Who to start · 2025-26
Brad Marchand vs Connor McDavid
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Connor McDavid projects to 3.45 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brad Marchand's 2.26.
Marchand had 54 points in 52 games; McDavid had 138 in 82 games.
This week Marchand has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; McDavid has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project McDavid for 2.3 ESPN points to Marchand's 1.8.
Connor McDavid has the better number in 28 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.
Marchand's biggest edges: Goals above expected +6.9, Luck Meter +50, Hardest shot 83.9.
McDavid's biggest edges: Plus/minus +17, Faceoffs won 457, High-danger chances 57.5%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 1 G, 6 A, 2 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Brad Marchand
2.26
fantasy points per game
Connor McDavid
3.21
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Connor McDavid has the edge.
| Points per game from | Marchand | McDavid |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 1.04 | 1.17 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.52 | 1.10 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.20 | 0.33 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.27 | 0.37 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.05 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.15 | 0.18 |
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: Marchand vs McDavid
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Marchand 11G 4A, 67 SOG · McDavid 8G 15A, 68 SOG
Marchand's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 1–0 · Marchand's defensive zone 1–0 (2018-19)
Marchand blocked 0 of McDavid's shots; McDavid blocked 1 of Marchand's.
On the ice against each other (Marchand's side)
4:29 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Marchand's side
- Shot attempts
- 11–5
- 68.8%
- Expected goals
- 1.1–0.3
- 78.6%
- Goals
- 1–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Marchand | McDavid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-22 | FLA 3–6 EDM | 0G 1A 4S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2025-06-17 · PO | FLA 5–1 EDM | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-06-14 · PO | FLA 5–2 EDM | 2G 0A 5S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2025-06-12 · PO | FLA 4–5 EDM | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2025-06-09 · PO | FLA 6–1 EDM | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-06-06 · PO | FLA 5–4 EDM | 2G 0A 7S | 0G 3A 7S |
| 2025-06-04 · PO | FLA 3–4 EDM | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 2A 4S |
| 2025-01-07 | BOS 0–4 EDM | 0G 0A 6S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2024-12-19 | BOS 2–3 EDM | 0G 1A 3S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2024-03-05 | BOS 1–2 EDM | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 2A 7S |
| 2024-02-21 | BOS 6–5 EDM | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 2A 4S |
| 2023-03-09 | BOS 2–3 EDM | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
Latest 12 of 19 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.
Brad Marchand
3games (1 left)
1.8proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ CAROpp allows 9th-most FP to LWLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.895)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ SJSOpp allows 15th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge −1.0 win%Likely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)
- Sun, Oct 4 @ ANA1.8 ptsOpp allows 8th-most FP to LWLikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)
Connor McDavid
3games (1 left)
2.3proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs VANOpp allows 6th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ VANOpp allows 6th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA2.3 ptsOpp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Joey Daccord (.897)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Brad Marchand or Connor McDavid in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Connor McDavid projects to 3.45 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brad Marchand's 2.26. Marchand had 54 points in 52 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, Brad Marchand or Connor McDavid?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Connor McDavid leads in 28 of 33 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Marchand and McDavid done against each other?
- In 19 games against each other in our data, Marchand's team went 9–10. Marchand had 15 points (11 goals) and McDavid had 23 (8 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Marchand or McDavid?
- Against each other, Marchand has won 2 and McDavid 0 of their 2 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 →