’s injury is a short-term setback but doesn’t change his long-term outlook. If anything, it might create a small buy-low window in leagues where managers overreact to missed time. Use tools like the NHL Trade Analyzer to gauge whether there’s a reasonable path to acquiring him at a discount while he’s on the shelf.

Swayman and Demko are already established as reliable multi-year assets. Today’s matchups don’t change their dynasty value, but strong outings in favorable spots like this reinforce their status as cornerstone options. Vladar remains more of a depth piece in dynasty formats; this matchup is a reminder that he’s best viewed as a spot starter rather than a long-term solution.

Who to Add / Stream / Watch

Jeremy Swayman – Add/Start (all but shallowest leagues): Prime matchup against a Mammoth team missing Cooley makes him one of the safest goalie plays on the slate.
Thatcher Demko – Start / Stream (standard & deep): Confirmed workload against the Rangers offers strong save volume with reasonable win upside.
Jacob Fowler – Short-term stream (deep & dynasty): First NHL start is a high-risk, high-reward swing if you’re chasing saves or upside late in the week.
Dan Vladar – Sit / Watchlist (deep only): Tough matchup versus Montreal’s offense makes him a bench candidate; monitor usage but avoid starting today.
Logan Cooley – Bench (all formats): Injured and out of the Mammoth lineup; stash in IR and reassess when he’s closer to returning.
Top-line Mammoth PP1 replacement – Watchlist (deep): Whoever steps into Cooley’s PP1 slot could gain short-term value if they click with the remaining top forwards.

Fantasy Takeaways

Swayman should be locked into active lineups across formats with Cooley out and the Mammoth attack weakened.
Demko is a strong categories play thanks to expected shot volume, with enough upside to justify a start in most points-only leagues.
Cooley belongs on your bench or IR until he’s healthy; his absence also makes opposing goalies more attractive spot starts.
Fowler is a volatile, high-upside stream for managers chasing saves or looking for a dynasty evaluation opportunity.
Vladar is a recommended sit today given Montreal’s offensive depth and the elevated blowup risk.

Source: NHL.com. See the original for full details.