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Fantasy hockey scoring formats, explained
Fantasy hockey has four common scoring formats. In head-to-head categories you face one opponent a week and try to win more stat categories than they do. Rotisserie ranks every team’s season totals in each category. Points leagues turn every stat into a fixed number of points and add them up. Daily fantasy (DFS) scores one night’s games under a salary cap. Banger leagues are category leagues that also count hits and blocked shots. The format decides who is valuable: a defenseman with 150 blocks is a weekly weapon in a banger league and a bench piece in a league that only counts goals and assists.
- Category leagues weigh every category the same: winning blocks counts exactly as much as winning goals.
- Points leagues add everything into one score, so the point values decide who matters.
- Rotisserie ranks season totals, so every category counts all year and you can’t punt cheaply.
- Banger leagues are category leagues that add hits and blocks, and often penalty minutes.
- Edgehalla’s start/sit tool switches between these formats with one setting.
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The formats at a glance
| Format | How you win | Typical scoring | Who gains value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head-to-head categories | Win more categories than your opponent each week | Yahoo default: G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT; W, GAA, SV%, SO | Players who help in four or five categories; cheap specialists |
| Rotisserie (roto) | Rank high in season totals across every category | Yahoo default: G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, BLK; W, GAA, SV%, SO | Balanced rosters; goalies with strong ratios |
| Points (head-to-head or season) | Score more fantasy points than your opponent or the league | ESPN default: G 2, A 1, PPP 0.5, SHP 0.5, SOG 0.1, HIT 0.1, BLK 0.5 | High-volume shooters, power-play regulars, workhorse goalies |
| Banger (categories) | Same as head-to-head categories | Often G, A, +/-, PIM, PPP, SOG, HIT, BLK; W, GAA, SV%, SO | Physical forwards and shot-blocking defensemen |
| Daily fantasy (DFS) | Top a one-slate contest under a salary cap | DraftKings Classic: G 8.5, A 5, SOG 1.5, BLK 1.3, plus bonuses | Linemate and power-play stacks, high-shot players, winning goalies |
- Head-to-head categories →
Weekly category matchups: equal weighting, punting, ratio protection and late-week streaming.
- Rotisserie →
Season-long ranks per category, roto vs head-to-head, and why goalie volume can hurt.
- Points leagues →
ESPN and Yahoo point values and what the weights mean for skaters and goalies.
- Banger leagues →
What a banger league is, what it counts and how to win hits, blocks and PIM.
- Daily fantasy →
DraftKings Classic scoring, bonuses, stacking and how DFS differs from season-long.
Categories vs points: the core difference
In a categories league each stat is its own scoreboard. Winning hits 260 to 250 earns one category win, and so does winning goals 14 to 4. The size of the margin doesn’t matter, only which side of it you finish on. That makes every category the same size, whether it is a glamour stat like goals or a grinder stat like blocked shots.
In a points league every stat is converted at a fixed rate and summed. On ESPN’s default a hit is worth 0.1 points and a goal is worth 2, so it takes 20 hits to equal one goal. A third-line forward who throws 15 hits a week can win you the hits category in a banger league; in an ESPN points league those hits are worth 1.5 points, less than one goal.
- Categories reward balance and margins. You only need to win a majority, so you can ignore (punt) a category and pile into the rest.
- Points reward raw volume. Games played, ice time, shots and power-play time all turn straight into points, and nothing can be punted.
- Goalies swing both formats, but differently: in categories they drive two or more ratio stats (GAA, SV%) that one bad start can sink; in points leagues each save and goal against is priced, so a busy goalie on a decent team piles up points.
How to tell which format you’re in
Open your league’s settings page. Every major platform lists the scoring type and the stat categories there; in a points league each stat is listed with its point value. If you can’t find it, the matchup screen gives it away:
- A weekly result like 6-3-1 means head-to-head categories (six categories won, three lost, one tied).
- A weekly result like 87.4 to 81.2 means head-to-head points.
- Standings that show a points total per category (12 for first in goals, 1 for last) and no weekly opponent mean rotisserie.
- Hits (HIT) and blocked shots (BLK) both in the category list means you’re in a banger league.
- A salary cap and a single slate of games means daily fantasy on DraftKings or FanDuel.
ESPN and Yahoo publish defaults, listed on the format pages here. Fantrax, CBS and Sleeper leagues are built from scratch by the commissioner, with no single default worth quoting, so read your category list rather than assuming one.
