Who to start · 2025-26
Barrett Hayton vs Nikita Kucherov
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Kucherov projects to 2.95 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Barrett Hayton's 0.96.
Hayton had 25 points in 67 games; Kucherov had 130 in 76 games.
This week Hayton has 1 game left; Kucherov has no games left. We project Hayton for 0.8 ESPN points to Kucherov's 0.0.
Nikita Kucherov has the better number in 26 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Hayton's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 409, Turnover Ledger /60 −0.007, Forecheck xG /60 0.33.
Kucherov's biggest edges: Luck Meter +54, Goals above expected +3.9, On-ice PDO 1046.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Barrett Hayton
0.96
fantasy points per game
Nikita Kucherov
2.95
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Nikita Kucherov has the edge.
| Points per game from | Hayton | Kucherov |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.26 | 1.14 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.20 | 1.06 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.04 | 0.21 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.18 | 0.29 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.05 | 0.04 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.22 | 0.20 |
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: Hayton vs Kucherov
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2019-20 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Hayton 0G 1A, 15 SOG · Kucherov 1G 9A, 24 SOG
On the ice against each other (Hayton's side)
7:45 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Hayton's side
- Shot attempts
- 10–4
- 71.4%
- Expected goals
- 0.3–0.3
- 53.2%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Hayton | Kucherov |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-26 | UTA 0–2 TBL | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 2A 5S |
| 2025-11-02 | UTA 2–4 TBL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-03-27 | UTA 0–8 TBL | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 3A 5S |
| 2025-03-22 | UTA 6–4 TBL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 6S |
| 2023-02-15 | ARI 1–0 TBL | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-12-31 | ARI 3–5 TBL | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 2A 5S |
| 2020-02-22 | ARI 7–3 TBL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 0S |
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.
Barrett Hayton
3games (1 left)
0.8proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs CHIOpp allows 8th-most FP to CLikely vs Arvid Soderblom (.880)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ CBJOpp allows 11th-most FP to CSchedule edge −1.0 win%Likely vs Jet Greaves (.908)
- Sun, Oct 4 @ NYRB2B0.8 ptsOpp allows 14th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
Nikita Kucherov
2games (0 left)
0.0proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 @ NYROpp allows 10th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs WSHOpp allows 7th-most FP to RWSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Charlie Lindgren (.879)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Barrett Hayton or Nikita Kucherov in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Kucherov projects to 2.95 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Barrett Hayton's 0.96. Hayton had 25 points in 67 games; Kucherov had 130 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, Barrett Hayton or Nikita Kucherov?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nikita Kucherov leads in 26 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Hayton and Kucherov done against each other?
- In 7 games against each other in our data, Hayton's team went 3–4. Hayton had 1 points (0 goals) and Kucherov had 10 (1 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 →