Who to start · 2026-27
Connor Murphy vs Kasperi Kapanen
In 2026-27, Kasperi Kapanen scored 1.46 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Connor Murphy's 1.45.
Murphy had 1 points in 21 games; Kapanen had 10 in 21 games.
This week Murphy has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Kapanen has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Murphy for 1.5 to Kapanen's 1.3 over the games left.
Kasperi Kapanen has the better number in 26 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Murphy's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 0, Blocked shots 50, Turnover Ledger /60 −0.049.
Kapanen's biggest edges: 20+ mph bursts 63, Ascension score 73, Power-play share 55.8%.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Kasperi Kapanen rates ahead, -0.2 to -3.7 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Murphy is steady, On-ice xGF/60 1.23 (was 1.68); Kapanen is cooling, 1 P in last 5 (0.45/GP before).
- • Murphy, last 10 games (Oct 26–Nov 14): 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 14 SOG.
- • Kapanen, last 10 games (Oct 26–Nov 14): 2 G, 4 A, 5 PPP, 13 SOG.
Edmonton Oilers · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Under Standard (6 categories), Kasperi Kapanen has the edge (Murphy wins 2, Kapanen wins 4 of 6 categories).
| Category | Murphy | Kapanen |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.00 | 0.24 |
| Assists / game | 0.05 | 0.24 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.24 | -0.24 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.00 | 0.33 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.10 | 1.38 |
| Hits / game | 1.00 | 2.24 |
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: Murphy vs Kapanen
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.
Murphy 0G 2A, 2 SOG · Kapanen 0G 2A, 18 SOG
Murphy blocked 0 of Kapanen's shots; Kapanen blocked 3 of Murphy's.
Goals each scored with the other picking up an assist (as teammates).
On the ice against each other (Murphy's side)
7:38 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Murphy's side
- Shot attempts
- 5–7
- 41.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.3
- 35.6%
- Goals
- 0–0
On the ice together
312:32 at 5-on-5 over 47 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27
- Shot attempts
- 229–303
- 43.0%
- Expected goals
- 9.6–10.6
- 47.4%
- Goals
- 7–7
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Murphy | Kapanen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-12 | CHI 1–4 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-02-05 | CHI 3–4 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-12-23 | CHI 5–7 STL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-12-09 | CHI 3–1 STL | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-11-26 | CHI 2–4 STL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-03-30 | CHI 3–5 STL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2021-11-09 | CHI 3–2 PIT | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2021-10-16 | CHI 2–5 PIT | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2020-01-18 | CHI 6–2 TOR | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2018-01-24 | CHI 2–3 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 EDM | 140 | −0.6 | −0.10 | .54(.16 to .78), 17 GP |
| 2025-26 EDM | 129 | +1.3 | −0.13 | .11(−.32 to .50), 17 GP |
This week's schedule
Nov 9 to Nov 15. 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 Murphy
4games (1 left)
1.5proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Nov 9 vs NYROpp allows 14th-most FP to DLikely vs Dylan Garand (.910)
- Wed, Nov 11 vs PHIOpp allows 3rd-most FP to DLikely vs Dan Vladar (.879)
- Sat, Nov 14 @ TOROpp allows 7th-most FP to DLikely vs Anthony Stolarz (.905)
- Opp allows 3rd-most FP to Dvs Dan Vladar (.879)
Kasperi Kapanen
4games (1 left)
1.3proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Nov 9 vs NYROpp allows 14th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Dylan Garand (.910)
- Wed, Nov 11 vs PHIOpp allows 9th-most FP to RWLikely vs Dan Vladar (.879)
- Sat, Nov 14 @ TOROpp allows 12th-most FP to RWLikely vs Anthony Stolarz (.905)
- Opp allows 9th-most FP to RWvs Dan Vladar (.879)
Player data stories
How the game changed, told through the numbers.
- In 2022-23, Four NHL Players Wore a Number in the 90s for Every One in No. 9 The count was 53 to 13, and the incomplete 2025-26 rosters show the same split, 51 to 12.
- The 1,000-Game Club Had Its Biggest Year. Getting In Is No Easier. Seventeen players reached 1,000 NHL games in 2025-26, more than in any season before, in the biggest league the NHL has had.
- Only 14 NHL Defencemen Still Score Like Ken Daneyko A stay-at-home defenceman stays back to defend and leaves the scoring to others.
- How Much Lighter Did the NHL Really Get? Teams write down NHL weights.
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Connor Murphy or Kasperi Kapanen in fantasy hockey?
- In 2026-27, Kasperi Kapanen scored 1.46 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Connor Murphy's 1.45. Murphy had 1 points in 21 games; Kapanen had 10 in 21 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 Murphy or Kasperi Kapanen?
- On 2026-27 numbers, Kasperi Kapanen leads in 26 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Murphy and Kapanen done against each other?
- In 10 games against each other in our data, Murphy's team went 3–7. Murphy had 2 points (0 goals) and Kapanen had 2 (0 goals).
2026-27 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 →