Who to start · 2025-26
Alex Tuch vs Aliaksei Protas
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Alex Tuch projects to 2.42 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Aliaksei Protas's 1.58.
Tuch had 66 points in 79 games; Protas had 52 in 76 games.
This week Tuch has 2 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Protas has 2 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Tuch for 4.0 ESPN points to Protas's 3.0.
Alex Tuch has the better number in 25 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Tuch's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 −0.007, Penalty minutes 57, Hits 82.
Protas's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 +0.30, Forecheck xG /60 0.43, Scoring chances 52.7%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 2 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Alex Tuch
2.42
fantasy points per game
Aliaksei Protas
1.58
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Alex Tuch has the edge.
| Points per game from | Tuch | Protas |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 1.03 | 0.62 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.39 | 0.40 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.05 | 0.01 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.03 | 0.02 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.25 | 0.21 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.10 | 0.04 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.57 | 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 custom weights are saved in this browser only.
Head-to-head: Tuch vs Protas
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2022-23 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Tuch 8G 6A, 31 SOG · Protas 4G 2A, 31 SOG
On the ice against each other (Tuch's side)
6:48 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Tuch's side
- Shot attempts
- 8–7
- 53.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.7–0.3
- 69.6%
- Goals
- 2–0
On the ice together
1:04 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2026-27
- Shot attempts
- 0–2
- 0.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.0
- 0.0%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Tuch | Protas |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-04 | BUF 2–6 WSH | 0G 1A 5S | 1G 1A 4S |
| 2025-11-01 | BUF 4–3 WSH | 1G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2025-03-30 | BUF 8–5 WSH | 2G 1A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2025-01-06 | BUF 4–3 WSH | 2G 0A 3S | 1G 1A 4S |
| 2024-12-14 | BUF 2–4 WSH | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-04-11 | BUF 4–2 WSH | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-04-02 | BUF 6–2 WSH | 1G 2A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-11-22 | BUF 3–4 WSH | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-03-15 | BUF 4–5 WSH | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 7S |
| 2023-01-03 | BUF 5–4 WSH | 1G 2A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
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 Tuch
2games
4.0proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 @ CAR1.6 ptsOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.895)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TBLB2B2.4 ptsOpp allows the most FP to RWSchedule edge −13.3 win%Likely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
Aliaksei Protas
2games
3.0proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 @ CAR1.2 ptsOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.895)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TBLB2B1.8 ptsOpp allows 6th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −13.3 win%Likely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Alex Tuch or Aliaksei Protas in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Alex Tuch projects to 2.42 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Aliaksei Protas's 1.58. Tuch had 66 points in 79 games; Protas had 52 in 76 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 Tuch or Aliaksei Protas?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Alex Tuch leads in 25 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Tuch and Protas done against each other?
- In 10 games against each other in our data, Tuch's team went 6–4. Tuch had 14 points (8 goals) and Protas had 6 (4 goals).
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 →