Who to start · 2025-26
Brady Tkachuk vs Mika Zibanejad
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mika Zibanejad projects to 2.27 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brady Tkachuk's 2.16.
Tkachuk had 59 points in 60 games; Zibanejad had 78 in 81 games.
This week Tkachuk has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Zibanejad has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Tkachuk for 2.3 ESPN points to Zibanejad's 1.4.
They split the 36 stats both are ranked on 18–18.
Tkachuk's biggest edges: Plus/minus +4, Penalty minutes 71, Transition attempts /60 2.80.
Zibanejad's biggest edges: Goals above expected +5.8, Blocked shots 50, 20+ mph bursts 124.
Head to head on the dot, Tkachuk leads Zibanejad 25–21.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 3 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Brady Tkachuk
2.16
fantasy points per game
Mika Zibanejad
2.27
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Mika Zibanejad has the edge.
| Points per game from | Tkachuk | Zibanejad |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.65 | 0.81 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.54 | 0.51 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.15 | 0.21 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.35 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.29 | 0.14 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.17 | 0.34 |
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: Tkachuk vs Zibanejad
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2018-19 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Tkachuk 10G 11A, 77 SOG · Zibanejad 7G 15A, 52 SOG
Tkachuk's offensive zone 21–16 · neutral 4–4 · Tkachuk's defensive zone 0–1 (2018-19 to 2025-26)
Tkachuk blocked 0 of Zibanejad's shots; Zibanejad blocked 1 of Tkachuk's.
On the ice against each other (Tkachuk's side)
12:36 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Tkachuk's side
- Shot attempts
- 15–9
- 62.5%
- Expected goals
- 0.7–0.3
- 68.9%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Tkachuk | Zibanejad |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-23 | OTT 2–1 NYR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2026-01-14 | OTT 8–4 NYR | 1G 3A 6S | 0G 2A 5S |
| 2025-12-04 | OTT 2–4 NYR | 0G 1A 5S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2025-03-08 | OTT 4–3 NYR | 2G 0A 9S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2025-01-21 | OTT 0–5 NYR | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2024-11-01 | OTT 1–2 NYR | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-04-15 | OTT 0–4 NYR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2024-01-27 | OTT 2–7 NYR | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 2A 0S |
| 2023-12-05 | OTT 6–2 NYR | 2G 0A 8S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2023-03-02 | OTT 5–3 NYR | 0G 2A 2S | 0G 2A 3S |
| 2022-12-02 | OTT 3–2 NYR | 2G 1A 8S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2022-11-30 | OTT 1–3 NYR | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 4S |
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.
Brady Tkachuk
3games (1 left)
2.3proj. 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 @ ANA2.3 ptsOpp allows 8th-most FP to LWLikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)
Mika Zibanejad
4games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ BOSOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)
- Thu, Oct 1 vs TBLOpp allows 11th-most FP to CLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Fri, Oct 2 @ DETB2BOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs John Gibson (.901)
- Sun, Oct 4 vs UTA1.4 ptsOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Brady Tkachuk or Mika Zibanejad in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mika Zibanejad projects to 2.27 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brady Tkachuk's 2.16. Tkachuk had 59 points in 60 games; Zibanejad had 78 in 81 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 Tkachuk or Mika Zibanejad?
- On 2025-26 numbers they split 18–18 across 36 stats where both qualify.
- How have Tkachuk and Zibanejad done against each other?
- In 19 games against each other in our data, Tkachuk's team went 8–11. Tkachuk had 21 points (10 goals) and Zibanejad had 22 (7 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Tkachuk or Zibanejad?
- Against each other, Tkachuk has won 25 and Zibanejad 21 of their 46 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 →