Who to start · 2025-26
Brad Marchand vs Ian Cole
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Brad Marchand projects to 2.26 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ian Cole's 1.30.
Marchand had 54 points in 52 games; Cole had 23 in 82 games.
This week Marchand has 1 game left; Cole has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Marchand for 1.5 ESPN points to Cole's 1.5.
Ian Cole has the better number in 17 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.
Marchand's biggest edges: Power-play time per game 3:40, Offensive-zone time 46.0%, Power-play share 69.7%.
Cole's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 0, Turnover Ledger /60 −0.019, Plus/minus +16.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Brad Marchand
2.26
fantasy points per game
Ian Cole
1.41
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Brad Marchand has the edge.
| Points per game from | Marchand | Cole |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 1.04 | 0.07 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.52 | 0.24 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.20 | 0.00 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.27 | 0.08 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.09 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.15 | 0.92 |
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 Cole
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 9G 13A, 72 SOG · Cole 1G 3A, 21 SOG
Marchand blocked 0 of Cole's shots; Cole blocked 7 of Marchand's.
On the ice against each other (Marchand's side)
7:24 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Marchand's side
- Shot attempts
- 10–15
- 40.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–1.1
- 32.9%
- Goals
- 1–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Marchand | Cole |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-27 | FLA 3–4 UTA | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-12-10 | FLA 4–3 UTA | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-03-28 | FLA 2–1 UTA | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-11-21 | BOS 1–0 UTA | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-10-19 | BOS 1–2 UTA | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-02-24 | BOS 2–3 VAN | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-02-08 | BOS 4–0 VAN | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-03-25 | BOS 2–1 TBL | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-01-26 | BOS 2–3 TBL | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2022-11-29 | BOS 3–1 TBL | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-11-21 | BOS 5–3 TBL | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-05-14 · PO | BOS 2–3 CAR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
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.
Brad Marchand
3games (1 left)
1.5proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ CAROpp allows 12th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.895)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ SJSOpp allows 12th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −1.0 win%Likely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)
- Sun, Oct 4 @ ANA1.5 ptsLikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)
Ian Cole
3games (1 left)
1.5proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ VGKOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Carter Hart (.891)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ UTAOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to DLikely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ BUF1.5 ptsOpp allows 8th-most FP to DSchedule edge −1.0 win%Likely vs Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (.910)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Brad Marchand or Ian Cole in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Brad Marchand projects to 2.26 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ian Cole's 1.30. Marchand had 54 points in 52 games; Cole had 23 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 Ian Cole?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Ian Cole leads in 17 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 Cole done against each other?
- In 23 games against each other in our data, Marchand's team went 10–13. Marchand had 22 points (9 goals) and Cole had 4 (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 →