Who to start · 2025-26
Artem Zub vs Connor McDavid
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Connor McDavid projects to 3.76 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Artem Zub's 1.55.
Zub had 30 points in 81 games; McDavid had 138 in 82 games.
This week Zub has 3 games left with 1 soft matchup; McDavid has 2 left with 2 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project McDavid for 6.1 to Zub's 4.3 over the games left.
Connor McDavid has the better number in 25 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Zub's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 −0.030, Hardest shot 94.7, Hits 66.
McDavid's biggest edges: Top skating speed 24.6, 20+ mph bursts 681, Net penalties drawn /60 +1.05.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Connor McDavid rates ahead, +21.0 to +0.8 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Zub is steady, −3:00 TOI a game; McDavid is rising, 14 P in last 5 (2.00/GP before).
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 2 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 6 G, 20 A, 8 PPP, 22 SOG.
Ottawa Senators · Edmonton Oilers · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Artem Zub
+0.8
category z-score total
Connor McDavid
+21.0
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Connor McDavid has the edge (Zub wins 1, McDavid wins 5 of 6 categories).
| Category | Zub | McDavid |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.05 | 0.62 |
| Assists / game | 0.33 | 1.52 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.36 | 0.84 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.00 | 0.74 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.12 | 3.25 |
| Hits / game | 0.84 | 0.85 |
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: Zub vs McDavid
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2020-21 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Zub 1G 3A, 10 SOG · McDavid 10G 26A, 75 SOG
Zub blocked 3 of McDavid's shots; McDavid blocked 1 of Zub's.
On the ice against each other (Zub's side)
24:32 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Zub's side
- Shot attempts
- 20–19
- 51.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–1.0
- 36.3%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Zub | McDavid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-03 | OTT 4–5 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 2A 4S |
| 2025-10-21 | OTT 2–3 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-11-19 | OTT 2–5 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 2G 1A 5S |
| 2024-03-24 | OTT 5–3 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 2A 3S |
| 2024-01-06 | OTT 1–3 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 8S |
| 2023-03-14 | OTT 3–6 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 1A 4S |
| 2023-02-11 | OTT 3–6 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 2A 4S |
| 2022-01-31 | OTT 3–2 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2022-01-15 | OTT 6–4 EDM | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 7S |
| 2021-04-08 | OTT 1–3 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2021-04-07 | OTT 2–4 EDM | 0G 1A 0S | 1G 3A 5S |
| 2021-03-12 | OTT 2–6 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 2A 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
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
Artem Zub
3games
4.3proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs FLA1.4 ptsOpp allows 14th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs NYR1.4 ptsOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
Connor McDavid
3games (2 left)
6.1proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs MINOpp allows 14th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs CAR2.9 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 vs TOR3.2 ptsOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Artem Zub or Connor McDavid in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Connor McDavid projects to 3.76 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Artem Zub's 1.55. Zub had 30 points in 81 games; McDavid had 138 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, Artem Zub or Connor McDavid?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Connor McDavid leads in 25 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Zub and McDavid done against each other?
- In 18 games against each other in our data, Zub's team went 3–15. Zub had 4 points (1 goals) and McDavid had 36 (10 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 →