Who to start · 2025-26
Connor McDavid vs Ryan Strome
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Connor McDavid projects to 3.76 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan Strome's 0.92.
McDavid had 138 points in 82 games; Strome had 21 in 52 games.
This week McDavid has 2 games left with 2 tough matchups; Strome has 2 left. In ESPN default points scoring we project McDavid for 6.1 to Strome's 1.8 over the games left.
Connor McDavid has the better number in 33 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
McDavid's biggest edges: Top skating speed 24.6, 20+ mph bursts 681, Net penalties drawn /60 +1.05.
Strome's biggest edges: Goals above expected +1.7, Luck Meter +17, Turnover Ledger /60 −0.049.
Head to head on the dot, Strome leads McDavid 25–24.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Connor McDavid rates ahead, +21.0 to -4.2 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: McDavid is rising, 14 P in last 5 (2.00/GP before); Strome is steady, On-ice xGF/60 3.42 (was 1.91).
- • McDavid, 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 6 G, 20 A, 8 PPP, 22 SOG.
- • Strome, 2026-27 so far: 8 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 0 PPP, 18 SOG.
Edmonton Oilers · Calgary Flames · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Connor McDavid
+21.0
category z-score total
Ryan Strome
-4.2
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Connor McDavid has the edge (McDavid wins 6, Strome wins 0 of 6 categories).
| Category | McDavid | Strome |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.62 | 0.14 |
| Assists / game | 1.52 | 0.25 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.84 | -0.36 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.74 | 0.03 |
| Shots on goal / game | 3.25 | 1.50 |
| Hits / game | 0.85 | 0.41 |
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 Strome
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 11G 22A, 70 SOG · Strome 7G 8A, 33 SOG
McDavid's offensive zone 3–8 · neutral 10–9 · McDavid's defensive zone 11–8 (2018-19 to 2024-25)
Goals each scored with the other picking up an assist (as teammates).
On the ice against each other (McDavid's side)
1:12 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from McDavid's side
- Shot attempts
- 3–1
- 75.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.1
- 75.1%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | McDavid | Strome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-26 | EDM 7–4 ANA | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-03-04 | EDM 2–6 ANA | 1G 1A 5S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2025-01-03 | EDM 3–2 ANA | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2024-12-29 | EDM 3–5 ANA | 0G 2A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-03-30 | EDM 6–1 ANA | 2G 1A 7S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-02-09 | EDM 5–3 ANA | 0G 3A 3S | 2G 0A 5S |
| 2023-12-31 | EDM 7–2 ANA | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2023-11-26 | EDM 8–2 ANA | 1G 4A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-04-05 | EDM 3–1 ANA | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-04-01 | EDM 6–0 ANA | 1G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-01-11 | EDM 6–2 ANA | 1G 1A 8S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-12-17 | EDM 3–4 ANA | 1G 1A 8S | 1G 1A 2S |
Latest 12 of 17 meetings.
Faceoffs: McDavid vs Strome
Model: Connor McDavid wins 54.6% of draws against Ryan Strome on average (L shot vs R shot). Opposite-handed, so they are both strong or both weak at every dot and the dot barely matters.
| McDavid at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 57% | 51% | 58% | 53% | 55% | 58% | 53% | 59% | 54% |
| Road | 56% | 50% | 57% | 51% | 54% | 57% | 51% | 58% | 52% |
Head-to-head 2023-24 to 2024-25: McDavid 13–10 (56.5%). Blended with the model: 54.7%. 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, Luck & trend, NHL EDGE tracking continue below
Every stat, side by side (continued)
Transition, turnovers & faceoffs
Usage
Special teams & discipline
Chemistry as teammates
How their expected-goal share at 5v5 changed together vs apart (shrunk for sample size), and how closely their DraftKings points moved game to game (raw, that season only; for forward linemates the typical value is about .28).
| Season | 5v5 min together | xG% lift | xGF/60 lift | DK correlation (raw) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-18 EDM | 55 | −0.7 | −0.05 | – (too few games together) |
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 ptsOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to Cvs Brandon Bussi (.895)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs TOR3.2 pts
Ryan Strome
2games
1.8proj. ESPN default pts
- Thu, Oct 22 vs MIN0.9 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 vs DET0.9 ptsOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to CLikely vs John Gibson (.901)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Connor McDavid or Ryan Strome 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 Ryan Strome's 0.92. McDavid had 138 points in 82 games; Strome had 21 in 52 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 Ryan Strome?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Connor McDavid leads in 33 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 Strome done against each other?
- In 17 games against each other in our data, McDavid's team went 13–4. McDavid had 33 points (11 goals) and Strome had 15 (7 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, McDavid or Strome?
- Against each other, McDavid has won 24 and Strome 25 of their 49 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 →