Who to start · 2025-26
David Jiricek vs Uvis Balinskis
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Uvis Balinskis projects to 0.93 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to David Jiricek's 0.69.
Jiricek had 0 points in 26 games; Balinskis had 15 in 54 games.
This week Jiricek has 2 games left; Balinskis has 3 left with 2 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Balinskis for 2.9 to Jiricek's 1.7 over the games left.
Uvis Balinskis has the better number in 29 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Jiricek's biggest edges: Ascension score 72, On-ice PDO 1013, Plus/minus 0.
Balinskis's biggest edges: Top skating speed 23.1, Forecheck xG /60 0.39, Offensive-zone start % 61.5%.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Uvis Balinskis rates ahead, -0.5 to -4.8 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Jiricek is steady, 40% of team PP time (was 12%); Balinskis is falling, −4:55 TOI a game.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 6 SOG.
- • Balinskis has played 6 of the Panthers' 8 games since Oct 1 (in and out of the lineup).
- • 2026-27 so far: 6 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 2 SOG.
Philadelphia Flyers · Florida Panthers · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
David Jiricek
-4.8
category z-score total
Uvis Balinskis
-0.5
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Uvis Balinskis has the edge (Jiricek wins 0, Balinskis wins 6 of 6 categories).
| Category | Jiricek | Balinskis |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Assists / game | 0.04 | 0.18 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.13 | -0.03 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.04 | 0.08 |
| Shots on goal / game | 0.63 | 0.97 |
| Hits / game | 0.65 | 1.32 |
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: Jiricek vs Balinskis
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.
Jiricek 0G 0A, 2 SOG · Balinskis 0G 0A, 3 SOG
Jiricek blocked 0 of Balinskis's shots; Balinskis blocked 1 of Jiricek's.
On the ice against each other (Jiricek's side)
1:24 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Jiricek's side
- Shot attempts
- 2–1
- 66.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.0
- 0.0%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Jiricek | Balinskis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | MIN 3–4 FLA | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-04-11 | CBJ 0–4 FLA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-12-10 | CBJ 2–5 FLA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
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
David Jiricek
3games (2 left)
1.7proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 vs COLOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
- Wed, Oct 21 @ BUF0.8 ptsOpp allows 16th-most FP to DLikely vs Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (.910)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs ANA0.8 pts
Uvis Balinskis
3games
2.9proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 @ OTT0.9 ptsOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
- Sun, Oct 25 @ CHI1.0 ptsOpp allows 2nd-most FP to DLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start David Jiricek or Uvis Balinskis in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Uvis Balinskis projects to 0.93 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to David Jiricek's 0.69. Jiricek had 0 points in 26 games; Balinskis had 15 in 54 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, David Jiricek or Uvis Balinskis?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Uvis Balinskis leads in 29 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Jiricek and Balinskis done against each other?
- In 3 games against each other in our data, Jiricek's team went 0–3. Jiricek had 0 points (0 goals) and Balinskis had 0 (0 goals).
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 →