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Who to start · 2025-26

Drake Batherson vs Mika Zibanejad

Drake BathersonDrake BathersonSenators · Right wingvsMika ZibanejadMika ZibanejadRangers · Centre

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mika Zibanejad projects to 2.27 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Drake Batherson's 2.01.

Batherson had 71 points in 79 games; Zibanejad had 78 in 81 games.

This week Batherson has 1 game left; Zibanejad has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Batherson for 1.7 ESPN points to Zibanejad's 1.5.

Drake Batherson has the better number in 17 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.

Batherson's biggest edges: Fenwick 54.8%, Expected goals 56.5%, Sequence xG 56.7%.

Zibanejad's biggest edges: Blocked shots 50, Faceoffs won 574, On-ice PDO 1002.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 3 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 6 SOG.

Fantasy value: your scoring

Drake Batherson

2.01

fantasy points per game

Mika Zibanejad

2.31

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Mika Zibanejad has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromBathersonZibanejad
Goals (+2)0.840.84
Assists (+1)0.480.54
Power-play points (+0.5)0.190.22
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.000.01
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.210.27
Hits (+0.1)0.150.13
Blocks (+0.5)0.140.31

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 custom weights are saved in this browser only.

Head-to-head: Batherson vs Zibanejad

Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2018-19 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.

BathersonZibanejad
7Team record in 16 meetings9
11Points in those games20

Batherson 4G 7A, 34 SOG · Zibanejad 7G 13A, 43 SOG

1Faceoffs against each other1

Batherson's offensive zone 1–1 · neutral 0–0 · Batherson's defensive zone 0–0 (2025-26)

0Hits on each other1
0Shots blocked by the other1

Batherson blocked 0 of Zibanejad's shots; Zibanejad blocked 1 of Batherson's.

1Penalties drawn off the other1

On the ice against each other (Batherson's side)

10:42 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Batherson's side

Shot attempts
8–6
57.1%
Expected goals
0.2–0.2
52.7%
Goals
0–0

Games against each other

Games between Drake Batherson and Mika Zibanejad
DateScoreBathersonZibanejad
2026-03-23OTT 2–1 NYR0G 0A 2S0G 0A 3S
2026-01-14OTT 8–4 NYR1G 0A 1S0G 2A 5S
2025-12-04OTT 2–4 NYR1G 1A 4S1G 0A 5S
2025-03-08OTT 4–3 NYR0G 0A 2S1G 0A 2S
2025-01-21OTT 0–5 NYR0G 0A 0S0G 1A 2S
2024-11-01OTT 1–2 NYR0G 0A 0S0G 0A 2S
2024-04-15OTT 0–4 NYR0G 0A 4S0G 1A 3S
2024-01-27OTT 2–7 NYR0G 1A 1S0G 2A 0S
2023-12-05OTT 6–2 NYR1G 2A 2S0G 1A 1S
2023-03-02OTT 5–3 NYR0G 1A 3S0G 2A 3S
2022-12-02OTT 3–2 NYR0G 0A 3S1G 0A 5S
2022-11-30OTT 1–3 NYR0G 1A 6S0G 1A 4S

Latest 12 of 16 meetings.

Every stat, side by side

Season values; bars are percentiles at each player's position (longer is better). Click a stat for its explainer.

BathersonZibanejad

Fantasy box score

Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)

Transition, turnovers & faceoffs

Usage

Special teams & discipline

Luck & trend

NHL EDGE tracking

This week's schedule

Sep 28 to Oct 4. 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 use ESPN default points for the games left.

Drake Batherson

1games

1.7proj. ESPN pts

  • Sat, Oct 3 @ TOR1.7 pts
    Opp allows 11th-most FP to RWLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)

Mika Zibanejad

4games (1 left)

1.5proj. ESPN pts

  • Tue, Sep 29 @ BOS
    Opp allows 3rd-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)
  • Thu, Oct 1 vs TBL
    Opp allows 8th-most FP to CLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
  • Fri, Oct 2 @ DETB2B
    Schedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs John Gibson (.901)
  • Sun, Oct 4 vs UTA1.5 pts
    Opp allows 2nd-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)

Similar matchups

FAQ

Should I start Drake Batherson or Mika Zibanejad in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mika Zibanejad projects to 2.27 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Drake Batherson's 2.01. Batherson had 71 points in 79 games; Zibanejad had 78 in 81 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, Drake Batherson or Mika Zibanejad?
On 2025-26 numbers, Drake Batherson leads in 17 of 33 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have Batherson and Zibanejad done against each other?
In 16 games against each other in our data, Batherson's team went 7–9. Batherson had 11 points (4 goals) and Zibanejad had 20 (7 goals).
Who wins more faceoffs, Batherson or Zibanejad?
Against each other, Batherson has won 1 and Zibanejad 1 of their 2 head-to-head draws.

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 →