Yahoo and ESPN defaults for 2026-27
| Setup | Skaters | Goalies |
|---|---|---|
| Yahoo head-to-head categories | G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT | W, GAA, SV%, SO |
| Yahoo rotisserie | G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, BLK | W, GAA, SV%, SO |
| Yahoo head-to-head points (setup page) | G 3, A 2, +/- 1, PIM 0.5, PPP 1, SOG 0.4 | W 4, GA -1, SV 0.2, SHO 2 |
| ESPN points | G 2, A 1, PPP 0.5, SHP 0.5, SOG 0.1, HIT 0.1, BLK 0.5 | W 4, GA -2, SV 0.2, SO 3, OTL 1 |
How Edgehalla adapts to your scoring
Who Should I Start compares up to four skaters or goalies on today’s or this week’s projections, scored the way your league scores. Pick a profile once and it is saved and carried over to the player comparison pages. Links from these guides open the tool already set to the right format.
| Profile | What it scores | Matches |
|---|---|---|
| Standard (default) | G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT | Yahoo’s default head-to-head categories |
| Banger | G, A, +/-, PIM, PPP, SOG, HIT, BLK | A common banger league |
| Roto | G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, BLK | Yahoo’s default rotisserie categories |
| Classic | G, A, +/-, PIM, PPP, SOG | The classic six with penalty minutes |
| Scoring | G, A, PTS, PPP, SOG | Offense-only category leagues |
| Hits & blocks | HIT, BLK, PIM | Chasing peripherals only |
| ESPN points | G 2, A 1, PPP 0.5, SOG 0.1, HIT 0.1, BLK 0.5 | ESPN’s default points league |
| Yahoo points, DraftKings, FanDuel | Projected fantasy points on each scale | Points leagues and DFS |
You can also rank by a single stat (hits only, say, when that is the category you’re chasing) or, once signed in, apply a connected league’s own scoring.
- Who Should I Start →
Start/sit comparisons scored your way, with injuries, goalie starts, matchups and role trends.
- Who Should I Start, banger scoring →
The same tool preset to G, A, +/-, PIM, PPP, SOG, HIT and BLK.
- Compare NHL players →
Any two players side by side, with fantasy value under the scoring you picked.
- Category Catch-Up →
Ranks low-rostered players by what they add in the categories you are chasing over the games left tonight, this weekend or this week. Weight a category ×2 or punt it.
- Category Week Planner →
Games, off-nights and schedule strength by category for every fantasy week, with a player rater that has category weights and punt mode.
- Connect your league →
Connect an ESPN or Fantrax league and the weekly dashboard is scored with your league’s own settings.
Which format should your league use?
- New or casual league: head-to-head points. One number per week is easy to follow, and nobody needs to understand ratio stats.
- Experienced managers who like strategy: head-to-head categories. Punting, streaming and category targeting give you more decisions each week.
- Low-maintenance, long-season grind: rotisserie. No weekly luck from the schedule draw, but every category matters all year.
- Want defensemen and grinders to matter: a banger league, or a points league that prices hits and blocks.
- Want a fresh start every night: daily fantasy.
Frequently asked questions
Is fantasy hockey better in categories or points?
Neither is better; they reward different skills. Categories reward balance, punting and weekly tactics, because every category is worth the same. Points reward raw volume (games, shots, power-play time) and are easier to follow. Many experienced leagues use categories; many new leagues start with points.
What are Yahoo’s default fantasy hockey categories?
Yahoo’s default head-to-head categories for 2026-27 are goals, assists, plus/minus, power-play points, shots on goal and hits for skaters, and wins, goals-against average, save percentage and shutouts for goalies. Yahoo’s default rotisserie setup swaps hits for blocked shots.
What is ESPN’s default fantasy hockey points scoring?
ESPN’s default points league for 2026-27 gives skaters 2 per goal, 1 per assist, 0.5 per power-play point, 0.5 per shorthanded point, 0.1 per shot on goal, 0.1 per hit and 0.5 per blocked shot. Goalies get 4 per win, -2 per goal against, 0.2 per save, 3 per shutout and 1 per overtime loss. There is no +/-, PIM or faceoff scoring by default.
What is the difference between roto and head-to-head?
Head-to-head pits you against one opponent each week and records a win, loss or tie (or one per category). Rotisserie has no opponents: your season totals in each category are ranked against every team, and the ranks are added up. Roto rewards consistency over a full season; head-to-head rewards winning the week in front of you.
What is a banger league in fantasy hockey?
A banger league is a head-to-head category league that also counts hits and blocked shots, and often penalty minutes, so physical players who don’t score much become valuable. No platform defines one official set; a common build is G, A, +/-, PIM, PPP, SOG, HIT and BLK with W, GAA, SV% and SO.
How do I find my league’s scoring settings?
Open your league’s settings page on your platform. It lists the scoring type (categories, points or rotisserie) and every stat category, with point values in a points league. Fantrax, CBS and Sleeper leagues are fully custom, so always read the list there.
Does Edgehalla work with my league’s scoring?
Yes. Who Should I Start has profiles for Yahoo’s default categories, banger, roto, classic, ESPN points, Yahoo points, DraftKings and FanDuel, and can rank by a single stat. Signed-in managers can apply a connected league’s own scoring, and the choice carries over to player comparison pages.
Are hits and blocks worth anything in points leagues?
It depends on the point values. On ESPN’s default a blocked shot is 0.5 points (a quarter of a goal) and a hit is 0.1, so shot-blocking defensemen have real value and pure hitters much less. The point values Yahoo’s setup page currently shows cover goals, assists, +/-, PIM, PPP and shots, with no value for hits or blocks, so check your own league’s list.
Edgehalla is free right now: no paywall, no trial and no card required. Edgehalla is an independent site. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the NHL, Yahoo, ESPN or Fantrax. Team and league names belong to their owners.