Who to start · 2025-26
Drake Batherson vs Vasily Podkolzin
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Drake Batherson projects to 2.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Vasily Podkolzin's 1.91.
Batherson had 71 points in 79 games; Podkolzin had 37 in 82 games.
This week Batherson has 1 game left; Podkolzin has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Batherson for 1.7 ESPN points to Podkolzin's 1.3.
Drake Batherson has the better number in 21 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.
Batherson's biggest edges: Power-play time per game 3:09, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.22, Power-play points 30.
Podkolzin's biggest edges: Plus/minus +16, Blocked shots 52, Top skating speed 23.1.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 3 G, 1 A, 3 PPP, 11 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Drake Batherson
2.01
fantasy points per game
Vasily Podkolzin
1.48
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Drake Batherson has the edge.
| Points per game from | Batherson | Podkolzin |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.84 | 0.46 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.48 | 0.22 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.19 | 0.02 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.21 | 0.17 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.15 | 0.30 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.14 | 0.32 |
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 custom weights are saved in this browser only.
Head-to-head: Batherson vs Podkolzin
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2021-22 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Batherson 3G 3A, 19 SOG · Podkolzin 0G 2A, 12 SOG
On the ice against each other (Batherson's side)
3:55 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Batherson's side
- Shot attempts
- 3–0
- 100.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.0
- 100.0%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Batherson | Podkolzin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-03 | OTT 4–5 EDM | 2G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-10-21 | OTT 2–3 EDM | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-12-22 | OTT 1–3 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-11-19 | OTT 2–5 EDM | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2023-03-11 | OTT 2–5 VAN | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-11-08 | OTT 4–6 VAN | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-04-19 | OTT 4–3 VAN | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2021-12-01 | OTT 2–6 VAN | 0G 0A 2S | 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
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 ptsOpp allows 16th-most FP to RWLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
Vasily Podkolzin
3games (1 left)
1.3proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs VANOpp allows 9th-most FP to RWLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ VANOpp allows 9th-most FP to RWLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA1.3 ptsOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Joey Daccord (.897)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Drake Batherson or Vasily Podkolzin in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Drake Batherson projects to 2.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Vasily Podkolzin's 1.91. Batherson had 71 points in 79 games; Podkolzin had 37 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, Drake Batherson or Vasily Podkolzin?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Drake Batherson leads in 21 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 Podkolzin done against each other?
- In 8 games against each other in our data, Batherson's team went 1–7. Batherson had 6 points (3 goals) and Podkolzin had 2 (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 →