Who to start · 2025-26
Brandon Hagel vs Cale Makar
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Cale Makar projects to 2.70 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brandon Hagel's 2.15.
Hagel had 74 points in 71 games; Makar had 79 in 75 games.
This week Hagel has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Makar has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Makar for 2.0 ESPN points to Hagel's 1.8.
They split the 34 stats both are ranked on 17–17.
Hagel's biggest edges: Penalty minutes 58, Ascension score 58, High-danger chances 59.0%.
Makar's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 0, Turnover Ledger /60 −0.021, Power-play time per game 4:06.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 1 PPP, 1 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Brandon Hagel
2.15
fantasy points per game
Cale Makar
2.70
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Cale Makar has the edge.
| Points per game from | Hagel | Makar |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.95 | 0.50 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.50 | 0.86 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.07 | 0.21 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.30 | 0.26 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.06 | 0.04 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.25 | 0.83 |
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: Hagel vs Makar
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2021-22 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Hagel 2G 12A, 34 SOG · Makar 7G 9A, 45 SOG
Hagel blocked 5 of Makar's shots; Makar blocked 4 of Hagel's.
On the ice against each other (Hagel's side)
13:25 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Hagel's side
- Shot attempts
- 23–7
- 76.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–0.3
- 71.6%
- Goals
- 2–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Hagel | Makar |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-06 | TBL 4–2 COL | 1G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-11-04 | TBL 2–3 COL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-11-25 | TBL 8–2 COL | 0G 5A 5S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-10-30 | TBL 5–2 COL | 0G 2A 3S | 1G 1A 6S |
| 2024-02-15 | TBL 6–3 COL | 0G 2A 5S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-11-27 | TBL 1–4 COL | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2022-06-26 · PO | TBL 1–2 COL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-06-24 · PO | TBL 3–2 COL | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 1A 5S |
| 2022-06-22 · PO | TBL 2–3 COL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 5S |
| 2022-06-20 · PO | TBL 6–2 COL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 2A 5S |
| 2022-06-18 · PO | TBL 0–7 COL | 0G 0A 1S | 2G 0A 4S |
| 2022-06-15 · PO | TBL 3–4 COL | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
Latest 12 of 16 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.
Brandon Hagel
2games (1 left)
1.8proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 @ NYROpp allows 7th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs WSH1.8 ptsOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge +13.4 win%vs Charlie Lindgren (.879)
Cale Makar
2games (1 left)
2.0proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 vs LAKOpp allows 3rd-most FP to DLikely vs Darcy Kuemper (.891)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs STL2.0 ptsOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to DSchedule edge +10.1 win%vs Jordan Binnington (.873)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Brandon Hagel or Cale Makar in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Cale Makar projects to 2.70 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brandon Hagel's 2.15. Hagel had 74 points in 71 games; Makar had 79 in 75 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, Brandon Hagel or Cale Makar?
- On 2025-26 numbers they split 17–17 across 34 stats where both qualify.
- How have Hagel and Makar done against each other?
- In 16 games against each other in our data, Hagel's team went 6–10. Hagel had 14 points (2 goals) and Makar had 16 (7 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 →