Who to start · 2025-26
Connor McMichael vs Ivan Barbashev
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Ivan Barbashev projects to 1.48 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Connor McMichael's 1.32.
McMichael had 46 points in 78 games; Barbashev had 61 in 82 games.
This week McMichael has 2 games left with 2 tough matchups; Barbashev has 2 left. In ESPN default points scoring we project Barbashev for 3.0 to McMichael's 2.3 over the games left.
Ivan Barbashev has the better number in 18 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
McMichael's biggest edges: 20+ mph bursts 174, Faceoffs won 265, Penalty minutes 30.
Barbashev's biggest edges: Goals above expected +1.7, High-danger chances 57.9%, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.54.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Ivan Barbashev rates ahead, +4.3 to -0.4 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: McMichael is steady, ixG/60 0.46 (was 0.99); Barbashev is steady, 3 P in last 5 (0.90/GP before).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 2 G, 4 A, 2 PPP, 12 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 0 G, 7 A, 2 PPP, 14 SOG.
St. Louis Blues · Vegas Golden Knights · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Connor McMichael
-0.4
category z-score total
Ivan Barbashev
+4.3
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Ivan Barbashev has the edge (McMichael wins 2, Barbashev wins 4 of 6 categories).
| Category | McMichael | Barbashev |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.20 | 0.17 |
| Assists / game | 0.42 | 0.56 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.10 | 0.47 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.12 | 0.12 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.64 | 1.53 |
| Hits / game | 0.49 | 1.72 |
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: McMichael vs Barbashev
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2021-22 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
McMichael 1G 1A, 11 SOG · Barbashev 0G 3A, 10 SOG
McMichael's offensive zone 2–0 · neutral 0–0 · McMichael's defensive zone 0–0 (2021-22)
On the ice against each other (McMichael's side)
8:21 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from McMichael's side
- Shot attempts
- 3–9
- 25.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.6
- 8.6%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | McMichael | Barbashev |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-28 | WSH 5–4 VGK | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2026-02-27 | WSH 3–2 VGK | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-11-17 | WSH 5–2 VGK | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-10-15 | WSH 4–2 VGK | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2023-12-02 | WSH 1–4 VGK | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2023-11-14 | WSH 3–0 VGK | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2022-11-17 | WSH 4–5 STL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2022-03-22 | WSH 2–5 STL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
Faceoffs: McMichael vs Barbashev
Model: Connor McMichael wins 58.8% of draws against Ivan Barbashev 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.
| McMichael at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 62% | 55% | 63% | 56% | 59% | 63% | 56% | 64% | 57% |
| Road | 60% | 54% | 62% | 55% | 59% | 62% | 55% | 63% | 56% |
They have not faced each other on a draw in the seasons we track.
McMichael faceoffs · Barbashev faceoffs · how the model works
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 McMichael
3games (2 left)
2.3proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs WPGOpp allows 13th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Stuart Skinner (.888)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs VGK1.2 ptsOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Carter Hart (.891)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs CAR1.2 ptsOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Pyotr Kochetkov (.899)
Ivan Barbashev
3games (2 left)
3.0proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs TBLOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to LWvs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Thu, Oct 22 @ STL1.5 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ CBJ1.5 ptsOpp allows 15th-most FP to LWLikely vs Jet Greaves (.908)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Connor McMichael or Ivan Barbashev in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Ivan Barbashev projects to 1.48 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Connor McMichael's 1.32. McMichael had 46 points in 78 games; Barbashev had 61 in 82 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 McMichael or Ivan Barbashev?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Ivan Barbashev leads in 18 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have McMichael and Barbashev done against each other?
- In 8 games against each other in our data, McMichael's team went 5–3. McMichael had 2 points (1 goals) and Barbashev had 3 (0 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, McMichael or Barbashev?
- Against each other, McMichael has won 2 and Barbashev 0 of their 2 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 →