Who to start · 2025-26
Dmitry Kulikov 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 Dmitry Kulikov's 0.68.
Kulikov had 0 points in 19 games; Balinskis had 15 in 54 games.
This week Kulikov has 3 games left with 2 soft and 1 tough matchups; Balinskis has 3 left with 2 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Balinskis for 2.9 to Kulikov's 2.8 over the games left.
They split the 14 stats both are ranked on 7–7.
Kulikov's biggest edges: On-ice PDO 1006, Ascension score 42, Transition attempts /60 0.79.
Balinskis's biggest edges: Forecheck xG /60 0.39, Net penalties drawn /60 −0.07, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.003.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Uvis Balinskis rates ahead, -0.5 to -3.6 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Kulikov is cooling, −3:56 TOI a game; Balinskis is falling, −4:55 TOI a game.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 0 PPP, 5 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.
Florida Panthers · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Dmitry Kulikov
-3.6
category z-score total
Uvis Balinskis
-0.5
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Uvis Balinskis has the edge (Kulikov wins 0, Balinskis wins 6 of 6 categories).
| Category | Kulikov | Balinskis |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.00 | 0.07 |
| Assists / game | 0.08 | 0.18 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.04 | -0.03 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Shots on goal / game | 0.70 | 0.97 |
| Hits / game | 1.18 | 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: Kulikov vs Balinskis
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2025-26 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
On the ice together
37:00 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27
- Shot attempts
- 27–29
- 48.2%
- Expected goals
- 1.2–1.8
- 39.9%
- Goals
- 2–1
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
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 FLA | 132 | −1.0 | −0.12 | .12(−.61 to .73), 7 GP |
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 DLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
- Sun, Oct 25 @ CHI1.0 ptsOpp allows 2nd-most FP to DLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
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 Dmitry Kulikov 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 Dmitry Kulikov's 0.68. Kulikov had 0 points in 19 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, Dmitry Kulikov or Uvis Balinskis?
- On 2025-26 numbers they split 7–7 across 14 stats where both qualify.
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 →