Who to start · 2026-27
Connor McDavid vs Drew Helleson
In 2026-27, Connor McDavid scored 4.06 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Drew Helleson's 1.47.
McDavid had 50 points in 21 games; Helleson had 2 in 13 games.
This week McDavid has 1 game left; Helleson has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project McDavid for 3.7 to Helleson's 1.4 over the games left.
Connor McDavid has the better number in 12 of the 14 stats both are ranked on.
McDavid's biggest edges: Luck Meter +78, Scoring chances 63.7%, High-danger chances 60.5%.
Helleson's biggest edges: Ascension score 59, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.057, Transition attempts /60 0.29.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Connor McDavid rates ahead, +16.2 to -2.0 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: McDavid is cooling, 10 P in last 5 (2.50/GP before); Helleson is rising, +4:47 TOI a game.
- • McDavid, last 10 games (Oct 26–Nov 14): 3 G, 14 A, 8 PPP, 30 SOG.
- • Helleson has played 10 of the Ducks' 11 games since Oct 22 (in and out of the lineup).
- • Helleson, last 10 games (Oct 22–Nov 14): 0 G, 2 A, 0 PPP, 11 SOG.
Edmonton Oilers · Anaheim Ducks · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Under Standard (6 categories), Connor McDavid has the edge (McDavid wins 5, Helleson wins 1 of 6 categories).
| Category | McDavid | Helleson |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.52 | 0.00 |
| Assists / game | 1.86 | 0.15 |
| Plus/minus / game | 1.24 | -0.15 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.95 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal / game | 2.76 | 1.15 |
| Hits / game | 0.90 | 1.62 |
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: McDavid vs Helleson
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2024-25 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
McDavid 5G 14A, 36 SOG · Helleson 1G 2A, 9 SOG
On the ice against each other (McDavid's side)
20:20 at 5-on-5 over 6 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from McDavid's side
- Shot attempts
- 10–15
- 40.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.3–0.4
- 46.9%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | McDavid | Helleson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-11-05 | EDM 4–5 ANA | 1G 3A 3S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2026-04-30 · PO | EDM 2–5 ANA | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2026-04-28 · PO | EDM 4–1 ANA | 0G 2A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-04-26 · PO | EDM 3–4 ANA | 0G 2A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-04-24 · PO | EDM 4–7 ANA | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2026-04-22 · PO | EDM 4–6 ANA | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-03-28 | EDM 4–2 ANA | 1G 2A 6S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-01-26 | EDM 7–4 ANA | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-03-04 | EDM 2–6 ANA | 1G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-01-03 | EDM 3–2 ANA | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-12-29 | EDM 3–5 ANA | 0G 2A 2S | 1G 0A 1S |
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, Luck & trend, NHL EDGE tracking continue below
Every stat, side by side (continued)
Transition, turnovers & faceoffs
Usage
Special teams & discipline
This week's schedule
Nov 9 to Nov 15. 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
Connor McDavid
4games (1 left)
3.7proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Nov 9 vs NYROpp allows 7th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Dylan Garand (.910)
- Wed, Nov 11 vs PHIOpp allows 16th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Dan Vladar (.879)
- Sat, Nov 14 @ TOROpp allows 16th-most FP to CLikely vs Anthony Stolarz (.905)
- Opp allows 16th-fewest FP to Cvs Dan Vladar (.879)
Drew Helleson
3games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Nov 11 vs NSH
- Sat, Nov 14 vs NYIOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Semyon Varlamov (.899)
- Opp allows 4th-most FP to Dvs Devin Cooley (.914)
Player data stories
How the game changed, told through the numbers.
- In 2022-23, Four NHL Players Wore a Number in the 90s for Every One in No. 9 The count was 53 to 13, and the incomplete 2025-26 rosters show the same split, 51 to 12.
- The 1,000-Game Club Had Its Biggest Year. Getting In Is No Easier. Seventeen players reached 1,000 NHL games in 2025-26, more than in any season before, in the biggest league the NHL has had.
- Only 14 NHL Defencemen Still Score Like Ken Daneyko A stay-at-home defenceman stays back to defend and leaves the scoring to others.
- How Much Lighter Did the NHL Really Get? Teams write down NHL weights.
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Connor McDavid or Drew Helleson in fantasy hockey?
- In 2026-27, Connor McDavid scored 4.06 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Drew Helleson's 1.47. McDavid had 50 points in 21 games; Helleson had 2 in 13 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, Connor McDavid or Drew Helleson?
- On 2026-27 numbers, Connor McDavid leads in 12 of 14 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have McDavid and Helleson done against each other?
- In 11 games against each other in our data, McDavid's team went 4–7. McDavid had 19 points (5 goals) and Helleson had 3 (1 goals).
2026-27 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 →