Who to start · 2025-26
Brandon Saad vs Nikita Kucherov
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Kucherov projects to 3.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brandon Saad's 0.61.
Saad had 9 points in 49 games; Kucherov had 130 in 77 games.
This week Saad has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Kucherov has 1 left. We project Kucherov for 2.5 ESPN points to Saad's 0.7.
Nikita Kucherov has the better number in 29 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.
Saad's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.044, Faceoffs won 9, Top skating speed 22.6.
Kucherov's biggest edges: Luck Meter +49, Power-play time per game 4:04, Power-play share 84.4%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Brandon Saad
0.61
fantasy points per game
Nikita Kucherov
3.04
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Nikita Kucherov has the edge.
| Points per game from | Saad | Kucherov |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.12 | 1.14 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.12 | 1.12 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.24 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.16 | 0.30 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.02 | 0.05 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.18 | 0.19 |
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 Kucherov
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.
Saad 1G 2A, 24 SOG · Kucherov 8G 14A, 41 SOG
Saad blocked 0 of Kucherov's shots; Kucherov blocked 1 of Saad's.
On the ice against each other (Saad's side)
5:33 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Saad's side
- Shot attempts
- 5–6
- 45.5%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.3
- 20.7%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Saad | Kucherov |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-06 | VGK 3–6 TBL | 0G 0A 2S | 2G 1A 5S |
| 2025-10-26 | VGK 1–2 TBL | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2025-03-23 | VGK 4–2 TBL | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 6S |
| 2024-12-19 | STL 1–3 TBL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2024-11-05 | STL 3–2 TBL | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 2A 3S |
| 2023-12-19 | STL 1–6 TBL | 0G 0A 1S | 2G 0A 3S |
| 2023-11-14 | STL 5–0 TBL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2023-01-14 | STL 2–4 TBL | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2022-11-25 | STL 2–5 TBL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 3A 2S |
| 2020-02-27 | CHI 5–2 TBL | 1G 1A 1S | 1G 1A 2S |
| 2018-11-23 | CHI 2–4 TBL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 3A 1S |
| 2018-10-21 | CHI 3–6 TBL | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 1A 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.
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)
Nikita Kucherov
2games (1 left)
2.5proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 @ NYROpp allows 13th-most FP to RWLikely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs WSH2.5 ptsSchedule edge +13.4 win%vs Charlie Lindgren (.879)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Brandon Saad or Nikita Kucherov in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Kucherov projects to 3.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brandon Saad's 0.61. Saad had 9 points in 49 games; Kucherov had 130 in 77 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 Nikita Kucherov?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nikita Kucherov leads in 29 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 Kucherov done against each other?
- In 14 games against each other in our data, Saad's team went 4–10. Saad had 3 points (1 goals) and Kucherov had 22 (8 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 →