Sleeper Watch

Personally, I’ve always liked Patrick Lalime. But unfortunately, I don’t think he’ll get a lot of starts in goal for St. Louis the rest of the season because the current starter, Curtis Sanford, is playing exceptionally well right now.

Curtis Sanford was an undrafted goalie out of Owen Sound, Ontario. He was undrafted and underappreciated most of his career before this year because of his small size (5′10″, 188lbs). In 2002-03, his only shot in the NHL prior to this season, he posted a 5-1 record, with his only loss coming against the mighty Detroit Red Wings, along with a respectable .913 save percentage and 1.96 GAA. He also notched his first career shutout against Minnesota. Then it seems like the organization simply forgot about him. He started this season fourth in the team’s depth chart behind Patrick Lalime, Reinhard Divis, and Jason Bacashihua but finally got another crack at the NHL with the other three struggling.

And this time, Sanford proved himself again. Posting a 11-12-4 record with a last-place Blues team that has struggled to a 17-32-9 mark, the 26-year-old netminder has recorded a .903 save percentage, 2.90 GAA, and three shutouts. And with the Blues getting hot, Sanford has won five of his last six starts while posting respectable numbers and getting tons of saves. In his last 10 starts, his line is very impressive indeed: 7-2-1, .912 SV%, 2.79 GAA, and one shutout.

If you have room, definitely pick Sanford up to ride out the hot streak and hope for more.

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