Who to start · 2025-26
Drake Batherson vs Will Smith
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Drake Batherson projects to 2.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Will Smith's 1.94.
Batherson had 71 points in 79 games; Smith had 59 in 69 games.
This week Batherson has 1 game left; Smith has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Smith for 1.9 ESPN points to Batherson's 1.7.
Drake Batherson has the better number in 23 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.
Batherson's biggest edges: Hits 122, High-danger chances 54.4%, Expected goals 56.5%.
Smith's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 2.05, On-ice PDO 1033, Plus/minus +1.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 2 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Drake Batherson
2.01
fantasy points per game
Will Smith
1.68
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Drake Batherson has the edge.
| Points per game from | Batherson | Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.84 | 0.70 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.48 | 0.51 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.19 | 0.12 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.21 | 0.24 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.15 | 0.02 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.14 | 0.09 |
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 Smith
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2024-25 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Batherson 2G 3A, 4 SOG · Smith 2G 3A, 9 SOG
On the ice against each other (Batherson's side)
4:52 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Batherson's side
- Shot attempts
- 4–5
- 44.4%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.3
- 19.1%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Batherson | Smith |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-15 | OTT 7–4 SJS | 2G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-11-22 | OTT 3–2 SJS | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-03-01 | OTT 5–3 SJS | 0G 1A 2S | 1G 1A 2S |
| 2024-11-27 | OTT 4–3 SJS | 0G 1A 0S | 1G 1A 4S |
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)
Will Smith
2games (1 left)
1.9proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs FLAOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs LAK1.9 ptsOpp allows the most FP to CSchedule edge +3.3 win%Likely vs Anton Forsberg (.910)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Drake Batherson or Will Smith 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 Will Smith's 1.94. Batherson had 71 points in 79 games; Smith had 59 in 69 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 Will Smith?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Drake Batherson leads in 23 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 Smith done against each other?
- In 4 games against each other in our data, Batherson's team went 4–0. Batherson had 5 points (2 goals) and Smith had 5 (2 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 →