Who to start · 2026-27
Aaron Ekblad vs Leon Draisaitl
In 2026-27, Leon Draisaitl scored 3.51 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Aaron Ekblad's 1.32.
Ekblad had 8 points in 19 games; Draisaitl had 38 in 21 games.
This week Ekblad has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Draisaitl has 1 left. In ESPN default points scoring we project Draisaitl for 3.2 to Ekblad's 1.3 over the games left.
Leon Draisaitl has the better number in 10 of the 14 stats both are ranked on.
Ekblad's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 0.82, Forecheck xG /60 0.54, Turnover Ledger /60 −0.037.
Draisaitl's biggest edges: On-ice PDO 1074, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.39, Offensive-zone start % 58.7%.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Leon Draisaitl rates ahead, +12.6 to -0.3 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Ekblad is steady, 3 P in last 5 (0.30/GP before); Draisaitl is rising, ixG/60 1.97 (was 1.43).
- • Ekblad, last 10 games (Oct 25–Nov 14): 1 G, 4 A, 0 PPP, 14 SOG.
- • Draisaitl, last 10 games (Oct 26–Nov 14): 6 G, 9 A, 4 PPP, 39 SOG.
Florida Panthers · Edmonton Oilers · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Under Standard (6 categories), Leon Draisaitl has the edge (Ekblad wins 1, Draisaitl wins 5 of 6 categories).
| Category | Ekblad | Draisaitl |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.05 | 0.86 |
| Assists / game | 0.37 | 0.95 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.00 | 1.00 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.05 | 0.57 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.42 | 3.86 |
| Hits / game | 1.00 | 0.29 |
Per-game rates from the selected sample; blended mixes last season with this season, weighting this season more as games are played. Categories are scored as z-scores against qualified players at the same position. Your scoring choice is shared with Who Should I Start: saved on this device, and on your account when you are signed in.
Head-to-head: Ekblad vs Draisaitl
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2024-25: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Ekblad 4G 9A, 45 SOG · Draisaitl 12G 15A, 73 SOG
Ekblad blocked 2 of Draisaitl's shots; Draisaitl blocked 1 of Ekblad's.
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Ekblad | Draisaitl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-06-17 · PO | FLA 5–1 EDM | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-06-14 · PO | FLA 5–2 EDM | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-06-12 · PO | FLA 4–5 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 2A 4S |
| 2025-06-09 · PO | FLA 6–1 EDM | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-06-06 · PO | FLA 5–4 EDM | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 1A 4S |
| 2025-06-04 · PO | FLA 3–4 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 2G 0A 4S |
| 2025-02-27 | FLA 4–3 EDM | 0G 2A 3S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-12-16 | FLA 6–5 EDM | 0G 1A 2S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2024-06-24 · PO | FLA 2–1 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-06-21 · PO | FLA 1–5 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2024-06-18 · PO | FLA 3–5 EDM | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-06-15 · PO | FLA 1–8 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 2A 3S |
Latest 12 of 26 meetings.
Every stat, side by side
Season values; bars are percentiles at each player's position (longer is better). Click a stat for its explainer.
Fantasy box score
Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)
Transition, turnovers & faceoffs, Usage, Special teams & discipline, Luck & trend, NHL EDGE tracking continue below
Every stat, side by side (continued)
Transition, turnovers & faceoffs
Usage
Special teams & discipline
This week's schedule
Nov 9 to Nov 15. More games usually wins a weekly start/sit. Chips show how many fantasy points the opponent allows to the player's position (soft or tough), the Schedule Edge from rest and travel, and the likely opposing goalie with his save percentage. Projections cover the games left: Edgehalla's rest-of-season rates per game, adjusted for each opponent's scoring allowed, in ESPN default points.
Scored in ESPN default points (G 2, A 1, PPP 0.5, SHP 0.5, SOG 0.1, HIT 0.1, BLK 0.5). Use your league's scoring
Aaron Ekblad
4games (1 left)
1.3proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Nov 10 @ CBJOpp allows 8th-most FP to DLikely vs Cam Talbot (.909)
- Thu, Nov 12 vs DETOpp allows 15th-fewest FP to DLikely vs John Gibson (.862)
- Sat, Nov 14 @ STLOpp allows 13th-most FP to DLikely vs Joel Hofer (.921)
- Opp allows 7th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Casey DeSmith (.894)
Leon Draisaitl
4games (1 left)
3.2proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Nov 9 vs NYROpp allows 7th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Dylan Garand (.910)
- Wed, Nov 11 vs PHIOpp allows 16th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Dan Vladar (.879)
- Sat, Nov 14 @ TOROpp allows 16th-most FP to CLikely vs Anthony Stolarz (.905)
- Opp allows 16th-fewest FP to Cvs Dan Vladar (.879)
Player data stories
How the game changed, told through the numbers.
- In 2022-23, Four NHL Players Wore a Number in the 90s for Every One in No. 9 The count was 53 to 13, and the incomplete 2025-26 rosters show the same split, 51 to 12.
- The 1,000-Game Club Had Its Biggest Year. Getting In Is No Easier. Seventeen players reached 1,000 NHL games in 2025-26, more than in any season before, in the biggest league the NHL has had.
- Only 14 NHL Defencemen Still Score Like Ken Daneyko A stay-at-home defenceman stays back to defend and leaves the scoring to others.
- How Much Lighter Did the NHL Really Get? Teams write down NHL weights.
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Aaron Ekblad or Leon Draisaitl in fantasy hockey?
- In 2026-27, Leon Draisaitl scored 3.51 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Aaron Ekblad's 1.32. Ekblad had 8 points in 19 games; Draisaitl had 38 in 21 games. Check this week's games and your league's scoring in the fantasy panel above, since more games usually decide a weekly start.
- Who is better, Aaron Ekblad or Leon Draisaitl?
- On 2026-27 numbers, Leon Draisaitl leads in 10 of 14 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Ekblad and Draisaitl done against each other?
- In 26 games against each other in our data, Ekblad's team went 15–11. Ekblad had 13 points (4 goals) and Draisaitl had 27 (12 goals).
2026-27 regular season from NHL play-by-play, shift charts and NHL EDGE, processed by Edgehalla. Head-to-head covers every loaded season (play-by-play from 2019-20; on-ice matchups from 2025-26).Compare other players →