Who to start · 2025-26
Cale Makar vs Jake DeBrusk
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Cale Makar projects to 2.70 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Jake DeBrusk's 1.42.
Makar had 79 points in 75 games; DeBrusk had 42 in 81 games.
This week Makar has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; DeBrusk has 2 left. We project DeBrusk for 2.7 ESPN points to Makar's 2.0.
Cale Makar has the better number in 28 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Makar's biggest edges: Plus/minus +32, Sequence xG 57.4%, On-ice PDO 1036.
DeBrusk's biggest edges: Hits 66, Transition attempts /60 1.79.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 1 PPP, 1 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Cale Makar
2.70
fantasy points per game
Jake DeBrusk
1.42
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Cale Makar has the edge.
| Points per game from | Makar | DeBrusk |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.50 | 0.50 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.86 | 0.27 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.21 | 0.13 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.26 | 0.26 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.08 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.83 | 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: Makar vs DeBrusk
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2019-20 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Makar 1G 9A, 33 SOG · DeBrusk 7G 3A, 29 SOG
Makar blocked 1 of DeBrusk's shots; DeBrusk blocked 2 of Makar's.
On the ice against each other (Makar's side)
5:29 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Makar's side
- Shot attempts
- 9–3
- 75.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.5–0.1
- 85.8%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Makar | DeBrusk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-02 | COL 3–1 VAN | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-11-09 | COL 5–4 VAN | 0G 2A 3S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2025-04-10 | COL 1–4 VAN | 0G 1A 2S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2025-02-04 | COL 0–3 VAN | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 1A 5S |
| 2024-12-16 | COL 1–3 VAN | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-01-18 | COL 2–5 BOS | 0G 1A 2S | 1G 1A 2S |
| 2024-01-08 | COL 4–3 BOS | 0G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-12-07 | COL 0–4 BOS | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2022-12-03 | COL 1–5 BOS | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2022-01-26 | COL 4–3 BOS | 1G 1A 4S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2022-02-21 | COL 1–5 BOS | 0G 1A 3S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2019-12-07 | COL 4–1 BOS | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
Latest 12 of 13 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.
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)
Jake DeBrusk
4games (2 left)
2.7proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ EDMOpp allows 3rd-most FP to LWLikely vs Tristan Jarry (.882)
- Thu, Oct 1 vs EDMOpp allows 3rd-most FP to LWLikely vs Devon Levi (.682)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs CGY1.4 ptsOpp allows 16th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −3.4 win%Likely vs Dustin Wolf (.899)
- Sun, Oct 4 vs VGKB2B1.3 ptsOpp allows 14th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Carter Hart (.891)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Cale Makar or Jake DeBrusk 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 Jake DeBrusk's 1.42. Makar had 79 points in 75 games; DeBrusk had 42 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, Cale Makar or Jake DeBrusk?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Cale Makar leads in 28 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Makar and DeBrusk done against each other?
- In 13 games against each other in our data, Makar's team went 6–7. Makar had 10 points (1 goals) and DeBrusk had 10 (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 →