Who to start · 2026-27
Connor Murphy vs Sam Malinski
In 2026-27, Sam Malinski scored 1.52 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Connor Murphy's 1.45.
Murphy had 1 points in 21 games; Malinski had 9 in 20 games.
This week Murphy has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Malinski has no games left. In ESPN default points scoring we project Murphy for 1.5 to Malinski's 0.0 over the games left.
Sam Malinski has the better number in 21 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Murphy's biggest edges: Penalty minutes 31, Ice time per game 21:04, Goals above expected −0.3.
Malinski's biggest edges: 20+ mph bursts 30, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.49, On-ice PDO 1054.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Sam Malinski rates ahead, +0.8 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); Malinski is steady, +2:51 TOI a game.
- • Murphy, last 10 games (Oct 26–Nov 14): 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 14 SOG.
- • Malinski, last 10 games (Oct 25–Nov 14): 0 G, 7 A, 0 PPP, 19 SOG.
Edmonton Oilers · Colorado Avalanche · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Under Standard (6 categories), Sam Malinski has the edge (Murphy wins 1, Malinski wins 3 of 6 categories).
| Category | Murphy | Malinski |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Assists / game | 0.05 | 0.45 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.24 | 0.65 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.10 | 1.50 |
| Hits / game | 1.00 | 0.90 |
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 Malinski
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2023-24 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Murphy 1G 2A, 7 SOG · Malinski 1G 4A, 18 SOG
Murphy blocked 1 of Malinski's shots; Malinski blocked 0 of Murphy's.
On the ice against each other (Murphy's side)
21:47 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26, from Murphy's side
- Shot attempts
- 16–25
- 39.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.9–0.3
- 73.1%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Murphy | Malinski |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-13 | EDM 1–2 COL | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2026-03-10 | EDM 4–3 COL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2026-02-28 | CHI 1–3 COL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-11-23 | CHI 0–1 COL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-04-02 | CHI 2–3 COL | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-10-28 | CHI 5–2 COL | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2023-12-19 | CHI 3–2 COL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 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
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)
Sam Malinski
3games (0 left)
0.0proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Nov 10 @ TOROpp allows 7th-most FP to DLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.881)
- Thu, Nov 12 @ OTTOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.939)
- Sat, Nov 14 @ MTLOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.852)
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 Sam Malinski in fantasy hockey?
- In 2026-27, Sam Malinski scored 1.52 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Connor Murphy's 1.45. Murphy had 1 points in 21 games; Malinski had 9 in 20 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 Sam Malinski?
- On 2026-27 numbers, Sam Malinski leads in 21 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 Malinski done against each other?
- In 7 games against each other in our data, Murphy's team went 3–4. Murphy had 3 points (1 goals) and Malinski had 5 (1 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 →