Who to start · 2025-26
Alexis Lafrenière vs Ian Cole
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Alexis Lafrenière projects to 1.41 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ian Cole's 1.30.
Lafrenière had 57 points in 82 games; Cole had 23 in 82 games.
This week Lafrenière has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Cole has 1 left. We project Cole for 1.5 ESPN points to Lafrenière's 1.2.
Alexis Lafrenière has the better number in 20 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Lafrenière's biggest edges: Offensive-zone time 45.8%, Power-play time per game 2:23, Power-play share 57.6%.
Cole's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 0, Plus/minus +16, Turnover Ledger /60 −0.019.
- • 2026-27 so far: 3 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Alexis Lafrenière
1.41
fantasy points per game
Ian Cole
1.30
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Alexis Lafrenière has the edge.
| Points per game from | Lafrenière | Cole |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.49 | 0.06 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.34 | 0.22 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.08 | 0.00 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.19 | 0.07 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.11 | 0.08 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.21 | 0.87 |
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: Lafrenière vs Cole
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.
Lafrenière 2G 9A, 31 SOG · Cole 1G 3A, 8 SOG
Lafrenière blocked 2 of Cole's shots; Cole blocked 3 of Lafrenière's.
On the ice against each other (Lafrenière's side)
6:38 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Lafrenière's side
- Shot attempts
- 10–7
- 58.8%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–0.6
- 52.4%
- Goals
- 0–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Lafrenière | Cole |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-05 | NYR 2–3 UTA | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2025-11-22 | NYR 2–3 UTA | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-01-16 | NYR 5–3 UTA | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2024-10-12 | NYR 5–6 UTA | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-01-08 | NYR 3–6 VAN | 0G 2A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-10-28 | NYR 4–3 VAN | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-04-05 | NYR 6–3 TBL | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2022-05-30 · PO | NYR 6–2 CAR | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-05-28 · PO | NYR 5–2 CAR | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2022-05-26 · PO | NYR 1–3 CAR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2022-05-24 · PO | NYR 4–1 CAR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2022-05-22 · PO | NYR 3–1 CAR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
Latest 12 of 18 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.
Alexis Lafrenière
4games (1 left)
1.2proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ BOSOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)
- Thu, Oct 1 vs TBLOpp allows 6th-most FP to LWLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Fri, Oct 2 @ DETB2BOpp allows 13th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs John Gibson (.901)
- Sun, Oct 4 vs UTA1.2 ptsOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
Ian Cole
3games (1 left)
1.5proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ VGKOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Carter Hart (.891)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ UTAOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to DLikely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ BUF1.5 ptsOpp allows 11th-most FP to DSchedule edge −1.0 win%vs Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (.910)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Alexis Lafrenière or Ian Cole in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Alexis Lafrenière projects to 1.41 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ian Cole's 1.30. Lafrenière had 57 points in 82 games; Cole had 23 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, Alexis Lafrenière or Ian Cole?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Alexis Lafrenière leads in 20 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Lafrenière and Cole done against each other?
- In 18 games against each other in our data, Lafrenière's team went 8–10. Lafrenière had 11 points (2 goals) and Cole had 4 (1 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 →