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Who to start · 2025-26

Brad Marchand vs Mikko Rantanen

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Brad Marchand projects to 2.26 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mikko Rantanen's 2.21.

Marchand had 54 points in 52 games; Rantanen had 77 in 64 games.

This week Marchand has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Rantanen has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Marchand for 1.8 ESPN points to Rantanen's 1.6.

Mikko Rantanen has the better number in 22 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.

Marchand's biggest edges: Goals above expected +6.9, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.33, Transition attempts /60 1.94.

Rantanen's biggest edges: On-ice PDO 1046, Plus/minus 0, Faceoffs won 37.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.

Fantasy value: your scoring

Brad Marchand

2.26

fantasy points per game

Mikko Rantanen

2.34

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Mikko Rantanen has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromMarchandRantanen
Goals (+2)1.040.69
Assists (+1)0.520.86
Power-play points (+0.5)0.200.27
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.010.00
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.270.22
Hits (+0.1)0.070.08
Blocks (+0.5)0.150.23

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 Rantanen

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.

MarchandRantanen
7Team record in 14 meetings7
14Points in those games12

Marchand 8G 6A, 30 SOG · Rantanen 4G 8A, 35 SOG

1Faceoffs against each other0

Marchand's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 0–0 · Marchand's defensive zone 1–0 (2023-24)

1Hits on each other0
1Penalties drawn off the other0

On the ice against each other (Marchand's side)

11:58 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Marchand's side

Shot attempts
13–11
54.2%
Expected goals
0.6–0.6
48.2%
Goals
1–1

Games against each other

Games between Brad Marchand and Mikko Rantanen
DateScoreMarchandRantanen
2025-12-13FLA 4–0 DAL2G 1A 2S0G 0A 0S
2025-11-01FLA 4–3 DAL1G 0A 1S1G 1A 2S
2024-10-16BOS 5–3 COL0G 1A 1S1G 2A 4S
2024-01-18BOS 5–2 COL0G 0A 2S0G 0A 0S
2024-01-08BOS 3–4 COL2G 0A 2S1G 0A 4S
2022-12-07BOS 4–0 COL0G 0A 2S0G 0A 2S
2022-12-03BOS 5–1 COL0G 1A 1S0G 0A 2S
2022-01-26BOS 3–4 COL1G 0A 5S0G 0A 3S
2019-12-07BOS 1–4 COL0G 0A 3S0G 0A 2S
2019-10-10BOS 2–4 COL0G 1A 3S0G 1A 2S
2019-02-10BOS 2–1 COL1G 1A 2S0G 0A 1S
2018-11-14BOS 3–6 COL0G 0A 2S1G 2A 4S

Latest 12 of 14 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.

MarchandRantanen

Fantasy box score

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 @ CAR
    Opp allows 9th-most FP to LWLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.895)
  • Thu, Oct 1 @ SJS
    Opp allows 15th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge −1.0 win%Likely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)
  • Sun, Oct 4 @ ANA1.8 pts
    Opp allows 8th-most FP to LWLikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)

Mikko Rantanen

2games (1 left)

1.6proj. ESPN pts

  • Fri, Oct 2 vs STL
    Opp allows 3rd-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Joel Hofer (.910)
  • Sat, Oct 3 @ NSHB2B1.6 pts
    Opp allows 10th-fewest FP to RWSchedule edge −12.9 win%Likely vs Juuse Saros (.893)

FAQ

Should I start Brad Marchand or Mikko Rantanen 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 Mikko Rantanen's 2.21. Marchand had 54 points in 52 games; Rantanen had 77 in 64 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 Mikko Rantanen?
On 2025-26 numbers, Mikko Rantanen leads in 22 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 Rantanen done against each other?
In 14 games against each other in our data, Marchand's team went 7–7. Marchand had 14 points (8 goals) and Rantanen had 12 (4 goals).
Who wins more faceoffs, Marchand or Rantanen?
Against each other, Marchand has won 1 and Rantanen 0 of their 1 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 →