Who to start · 2025-26
Artturi Lehkonen vs Cutter Gauthier
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Cutter Gauthier projects to 2.08 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Artturi Lehkonen's 1.90.
Lehkonen had 48 points in 70 games; Gauthier had 69 in 76 games.
This week Lehkonen has 3 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Gauthier has 3 left with 2 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Gauthier for 6.7 to Lehkonen's 5.3 over the games left.
Cutter Gauthier has the better number in 18 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Lehkonen's biggest edges: On-ice PDO 1054, Ascension score 74, Sequence xG 59.3%.
Gauthier's biggest edges: Goals above expected +5.8, Top skating speed 23.1, 20+ mph bursts 205.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Cutter Gauthier rates ahead, +5.9 to +5.6 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Lehkonen is surging, ixG/60 1.71 (was 1.07); Gauthier is falling, 1 P in last 5 (1.05/GP before).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 6 G, 3 A, 2 PPP, 14 SOG.
- • Gauthier has played 7 of the Ducks' 8 games since Oct 2 (in and out of the lineup).
- • 2026-27 so far: 7 GP, 2 G, 3 A, 3 PPP, 26 SOG.
Colorado Avalanche · Anaheim Ducks · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Artturi Lehkonen
+5.6
category z-score total
Cutter Gauthier
+5.9
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Cutter Gauthier has the edge (Lehkonen wins 1, Gauthier wins 5 of 6 categories).
| Category | Lehkonen | Gauthier |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.44 | 0.46 |
| Assists / game | 0.37 | 0.39 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.62 | -0.15 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.10 | 0.31 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.95 | 3.74 |
| Hits / game | 0.82 | 0.89 |
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: Lehkonen vs Gauthier
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2024-25 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Lehkonen 2G 1A, 8 SOG · Gauthier 0G 1A, 14 SOG
Lehkonen blocked 1 of Gauthier's shots; Gauthier blocked 0 of Lehkonen's.
On the ice against each other (Lehkonen's side)
3:36 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Lehkonen's side
- Shot attempts
- 5–1
- 83.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.4–0.1
- 77.0%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Lehkonen | Gauthier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-21 | COL 1–2 ANA | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2025-11-11 | COL 4–1 ANA | 1G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2024-12-20 | COL 4–2 ANA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 5S |
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
Artturi Lehkonen
4games (3 left)
5.3proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 @ PHIOpp allows 6th-most FP to LWLikely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
- Fri, Oct 23 vs TBL1.5 ptsOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Sun, Oct 25 @ NSH1.7 pts
Cutter Gauthier
4games (3 left)
6.7proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 @ NYROpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
- Thu, Oct 22 @ NJD2.4 ptsOpp allows 7th-most FP to LWLikely vs Jake Allen (.904)
- Sat, Oct 24 @ PHI2.4 ptsOpp allows 6th-most FP to LWLikely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Artturi Lehkonen or Cutter Gauthier in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Cutter Gauthier projects to 2.08 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Artturi Lehkonen's 1.90. Lehkonen had 48 points in 70 games; Gauthier had 69 in 76 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, Artturi Lehkonen or Cutter Gauthier?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Cutter Gauthier leads in 18 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Lehkonen and Gauthier done against each other?
- In 3 games against each other in our data, Lehkonen's team went 2–1. Lehkonen had 3 points (2 goals) and Gauthier had 1 (0 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 →