Who to start · 2025-26
Anthony Cirelli vs Mika Zibanejad
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mika Zibanejad projects to 2.27 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Anthony Cirelli's 1.67.
Cirelli had 52 points in 71 games; Zibanejad had 78 in 81 games.
This week Cirelli has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Zibanejad has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Zibanejad for 1.4 ESPN points to Cirelli's 1.2.
Mika Zibanejad has the better number in 22 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Cirelli's biggest edges: Plus/minus +38, Penalty minutes 48, Fenwick 55.1%.
Zibanejad's biggest edges: Hardest shot 96.4, Power-play share 77.5%, Power-play points 35.
Head to head on the dot, Zibanejad leads Cirelli 64–58.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 3 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Anthony Cirelli
1.67
fantasy points per game
Mika Zibanejad
2.27
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Mika Zibanejad has the edge.
| Points per game from | Cirelli | Zibanejad |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.61 | 0.81 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.38 | 0.51 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.03 | 0.21 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.03 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.18 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.14 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.37 | 0.34 |
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: Cirelli vs Zibanejad
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Cirelli 4G 9A, 58 SOG · Zibanejad 13G 13A, 70 SOG
Cirelli's offensive zone 19–20 · neutral 17–23 · Cirelli's defensive zone 22–21 (2017-18 to 2026-27)
Cirelli blocked 1 of Zibanejad's shots; Zibanejad blocked 0 of Cirelli's.
On the ice against each other (Cirelli's side)
13:02 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Cirelli's side
- Shot attempts
- 17–9
- 65.4%
- Expected goals
- 1.0–0.1
- 88.7%
- Goals
- 2–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Cirelli | Zibanejad |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-01 | TBL 1–5 NYR | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2025-11-29 | TBL 4–1 NYR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-04-17 | TBL 0–4 NYR | 0G 0A 1S | 2G 1A 3S |
| 2025-04-07 | TBL 5–1 NYR | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2024-12-28 | TBL 6–2 NYR | 1G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2024-03-14 | TBL 6–3 NYR | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2024-02-07 | TBL 1–3 NYR | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-12-30 | TBL 1–5 NYR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2023-04-05 | TBL 3–6 NYR | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 3A 3S |
| 2022-12-29 | TBL 2–1 NYR | 0G 0A 5S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2022-06-11 · PO | TBL 2–1 NYR | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-06-09 · PO | TBL 3–1 NYR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
Latest 12 of 23 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.
Anthony Cirelli
2games (1 left)
1.2proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 @ NYROpp allows 15th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs WSH1.2 ptsOpp allows 9th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +13.4 win%vs Charlie Lindgren (.879)
Mika Zibanejad
4games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ BOSOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)
- Thu, Oct 1 vs TBLOpp allows 11th-most FP to CLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Fri, Oct 2 @ DETB2BOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs John Gibson (.901)
- Sun, Oct 4 vs UTA1.4 ptsOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Anthony Cirelli or Mika Zibanejad in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mika Zibanejad projects to 2.27 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Anthony Cirelli's 1.67. Cirelli had 52 points in 71 games; Zibanejad had 78 in 81 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, Anthony Cirelli or Mika Zibanejad?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Mika Zibanejad leads in 22 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Cirelli and Zibanejad done against each other?
- In 23 games against each other in our data, Cirelli's team went 14–9. Cirelli had 13 points (4 goals) and Zibanejad had 26 (13 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Cirelli or Zibanejad?
- Against each other, Cirelli has won 58 and Zibanejad 64 of their 122 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 →