Who to start · 2026-27
Brady Skjei vs Esa Lindell
In 2026-27, Esa Lindell scored 1.38 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brady Skjei's 1.22.
Skjei had 6 points in 20 games; Lindell had 1 in 14 games.
This week Skjei has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Lindell has 1 left. In ESPN default points scoring we project Lindell for 1.5 to Skjei's 1.3 over the games left.
Esa Lindell has the better number in 11 of the 14 stats both are ranked on.
Skjei's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 0.60, Luck Meter −14, Ascension score 52.
Lindell's biggest edges: Sequence xG 53.3%, Expected goals 54.0%, Turnover Ledger /60 −0.069.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Brady Skjei rates ahead, -2.6 to -3.0 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Skjei is steady, +0:50 PP TOI; Lindell is rising, +4:43 TOI a game.
- • Skjei, last 10 games (Oct 25–Nov 13): 0 G, 4 A, 0 PPP, 9 SOG.
- • Lindell has played 10 of the Stars' 15 games since Oct 10 (in and out of the lineup).
- • Lindell, last 10 games (Oct 10–Nov 14): 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 15 SOG.
Nashville Predators · Dallas Stars · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Under Standard (6 categories), Brady Skjei has the edge (Skjei wins 2, Lindell wins 2 of 6 categories).
| Category | Skjei | Lindell |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Assists / game | 0.30 | 0.07 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.25 | 0.21 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.00 | 1.21 |
| Hits / game | 1.20 | 0.43 |
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: Skjei vs Lindell
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Skjei 0G 5A, 58 SOG · Lindell 0G 2A, 45 SOG
Skjei blocked 0 of Lindell's shots; Lindell blocked 3 of Skjei's.
On the ice against each other (Skjei's side)
25:40 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Skjei's side
- Shot attempts
- 21–27
- 43.8%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–1.4
- 31.9%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Skjei | Lindell |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-03 | NSH 2–1 DAL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2026-02-28 | NSH 2–3 DAL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-11-08 | NSH 4–5 DAL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-10-26 | NSH 2–3 DAL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-04-16 | NSH 5–1 DAL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-04-03 | NSH 1–5 DAL | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-12-12 | NSH 4–1 DAL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-10-10 | NSH 3–4 DAL | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-02-24 | CAR 1–2 DAL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-02-13 | CAR 2–4 DAL | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-01-25 | CAR 3–2 DAL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-12-17 | CAR 5–4 DAL | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
Latest 12 of 25 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, Luck & trend, NHL EDGE tracking continue below
Every stat, side by side (continued)
Transition, turnovers & faceoffs
Usage
Special teams & discipline
This week's schedule
Nov 9 to Nov 15. 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
Brady Skjei
4games (1 left)
1.3proj. ESPN default pts
Esa Lindell
3games (1 left)
1.5proj. ESPN default pts
- Thu, Nov 12 vs WPGOpp allows 11th-most FP to DLikely vs Stuart Skinner (.880)
- Sat, Nov 14 vs BUFOpp allows 16th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Alex Lyon (.909)
- Opp allows 13th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Akira Schmid (.883)
Player data stories
How the game changed, told through the numbers.
- In 2022-23, Four NHL Players Wore a Number in the 90s for Every One in No. 9 The count was 53 to 13, and the incomplete 2025-26 rosters show the same split, 51 to 12.
- The 1,000-Game Club Had Its Biggest Year. Getting In Is No Easier. Seventeen players reached 1,000 NHL games in 2025-26, more than in any season before, in the biggest league the NHL has had.
- Only 14 NHL Defencemen Still Score Like Ken Daneyko A stay-at-home defenceman stays back to defend and leaves the scoring to others.
- How Much Lighter Did the NHL Really Get? Teams write down NHL weights.
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Brady Skjei or Esa Lindell in fantasy hockey?
- In 2026-27, Esa Lindell scored 1.38 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brady Skjei's 1.22. Skjei had 6 points in 20 games; Lindell had 1 in 14 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, Brady Skjei or Esa Lindell?
- On 2026-27 numbers, Esa Lindell leads in 11 of 14 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Skjei and Lindell done against each other?
- In 25 games against each other in our data, Skjei's team went 10–15. Skjei had 5 points (0 goals) and Lindell had 2 (0 goals).
2026-27 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 →