Who to start · 2025-26
Connor McDavid vs Kaapo Kakko
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Connor McDavid projects to 3.76 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Kaapo Kakko's 1.22.
McDavid had 138 points in 82 games; Kakko had 40 in 65 games.
This week McDavid has 2 games left with 1 tough matchup; Kakko has 2 left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project McDavid for 6.1 to Kakko's 2.4 over the games left.
Connor McDavid has the better number in 28 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
McDavid's biggest edges: 20+ mph bursts 681, Top skating speed 24.6, High-danger chances 57.5%.
Kakko's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.048, On-ice PDO 1055, Hardest shot 87.3.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Connor McDavid rates ahead, +21.0 to +1.0 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: McDavid is rising, 14 P in last 5 (2.00/GP before); Kakko is cooling, 0% of 5v5 TOI with top players (was 63%).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 6 G, 20 A, 8 PPP, 22 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 2 G, 6 A, 1 PPP, 8 SOG.
Edmonton Oilers · Seattle Kraken · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Connor McDavid
+21.0
category z-score total
Kaapo Kakko
+1.0
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Connor McDavid has the edge (McDavid wins 6, Kakko wins 0 of 6 categories).
| Category | McDavid | Kakko |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.62 | 0.20 |
| Assists / game | 1.52 | 0.49 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.84 | 0.25 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.74 | 0.11 |
| Shots on goal / game | 3.25 | 1.04 |
| Hits / game | 0.85 | 0.56 |
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 Kakko
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2019-20 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
McDavid 11G 11A, 47 SOG · Kakko 1G 4A, 10 SOG
McDavid's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 0–0 · McDavid's defensive zone 0–1 (2024-25)
On the ice against each other (McDavid's side)
12:37 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from McDavid's side
- Shot attempts
- 9–5
- 64.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.5–0.1
- 80.4%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | McDavid | Kakko |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-03 | EDM 3–1 SEA | 1G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2026-03-31 | EDM 3–0 SEA | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-12-04 | EDM 9–4 SEA | 3G 1A 7S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2025-11-29 | EDM 4–0 SEA | 1G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-01-27 | EDM 4–2 SEA | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-01-04 | EDM 4–2 SEA | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2024-11-23 | EDM 6–2 NYR | 2G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-02-17 | EDM 4–5 NYR | 0G 2A 4S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2022-11-26 | EDM 4–3 NYR | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-01-03 | EDM 1–4 NYR | 0G 0A 7S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2021-11-05 | EDM 6–5 NYR | 1G 2A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2019-12-31 | EDM 7–5 NYR | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
Latest 12 of 13 meetings.
Faceoffs: McDavid vs Kakko
Model: Connor McDavid wins 54.4% of draws against Kaapo Kakko 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.
| McDavid at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 62% | 46% | 63% | 47% | 55% | 63% | 47% | 64% | 48% |
| Road | 61% | 44% | 62% | 46% | 54% | 62% | 46% | 63% | 47% |
Head-to-head 2024-25: McDavid 0–1 (0.0%). Blended with the model: 54.3%. The record is a bit unusual for this matchup (z -1.1); pair-specific edges are about ±2 points, so the model carries most of the weight.
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
Connor McDavid
3games (2 left)
6.1proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs MINOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs CAR2.8 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 vs TOR3.3 ptsOpp allows 13th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
Kaapo Kakko
3games (2 left)
2.4proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs DETOpp allows 13th-most FP to RWLikely vs Daniil Tarasov (.895)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs UTA1.4 ptsOpp allows 10th-most FP to RWLikely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs MIN1.0 ptsOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Connor McDavid or Kaapo Kakko in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Connor McDavid projects to 3.76 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Kaapo Kakko's 1.22. McDavid had 138 points in 82 games; Kakko had 40 in 65 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 Kaapo Kakko?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Connor McDavid 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 McDavid and Kakko done against each other?
- In 13 games against each other in our data, McDavid's team went 11–2. McDavid had 22 points (11 goals) and Kakko had 5 (1 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, McDavid or Kakko?
- Against each other, McDavid has won 0 and Kakko 1 of their 1 head-to-head draws.
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 →