Who to start · 2025-26
Brent Burns vs Pavel Zacha
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Pavel Zacha projects to 1.70 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brent Burns's 1.38.
Burns had 35 points in 82 games; Zacha had 65 in 78 games.
This week Burns has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Zacha has 1 left. We project Zacha for 1.0 ESPN points to Burns's 0.9.
Brent Burns has the better number in 18 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Burns's biggest edges: High-danger chances 56.1%, Forecheck xG /60 0.38, Transition attempts /60 0.90.
Zacha's biggest edges: Hits 64, Turnover Ledger /60 −0.019, Power-play share 65.7%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Brent Burns
1.38
fantasy points per game
Pavel Zacha
1.70
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Pavel Zacha has the edge.
| Points per game from | Burns | Zacha |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.27 | 0.68 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.33 | 0.40 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.12 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.20 | 0.18 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.03 | 0.08 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.55 | 0.24 |
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: Burns vs Zacha
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.
Burns 1G 7A, 51 SOG · Zacha 0G 9A, 33 SOG
Burns blocked 0 of Zacha's shots; Zacha blocked 2 of Burns's.
On the ice against each other (Burns's side)
6:21 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Burns's side
- Shot attempts
- 10–4
- 71.4%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.4
- 34.4%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Burns | Zacha |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-25 | COL 2–3 BOS | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-10-18 | COL 4–1 BOS | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-04-05 | CAR 1–5 BOS | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-03-06 | CAR 3–2 BOS | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2024-10-31 | CAR 8–2 BOS | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-04-09 | CAR 4–1 BOS | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-04-04 | CAR 1–4 BOS | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2024-01-24 | CAR 3–2 BOS | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-03-26 | CAR 3–4 BOS | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 5S |
| 2023-01-29 | CAR 4–1 BOS | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2022-11-25 | CAR 2–3 BOS | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2021-11-30 | SJS 5–2 NJD | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 4S |
Latest 12 of 18 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.
Brent Burns
2games (1 left)
0.9proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 vs LAKOpp allows 3rd-most FP to DLikely vs Darcy Kuemper (.891)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs STL0.9 ptsOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to DSchedule edge +10.1 win%vs Jordan Binnington (.873)
Pavel Zacha
3games (1 left)
1.0proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs NYROpp allows 15th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
- Fri, Oct 2 @ WPGOpp allows 4th-most FP to CLikely vs Stuart Skinner (.888)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ MINB2B1.0 ptsOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −12.7 win%vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Brent Burns or Pavel Zacha in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Pavel Zacha projects to 1.70 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brent Burns's 1.38. Burns had 35 points in 82 games; Zacha had 65 in 78 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, Brent Burns or Pavel Zacha?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Brent Burns leads in 18 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Burns and Zacha done against each other?
- In 18 games against each other in our data, Burns's team went 10–8. Burns had 8 points (1 goals) and Zacha had 9 (0 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 →