Who to start · 2025-26
Aliaksei Protas vs Gavin McKenna
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Aliaksei Protas projects to 1.34 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Gavin McKenna's 1.23.
Protas had 52 points in 76 games; McKenna had 6 in 10 games.
This week Protas has 2 games left with 1 soft matchup; McKenna has 3 left with 1 tough matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project McKenna for 4.0 to Protas's 3.0 over the games left.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Aliaksei Protas rates ahead, -0.5 to -2.1 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Protas is falling, ixG/60 0.39 (was 0.97); McKenna is rising, ixG/60 1.34 (was 0.55).
- • 2026-27 so far: 8 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 0 PPP, 8 SOG.
- • Gavin McKenna is an NHL rookie: this is his first season.
- • 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 3 G, 3 A, 2 PPP, 18 SOG.
Washington Capitals · Toronto Maple Leafs · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Aliaksei Protas
-0.5
category z-score total
Gavin McKenna
-2.1
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Aliaksei Protas has the edge (Protas wins 3, McKenna wins 3 of 6 categories).
| Category | Protas | McKenna |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.21 | 0.30 |
| Assists / game | 0.32 | 0.30 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.13 | -0.50 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.01 | 0.20 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.71 | 1.80 |
| Hits / game | 0.41 | 0.00 |
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
Aliaksei Protas and Gavin McKenna 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
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
Aliaksei Protas
2games
3.0proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs LAK1.6 ptsOpp allows 2nd-most FP to LWvs Darcy Kuemper (.891)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs BUF1.5 ptsOpp allows 11th-most FP to LWLikely vs Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (.910)
Gavin McKenna
4games (3 left)
4.0proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 vs SJSOpp allows 5th-most FP to LWLikely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs NYR1.2 ptsOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
- Sat, Oct 24 @ EDM1.3 pts
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Aliaksei Protas or Gavin McKenna in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Aliaksei Protas projects to 1.34 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Gavin McKenna's 1.23. Protas had 52 points in 76 games; McKenna had 6 in 10 games. Check this week's games and your league's scoring in the fantasy panel above, since more games usually decide a weekly start.
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 →