Who to start · 2025-26
Drake Batherson vs Nikita Kucherov
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Kucherov projects to 3.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Drake Batherson's 2.01.
Batherson had 71 points in 79 games; Kucherov had 130 in 77 games.
This week Batherson has 1 game left; Kucherov has 1 left. We project Kucherov for 3.0 ESPN points to Batherson's 2.0.
Nikita Kucherov has the better number in 24 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.
Batherson's biggest edges: Hits 122, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.001, Faceoffs won 14.
Kucherov's biggest edges: On-ice PDO 1046, Plus/minus +43, Transition attempts /60 1.45.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Drake Batherson
2.01
fantasy points per game
Nikita Kucherov
3.04
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Nikita Kucherov has the edge.
| Points per game from | Batherson | Kucherov |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.84 | 1.14 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.48 | 1.12 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.19 | 0.24 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.21 | 0.30 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.15 | 0.05 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.14 | 0.19 |
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 Kucherov
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2019-20 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Batherson 6G 5A, 36 SOG · Kucherov 4G 18A, 43 SOG
Batherson blocked 2 of Kucherov's shots; Kucherov blocked 0 of Batherson's.
On the ice against each other (Batherson's side)
1:49 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Batherson's side
- Shot attempts
- 1–3
- 25.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.2
- 24.8%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Batherson | Kucherov |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-07 | OTT 6–2 TBL | 0G 2A 0S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2025-04-03 | OTT 2–1 TBL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 7S |
| 2025-02-06 | OTT 1–5 TBL | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 2A 4S |
| 2025-02-04 | OTT 3–4 TBL | 1G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-10-19 | OTT 5–4 TBL | 2G 1A 7S | 1G 1A 6S |
| 2024-04-11 | OTT 3–2 TBL | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2024-02-19 | OTT 4–2 TBL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-11-04 | OTT 4–6 TBL | 1G 0A 4S | 1G 4A 5S |
| 2023-10-15 | OTT 5–2 TBL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2023-04-08 | OTT 7–4 TBL | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 3A 2S |
| 2023-03-23 | OTT 7–2 TBL | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2022-11-01 | OTT 3–4 TBL | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 2A 4S |
Latest 12 of 13 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.
Fantasy box score
Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)
Transition, turnovers & faceoffs
Usage
Special teams & discipline
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
2.0proj. ESPN pts (season rate)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TOR2.0 pts
Nikita Kucherov
2games (1 left)
3.0proj. ESPN pts (season rate)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ NYR
- Sat, Oct 3 vs WSH3.0 pts
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Drake Batherson or Nikita Kucherov in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Kucherov projects to 3.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Drake Batherson's 2.01. Batherson had 71 points in 79 games; Kucherov had 130 in 77 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 Nikita Kucherov?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nikita Kucherov leads in 24 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 Kucherov done against each other?
- In 13 games against each other in our data, Batherson's team went 8–5. Batherson had 11 points (6 goals) and Kucherov had 22 (4 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 →