Who to start · 2025-26
Connor McDavid vs Neal Pionk
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Connor McDavid projects to 3.68 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Neal Pionk's 1.66.
McDavid had 138 points in 82 games; Pionk had 12 in 51 games.
This week McDavid has 3 games left with 1 tough matchup; Pionk has 3 left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project McDavid for 9.3 to Pionk's 5.3 over the games left.
Connor McDavid has the better number in 29 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
McDavid's biggest edges: Top skating speed 24.6, High-danger chances 57.5%, 20+ mph bursts 681.
Pionk's biggest edges: Hits 111, On-ice PDO 1017, Hardest shot 90.6.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Connor McDavid rates ahead, +20.7 to +3.7 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: McDavid is rising, 14 P in last 5 (1.85/GP before); Pionk is surging, 5 P in last 5 (0.30/GP before).
- • 2026-27 so far: 8 GP, 6 G, 17 A, 5 PPP, 18 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 1 PPP, 17 SOG.
Edmonton Oilers · Winnipeg Jets · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Connor McDavid
+20.7
category z-score total
Neal Pionk
+3.7
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Connor McDavid has the edge (McDavid wins 5, Pionk wins 1 of 6 categories).
| Category | McDavid | Pionk |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.64 | 0.08 |
| Assists / game | 1.45 | 0.32 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.96 | 0.05 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.65 | 0.07 |
| Shots on goal / game | 3.22 | 1.90 |
| Hits / game | 0.80 | 2.11 |
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 Pionk
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
McDavid 14G 39A, 115 SOG · Pionk 2G 12A, 55 SOG
McDavid blocked 2 of Pionk's shots; Pionk blocked 12 of McDavid's.
On the ice against each other (McDavid's side)
24:28 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from McDavid's side
- Shot attempts
- 31–19
- 62.0%
- Expected goals
- 2.4–0.9
- 73.4%
- Goals
- 1–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | McDavid | Pionk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-08 | EDM 4–3 WPG | 1G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-12-29 | EDM 3–1 WPG | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-12-06 | EDM 6–2 WPG | 0G 2A 5S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-10-09 | EDM 0–6 WPG | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2024-03-26 | EDM 4–3 WPG | 0G 2A 1S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2023-11-30 | EDM 3–1 WPG | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-10-21 | EDM 2–3 WPG | 0G 2A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-03-04 | EDM 5–7 WPG | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2023-03-03 | EDM 6–3 WPG | 0G 3A 6S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2022-12-31 | EDM 1–2 WPG | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 1A 2S |
| 2022-02-19 | EDM 4–2 WPG | 1G 2A 6S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2021-11-18 | EDM 2–1 WPG | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 3S |
Latest 12 of 31 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
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)
Neal Pionk
3games
5.3proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 @ STL1.8 ptsOpp allows 11th-most FP to DLikely vs Joel Hofer (.910)
- Thu, Oct 22 @ DAL1.6 ptsOpp allows the fewest FP to DLikely vs Jake Oettinger (.899)
- Sun, Oct 25 vs MTL1.9 ptsOpp allows 6th-most FP to DLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Connor McDavid or Neal Pionk 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 Neal Pionk's 1.66. McDavid had 138 points in 82 games; Pionk had 12 in 51 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 Neal Pionk?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Connor McDavid leads in 29 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 Pionk done against each other?
- In 31 games against each other in our data, McDavid's team went 17–14. McDavid had 53 points (14 goals) and Pionk had 14 (2 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 →