Who to start · 2025-26
Chris Kreider vs Connor McMichael
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Chris Kreider projects to 1.34 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Connor McMichael's 1.32.
Kreider had 50 points in 75 games; McMichael had 46 in 78 games.
This week Kreider has 2 games left with 1 soft matchup; McMichael has 2 left with 2 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Kreider for 2.8 to McMichael's 2.3 over the games left.
Chris Kreider has the better number in 19 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Kreider's biggest edges: Offensive-zone time 44.5%, Fenwick 55.5%, Corsi 55.9%.
McMichael's biggest edges: Blocked shots 45, On-ice PDO 1019, Plus/minus +8.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Chris Kreider rates ahead, +0.2 to -0.4 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Kreider is falling, On-ice xGF/60 2.16 (was 3.65); McMichael is steady, ixG/60 0.46 (was 0.99).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 0 PPP, 8 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 2 G, 4 A, 2 PPP, 12 SOG.
Montreal Canadiens · St. Louis Blues · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Chris Kreider
+0.2
category z-score total
Connor McMichael
-0.4
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Chris Kreider has the edge (Kreider wins 3, McMichael wins 3 of 6 categories).
| Category | Kreider | McMichael |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.23 | 0.20 |
| Assists / game | 0.36 | 0.42 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.12 | -0.10 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.15 | 0.12 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.49 | 1.64 |
| Hits / game | 1.20 | 0.49 |
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 scoring choice is shared with Who Should I Start: saved on this device, and on your account when you are signed in.
Head-to-head: Kreider vs McMichael
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.
Kreider 6G 3A, 34 SOG · McMichael 3G 5A, 37 SOG
On the ice against each other (Kreider's side)
9:46 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Kreider's side
- Shot attempts
- 11–6
- 64.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.2
- 42.7%
- Goals
- 1–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Kreider | McMichael |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-05 | ANA 4–7 WSH | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 4A 2S |
| 2025-12-05 | ANA 4–3 WSH | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-01-04 | NYR 4–7 WSH | 1G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2024-10-29 | NYR 3–5 WSH | 1G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 10S |
| 2024-04-28 · PO | NYR 4–2 WSH | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-04-26 · PO | NYR 3–1 WSH | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2024-04-23 · PO | NYR 4–3 WSH | 0G 1A 2S | 1G 0A 6S |
| 2024-04-21 · PO | NYR 4–1 WSH | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-01-14 | NYR 2–1 WSH | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-01-13 | NYR 2–3 WSH | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2023-12-27 | NYR 5–1 WSH | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-12-09 | NYR 0–4 WSH | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
Latest 12 of 14 meetings.
Faceoffs: Kreider vs McMichael
Model: Chris Kreider wins 43.1% of draws against Connor McMichael on average (L shot vs L shot). Same-handed, so the dot decides who is on his strong side; the gap between the left and right dots is the real matchup.
| Kreider at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 47% | 38% | 48% | 40% | 43% | 48% | 40% | 49% | 41% |
| Road | 46% | 37% | 47% | 38% | 43% | 47% | 38% | 48% | 39% |
They have not faced each other on a draw in the seasons we track.
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
Oct 19 to Oct 25. 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 cover the games left: Edgehalla's rest-of-season rates per game, adjusted for each opponent's scoring allowed, in ESPN default points.
Scored in ESPN default points (G 2, A 1, PPP 0.5, SHP 0.5, SOG 0.1, HIT 0.1, BLK 0.5). Use your league's scoring
Chris Kreider
3games (2 left)
2.8proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs SJS
- Fri, Oct 23 @ CHI1.5 ptsOpp allows 9th-most FP to LWLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
- Sun, Oct 25 @ WPG1.3 ptsOpp allows 13th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Stuart Skinner (.888)
Connor McMichael
3games (2 left)
2.3proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs WPGOpp allows 13th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Stuart Skinner (.888)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs VGK1.2 ptsOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Carter Hart (.891)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs CAR1.2 ptsOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Pyotr Kochetkov (.899)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Chris Kreider or Connor McMichael in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Chris Kreider projects to 1.34 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Connor McMichael's 1.32. Kreider had 50 points in 75 games; McMichael had 46 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, Chris Kreider or Connor McMichael?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Chris Kreider leads in 19 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Kreider and McMichael done against each other?
- In 14 games against each other in our data, Kreider's team went 9–5. Kreider had 9 points (6 goals) and McMichael had 8 (3 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 →