Who to start · 2025-26
Alex DeBrincat vs Quinton Byfield
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Alex DeBrincat projects to 2.20 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Quinton Byfield's 1.57.
DeBrincat had 85 points in 82 games; Byfield had 49 in 79 games.
This week DeBrincat has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Byfield has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project DeBrincat for 2.3 ESPN points to Byfield's 1.4.
Alex DeBrincat has the better number in 18 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
DeBrincat's biggest edges: Forecheck xG /60 0.34, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.060, Luck Meter +17.
Byfield's biggest edges: Ascension score 56, Penalty minutes 46, Faceoffs won 508.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Alex DeBrincat
2.20
fantasy points per game
Quinton Byfield
1.57
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Alex DeBrincat has the edge.
| Points per game from | DeBrincat | Byfield |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.94 | 0.57 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.50 | 0.30 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.13 | 0.07 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.33 | 0.23 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.08 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.22 | 0.32 |
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 custom weights are saved in this browser only.
Head-to-head: DeBrincat vs Byfield
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2021-22 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
DeBrincat 4G 5A, 28 SOG · Byfield 3G 3A, 11 SOG
DeBrincat's offensive zone 0–1 · neutral 0–0 · DeBrincat's defensive zone 0–0 (2021-22)
On the ice against each other (DeBrincat's side)
9:27 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from DeBrincat's side
- Shot attempts
- 13–10
- 56.5%
- Expected goals
- 0.7–0.4
- 62.3%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | DeBrincat | Byfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-27 | DET 1–3 LAK | 1G 0A 7S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-10-30 | DET 4–3 LAK | 1G 1A 1S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2025-01-27 | DET 5–2 LAK | 1G 0A 4S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2024-11-16 | DET 1–4 LAK | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-01-13 | DET 5–3 LAK | 0G 1A 3S | 2G 0A 3S |
| 2024-01-04 | DET 4–3 LAK | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2022-04-21 | CHI 1–4 LAK | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-04-12 | CHI 2–5 LAK | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-03-24 | CHI 4–3 LAK | 1G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 1S |
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
This week's schedule
Sep 28 to Oct 4. 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 use ESPN default points for the games left.
Alex DeBrincat
2games (1 left)
2.3proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 vs NYROpp allows 12th-fewest FP to RWSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
- Sun, Oct 4 vs WPG2.3 ptsOpp allows 7th-most FP to RWLikely vs Stuart Skinner (.888)
Quinton Byfield
2games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ COLOpp allows 10th-most FP to RWLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ SJS1.4 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to RWSchedule edge −3.2 win%vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Alex DeBrincat or Quinton Byfield in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Alex DeBrincat projects to 2.20 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Quinton Byfield's 1.57. DeBrincat had 85 points in 82 games; Byfield had 49 in 79 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, Alex DeBrincat or Quinton Byfield?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Alex DeBrincat leads in 18 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have DeBrincat and Byfield done against each other?
- In 9 games against each other in our data, DeBrincat's team went 5–4. DeBrincat had 9 points (4 goals) and Byfield had 6 (3 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, DeBrincat or Byfield?
- Against each other, DeBrincat has won 0 and Byfield 1 of their 1 head-to-head draws.
2025-26 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 →