Who to start · 2025-26
Connor McDavid vs Mikael Granlund
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Connor McDavid projects to 3.68 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mikael Granlund's 1.94.
McDavid had 138 points in 82 games; Granlund had 41 in 58 games.
This week McDavid has 3 games left with 1 tough matchup; Granlund has 3 left with 1 tough matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project McDavid for 9.3 to Granlund's 5.2 over the games left.
Connor McDavid has the better number in 30 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
McDavid's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 2.12, Plus/minus +17, Top skating speed 24.6.
Granlund's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.072, Blocked shots 41, Goals above expected +1.7.
Head to head on the dot, McDavid leads Granlund 37–35.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Connor McDavid rates ahead, +20.7 to +2.6 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: McDavid is rising, 14 P in last 5 (1.85/GP before); Granlund is cooling, On-ice xGF/60 2.38 (was 3.38).
- • 2026-27 so far: 8 GP, 6 G, 17 A, 5 PPP, 18 SOG.
- • Granlund has played 7 of the Ducks' 8 games since Oct 2 (in and out of the lineup).
- • 2026-27 so far: 7 GP, 2 G, 6 A, 4 PPP, 14 SOG.
Edmonton Oilers · Anaheim Ducks · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Connor McDavid
+20.7
category z-score total
Mikael Granlund
+2.6
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Connor McDavid has the edge (McDavid wins 6, Granlund wins 0 of 6 categories).
| Category | McDavid | Granlund |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.64 | 0.31 |
| Assists / game | 1.45 | 0.53 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.96 | -0.20 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.65 | 0.33 |
| Shots on goal / game | 3.22 | 2.01 |
| Hits / game | 0.80 | 0.38 |
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 Granlund
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
McDavid 18G 48A, 110 SOG · Granlund 7G 16A, 51 SOG
McDavid's offensive zone 9–9 · neutral 13–14 · McDavid's defensive zone 15–12 (2017-18 to 2026-27)
McDavid blocked 0 of Granlund's shots; Granlund blocked 2 of McDavid's.
On the ice against each other (McDavid's side)
44:49 at 5-on-5 over 9 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from McDavid's side
- Shot attempts
- 31–52
- 37.3%
- Expected goals
- 1.8–2.4
- 42.9%
- Goals
- 0–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | McDavid | Granlund |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-07 | EDM 5–2 ANA | 1G 2A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 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 3S |
| 2026-04-26 · PO | EDM 3–4 ANA | 0G 2A 3S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2026-04-24 · PO | EDM 4–7 ANA | 1G 1A 3S | 1G 3A 2S |
| 2026-04-22 · PO | EDM 4–6 ANA | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2026-04-20 · PO | EDM 4–3 ANA | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2026-03-28 | EDM 4–2 ANA | 1G 2A 6S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-01-26 | EDM 7–4 ANA | 1G 1A 3S | 3G 0A 5S |
| 2025-05-29 · PO | EDM 6–3 DAL | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-05-27 · PO | EDM 4–1 DAL | 0G 2A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-05-25 · PO | EDM 6–1 DAL | 2G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
Latest 12 of 34 meetings.
Faceoffs: McDavid vs Granlund
Model: Connor McDavid wins 50.5% of draws against Mikael Granlund 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 | 58% | 42% | 59% | 43% | 51% | 59% | 43% | 60% | 44% |
| Road | 57% | 41% | 58% | 42% | 50% | 58% | 42% | 59% | 43% |
Head-to-head 2023-24 to 2026-27: McDavid 27–25 (51.9%). Blended with the model: 50.6%. The record is normal luck for this matchup (z 0.2); 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
9.3proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs MIN3.2 pts
- Thu, Oct 22 vs CAR2.8 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 vs TOR3.3 ptsOpp allows 13th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
Mikael Granlund
4games (3 left)
5.2proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 @ NYROpp allows 5th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
- Thu, Oct 22 @ NJD1.8 ptsOpp allows 16th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jake Allen (.904)
- Sat, Oct 24 @ PHI1.9 ptsOpp allows 11th-most FP to CLikely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Connor McDavid or Mikael Granlund in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Connor McDavid projects to 3.68 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mikael Granlund's 1.94. McDavid had 138 points in 82 games; Granlund had 41 in 58 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 Mikael Granlund?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Connor McDavid leads in 30 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have McDavid and Granlund done against each other?
- In 34 games against each other in our data, McDavid's team went 25–9. McDavid had 66 points (18 goals) and Granlund had 23 (7 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, McDavid or Granlund?
- Against each other, McDavid has won 37 and Granlund 35 of their 72 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 →