Who to start · 2025-26
Brandon Saad vs Macklin Celebrini
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Macklin Celebrini projects to 3.00 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brandon Saad's 0.61.
Saad had 9 points in 49 games; Celebrini had 115 in 82 games.
This week Saad has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Celebrini has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Celebrini for 3.0 ESPN points to Saad's 0.7.
Macklin Celebrini has the better number in 22 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.
Saad's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.044, High-danger chances 56.4%, Fenwick 52.6%.
Celebrini's biggest edges: Luck Meter +77, Goals above expected +5.9, Hardest shot 97.9.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 1 PPP, 7 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Brandon Saad
0.61
fantasy points per game
Macklin Celebrini
2.89
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Macklin Celebrini has the edge.
| Points per game from | Saad | Celebrini |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.12 | 1.10 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.12 | 0.85 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.20 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.16 | 0.35 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.02 | 0.06 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.18 | 0.32 |
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: Saad vs Celebrini
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2024-25 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Saad 0G 1A, 4 SOG · Celebrini 3G 3A, 12 SOG
Saad's offensive zone 0–1 · neutral 0–0 · Saad's defensive zone 0–0 (2024-25)
On the ice against each other (Saad's side)
10:08 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Saad's side
- Shot attempts
- 8–9
- 47.1%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.6
- 28.7%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Saad | Celebrini |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-23 | VGK 7–2 SJS | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2025-10-09 | VGK 4–3 SJS | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-12-12 | STL 3–4 SJS | 0G 0A 0S | 2G 1A 6S |
| 2024-11-21 | STL 3–2 SJS | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 2A 3S |
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 Saad
3games (1 left)
0.7proj. ESPN pts (season rate)
- Tue, Sep 29 vs CHIOpp allows 2nd-most FP to LWLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
- Fri, Oct 2 vs ANALikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)
- Sun, Oct 4 @ VAN0.7 ptsOpp allows 5th-most FP to LWSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
Macklin Celebrini
2games (1 left)
3.0proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs FLAOpp allows 9th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs LAK3.0 ptsOpp allows the most FP to CSchedule edge +3.3 win%Likely vs Anton Forsberg (.910)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Brandon Saad or Macklin Celebrini in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Macklin Celebrini projects to 3.00 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brandon Saad's 0.61. Saad had 9 points in 49 games; Celebrini had 115 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, Brandon Saad or Macklin Celebrini?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Macklin Celebrini 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 Saad and Celebrini done against each other?
- In 4 games against each other in our data, Saad's team went 3–1. Saad had 1 points (0 goals) and Celebrini had 6 (3 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Saad or Celebrini?
- Against each other, Saad has won 0 and Celebrini 1 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 →