Who to start · 2025-26
Dmitry Kulikov vs Macklin Celebrini
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Macklin Celebrini projects to 3.20 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Dmitry Kulikov's 0.68.
Kulikov had 0 points in 19 games; Celebrini had 115 in 82 games.
This week Kulikov has 3 games left with 2 soft and 1 tough matchups; Celebrini has 2 left with 1 tough matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Celebrini for 5.5 to Kulikov's 2.8 over the games left.
Macklin Celebrini has the better number in 8 of the 14 stats both are ranked on.
Kulikov's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 −0.060, Corsi 52.1%, Transition attempts /60 0.79.
Celebrini's biggest edges: Luck Meter +76, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.45, Ascension score 79.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Macklin Celebrini rates ahead, +13.2 to -3.6 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Kulikov is cooling, −3:56 TOI a game; Celebrini is surging, ixG/60 1.94 (was 1.10).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
- • Celebrini has played 8 of the Sharks' 10 games since Oct 1 (in and out of the lineup).
- • 2026-27 so far: 8 GP, 5 G, 9 A, 8 PPP, 37 SOG.
Florida Panthers · San Jose Sharks · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Dmitry Kulikov
-3.6
category z-score total
Macklin Celebrini
+13.2
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Macklin Celebrini has the edge (Kulikov wins 1, Celebrini wins 5 of 6 categories).
| Category | Kulikov | Celebrini |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.00 | 0.58 |
| Assists / game | 0.08 | 0.95 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.04 | 0.06 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.00 | 0.61 |
| Shots on goal / game | 0.70 | 3.89 |
| Hits / game | 1.18 | 0.64 |
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: Kulikov vs Celebrini
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2024-25 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Kulikov 0G 1A, 0 SOG · Celebrini 0G 3A, 15 SOG
On the ice against each other (Kulikov's side)
5:51 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2026-27, from Kulikov's side
- Shot attempts
- 4–8
- 33.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.2
- 44.9%
- Goals
- 1–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Kulikov | Celebrini |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-01 | FLA 3–4 SJS | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 3A 7S |
| 2025-01-25 | FLA 7–2 SJS | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-12-07 | FLA 3–1 SJS | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 5S |
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
Dmitry Kulikov
3games
2.8proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 @ OTT0.9 ptsOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to Dvs Linus Ullmark (.891)
- Sun, Oct 25 @ CHI1.0 ptsOpp allows 2nd-most FP to DLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
Macklin Celebrini
4games (2 left)
5.5proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 @ TOROpp allows 10th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
- Tue, Oct 20 @ MTLB2B
- Thu, Oct 22 @ OTT3.0 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ BOS2.5 ptsOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Dmitry Kulikov or Macklin Celebrini in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Macklin Celebrini projects to 3.20 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Dmitry Kulikov's 0.68. Kulikov had 0 points in 19 games; Celebrini had 115 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, Dmitry Kulikov or Macklin Celebrini?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Macklin Celebrini leads in 8 of 14 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Kulikov and Celebrini done against each other?
- In 3 games against each other in our data, Kulikov's team went 2–1. Kulikov had 1 points (0 goals) and Celebrini had 3 (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 →