Who to start · 2025-26
Connor McDavid vs Nick Cousins
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Connor McDavid projects to 3.76 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Nick Cousins's 0.95.
McDavid had 138 points in 82 games; Cousins had 23 in 81 games.
This week McDavid has 2 games left with 2 tough matchups; Cousins has 3 left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project McDavid for 6.1 to Cousins's 2.7 over the games left.
Connor McDavid has the better number in 24 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
McDavid's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 +1.05, Power-play share 88.5%, Ascension score 80.
Cousins's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.036, Hits 169, Hardest shot 86.6.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Connor McDavid rates ahead, +21.0 to -3.1 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: McDavid is rising, 14 P in last 5 (2.00/GP before); Cousins is falling, On-ice xGF/60 1.08 (was 2.12).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 6 G, 20 A, 8 PPP, 22 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
Edmonton Oilers · Ottawa Senators · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Connor McDavid
+21.0
category z-score total
Nick Cousins
-3.1
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Connor McDavid has the edge (McDavid wins 5, Cousins wins 1 of 6 categories).
| Category | McDavid | Cousins |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.62 | 0.11 |
| Assists / game | 1.52 | 0.15 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.84 | -0.10 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.74 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal / game | 3.25 | 0.78 |
| Hits / game | 0.85 | 1.93 |
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 Cousins
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 13G 19A, 71 SOG · Cousins 2G 3A, 33 SOG
McDavid's offensive zone 2–1 · neutral 0–0 · McDavid's defensive zone 1–0 (2017-18 to 2018-19)
McDavid blocked 1 of Cousins's shots; Cousins blocked 2 of McDavid's.
On the ice against each other (McDavid's side)
7:15 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from McDavid's side
- Shot attempts
- 6–4
- 60.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.1
- 63.0%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | McDavid | Cousins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-03 | EDM 5–4 OTT | 0G 2A 4S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2025-10-21 | EDM 3–2 OTT | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-12-22 | EDM 3–1 OTT | 0G 1A 2S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2024-11-19 | EDM 5–2 OTT | 2G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-06-21 · PO | EDM 5–1 FLA | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-12-16 | EDM 1–5 FLA | 0G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-11-20 | EDM 3–5 FLA | 2G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-11-28 | EDM 4–3 FLA | 1G 2A 5S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2022-11-12 | EDM 4–2 FLA | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-04-14 | EDM 4–0 NSH | 0G 2A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-01-27 | EDM 3–2 NSH | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2021-11-03 | EDM 5–2 NSH | 0G 2A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
Latest 12 of 22 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 (2 left)
6.1proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs MINOpp allows 14th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs CAR2.9 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 vs TOR3.2 pts
Nick Cousins
3games
2.7proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs FLA0.9 ptsOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs NYR0.8 ptsOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Connor McDavid or Nick Cousins 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 Nick Cousins's 0.95. McDavid had 138 points in 82 games; Cousins had 23 in 81 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 Nick Cousins?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Connor McDavid leads in 24 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 Cousins done against each other?
- In 22 games against each other in our data, McDavid's team went 17–5. McDavid had 32 points (13 goals) and Cousins had 5 (2 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, McDavid or Cousins?
- Against each other, McDavid has won 3 and Cousins 1 of their 4 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 →