Who to start · 2025-26
Alexander Wennberg vs Ivan Barbashev
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Alexander Wennberg projects to 1.69 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ivan Barbashev's 1.59.
Wennberg had 55 points in 80 games; Barbashev had 61 in 82 games.
This week Wennberg has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Barbashev has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Barbashev for 1.8 ESPN points to Wennberg's 1.6.
They split the 34 stats both are ranked on 17–17.
Wennberg's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 655, Ascension score 51, Power-play time per game 3:17.
Barbashev's biggest edges: Plus/minus +20, Offensive-zone start % 67.1%, Sequence xG 57.2%.
Head to head on the dot, Wennberg leads Barbashev 5–5.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 0 PPP, 2 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Alexander Wennberg
1.69
fantasy points per game
Ivan Barbashev
1.59
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Alexander Wennberg has the edge.
| Points per game from | Wennberg | Barbashev |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.42 | 0.49 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.43 | 0.53 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.09 | 0.03 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.13 | 0.15 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.18 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.58 | 0.20 |
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: Wennberg vs Barbashev
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Wennberg 3G 7A, 26 SOG · Barbashev 1G 8A, 30 SOG
Wennberg's offensive zone 3–2 · neutral 1–1 · Wennberg's defensive zone 1–2 (2018-19 to 2025-26)
On the ice against each other (Wennberg's side)
17:10 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26, from Wennberg's side
- Shot attempts
- 14–15
- 48.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.5–1.1
- 29.3%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Wennberg | Barbashev |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-11 | SJS 2–7 VGK | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2025-12-23 | SJS 2–7 VGK | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 2A 0S |
| 2025-11-29 | SJS 3–4 VGK | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-10-09 | SJS 3–4 VGK | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-10-26 | SJS 3–7 VGK | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2024-01-01 | SEA 3–0 VGK | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-10-10 | SEA 1–4 VGK | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2023-04-13 | SEA 1–3 VGK | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2023-04-11 | SEA 1–4 VGK | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2022-12-20 | SEA 5–2 STL | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2022-10-19 | SEA 3–4 STL | 0G 2A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-04-06 | SEA 1–4 STL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 2S |
Latest 12 of 19 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
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.
Alexander Wennberg
2games (1 left)
1.6proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs FLAOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs LAK1.6 ptsOpp allows the most FP to CSchedule edge +3.3 win%Likely vs Anton Forsberg (.910)
Ivan Barbashev
3games (1 left)
1.8proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs CHIOpp allows 2nd-most FP to LWLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
- Fri, Oct 2 vs ANAOpp allows 8th-most FP to LWLikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)
- Sun, Oct 4 @ VAN1.8 ptsOpp allows 5th-most FP to LWSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Alexander Wennberg or Ivan Barbashev in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Alexander Wennberg projects to 1.69 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ivan Barbashev's 1.59. Wennberg had 55 points in 80 games; Barbashev had 61 in 82 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, Alexander Wennberg or Ivan Barbashev?
- On 2025-26 numbers they split 17–17 across 34 stats where both qualify.
- How have Wennberg and Barbashev done against each other?
- In 19 games against each other in our data, Wennberg's team went 4–15. Wennberg had 10 points (3 goals) and Barbashev had 9 (1 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Wennberg or Barbashev?
- Against each other, Wennberg has won 5 and Barbashev 5 of their 10 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 →