Who to start · 2025-26
Aliaksei Protas vs Jared McCann
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jared McCann projects to 1.80 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Aliaksei Protas's 1.34.
Protas had 52 points in 76 games; McCann had 40 in 52 games.
This week Protas has 2 games left with 1 soft matchup; McCann has 3 left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project McCann for 5.2 to Protas's 3.0 over the games left.
Aliaksei Protas has the better number in 22 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Protas's biggest edges: Top skating speed 23.1, 20+ mph bursts 168, Plus/minus +20.
McCann's biggest edges: Ascension score 72, Offensive-zone time 45.2%, Power-play share 68.2%.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Jared McCann rates ahead, +4.6 to -0.5 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Protas is falling, ixG/60 0.39 (was 0.97); McCann is rising, ixG/60 1.94 (was 0.89).
- • 2026-27 so far: 8 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 0 PPP, 8 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 3 G, 5 A, 3 PPP, 26 SOG.
Washington Capitals · Seattle Kraken · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Aliaksei Protas
-0.5
category z-score total
Jared McCann
+4.6
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Jared McCann has the edge (Protas wins 1, McCann wins 5 of 6 categories).
| Category | Protas | McCann |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.21 | 0.37 |
| Assists / game | 0.32 | 0.45 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.13 | 0.08 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.01 | 0.28 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.71 | 2.49 |
| Hits / game | 0.41 | 0.65 |
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: Protas vs McCann
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2021-22 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Protas 1G 2A, 13 SOG · McCann 4G 3A, 20 SOG
Protas's offensive zone 2–3 · neutral 0–0 · Protas's defensive zone 1–0 (2021-22)
On the ice against each other (Protas's side)
5:28 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Protas's side
- Shot attempts
- 2–12
- 14.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.8
- 6.4%
- Goals
- 0–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Protas | McCann |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-11 | WSH 3–5 SEA | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2026-01-27 | WSH 1–5 SEA | 0G 0A 1S | 2G 2A 4S |
| 2025-03-09 | WSH 4–2 SEA | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 6S |
| 2025-01-23 | WSH 3–0 SEA | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-03-14 | WSH 2–1 SEA | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-01-11 | WSH 1–4 SEA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2022-12-09 | WSH 4–1 SEA | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-12-01 | WSH 2–3 SEA | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2021-11-21 | WSH 2–5 SEA | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 3S |
Faceoffs: Protas vs McCann
Model: Aliaksei Protas wins 45.1% of draws against Jared McCann on average (L shot vs L shot). Same-handed, so the dot decides who is on his strong side; the gap between the left and right dots is the real matchup.
| Protas at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 51% | 38% | 52% | 40% | 45% | 52% | 40% | 53% | 41% |
| Road | 50% | 37% | 51% | 38% | 45% | 51% | 38% | 52% | 39% |
They have not faced each other on a draw in the seasons we track.
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)
Jared McCann
3games
5.2proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs DET2.0 ptsOpp allows 3rd-most FP to LWvs Daniil Tarasov (.895)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs UTA1.7 ptsOpp allows 16th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs MIN1.4 ptsOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Aliaksei Protas or Jared McCann in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jared McCann projects to 1.80 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Aliaksei Protas's 1.34. Protas had 52 points in 76 games; McCann had 40 in 52 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, Aliaksei Protas or Jared McCann?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Aliaksei Protas leads in 22 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Protas and McCann done against each other?
- In 9 games against each other in our data, Protas's team went 4–5. Protas had 3 points (1 goals) and McCann had 7 (4 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Protas or McCann?
- Against each other, Protas has won 3 and McCann 3 of their 6 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 →