Who to start · 2026-27
Aleksanteri Kaskimaki vs Nikita Kucherov
In 2026-27, Nikita Kucherov scored 2.52 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Aleksanteri Kaskimaki's 0.80.
Kaskimaki had 1 points in 2 games; Kucherov had 13 in 9 games.
This week Kaskimaki has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Kucherov has 2 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Kucherov for 5.7 to Kaskimaki's 0.7 over the games left.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Kaskimaki has no recent trend; Kucherov is steady, 63% of team PP time (was 72%).
- • Aleksanteri Kaskimaki is a rookie: 5 NHL games before this season.
- • Kucherov, last 9 games (Oct 1–Oct 20): 4 G, 9 A, 4 PPP, 26 SOG.
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Fantasy value: your scoring
Aleksanteri Kaskimaki
0.0
category z-score total
Nikita Kucherov
0.0
category z-score total
Dead even under Standard (6 categories) (Kaskimaki wins 0, Kucherov wins 0 of 6 categories).
| Category | Kaskimaki | Kucherov |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.00 | 0.44 |
| Assists / game | 0.50 | 1.00 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.50 | 0.44 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.00 | 0.44 |
| Shots on goal / game | 2.00 | 2.89 |
| Hits / game | 1.00 | 0.11 |
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
Aleksanteri Kaskimaki and Nikita Kucherov have no head-to-head events in our data yet (regular season and playoffs since 2019-20).
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
Oct 19 to Oct 25. 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
Aleksanteri Kaskimaki
3games (1 left)
0.7proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs WPGOpp allows 8th-most FP to CLikely vs Stuart Skinner (.912)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs VGKOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Adin Hill (.882)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs CAR0.7 ptsOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to CLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.882)
Nikita Kucherov
3games (2 left)
5.7proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 @ VGKOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Carter Hart (.888)
- Fri, Oct 23 @ COL2.6 ptsOpp allows 14th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Scott Wedgewood (.912)
FAQ
- Should I start Aleksanteri Kaskimaki or Nikita Kucherov in fantasy hockey?
- In 2026-27, Nikita Kucherov scored 2.52 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Aleksanteri Kaskimaki's 0.80. Kaskimaki had 1 points in 2 games; Kucherov had 13 in 9 games. Check this week's games and your league's scoring in the fantasy panel above, since more games usually decide a weekly start.
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 →