Who to start · 2025-26
Drake Batherson vs Zachary Bolduc
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Drake Batherson projects to 1.92 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Zachary Bolduc's 1.39.
Batherson had 71 points in 79 games; Bolduc had 30 in 78 games.
This week Batherson has 3 games left with 2 tough matchups; Bolduc has 2 left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Batherson for 4.8 to Bolduc's 2.7 over the games left.
Drake Batherson has the better number in 24 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Batherson's biggest edges: Goals above expected +5.3, Luck Meter +39, Offensive-zone start % 76.7%.
Bolduc's biggest edges: Ascension score 82, Blocked shots 43, On-ice PDO 1004.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Drake Batherson rates ahead, +5.2 to +1.2 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Batherson is steady, +1:09 PP TOI; Bolduc is rising, 3 P in last 5 (0.35/GP before).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 4 G, 2 A, 1 PPP, 21 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 4 G, 2 A, 2 PPP, 16 SOG.
Ottawa Senators · Montreal Canadiens · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Drake Batherson
+5.2
category z-score total
Zachary Bolduc
+1.2
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Drake Batherson has the edge (Batherson wins 4, Bolduc wins 2 of 6 categories).
| Category | Batherson | Bolduc |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.43 | 0.26 |
| Assists / game | 0.38 | 0.23 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.03 | 0.04 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.28 | 0.13 |
| Shots on goal / game | 2.20 | 1.48 |
| Hits / game | 1.72 | 1.90 |
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: Batherson vs Bolduc
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2023-24 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Batherson 4G 3A, 23 SOG · Bolduc 0G 0A, 6 SOG
On the ice against each other (Batherson's side)
13:06 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26, from Batherson's side
- Shot attempts
- 13–13
- 50.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.4–0.6
- 40.8%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Batherson | Bolduc |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-11 | OTT 2–3 MTL | 2G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2026-01-17 | OTT 5–6 MTL | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-12-02 | OTT 5–2 MTL | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-11-01 | OTT 3–4 MTL | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-01-03 | OTT 0–4 STL | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-10-29 | OTT 8–1 STL | 0G 2A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-03-21 | OTT 2–5 STL | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
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
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
Drake Batherson
3games
4.8proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs FLA1.5 ptsOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs NYR1.5 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
Zachary Bolduc
3games (2 left)
2.7proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs SJS
- Fri, Oct 23 @ CHI1.5 ptsOpp allows 6th-most FP to RWLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
- Sun, Oct 25 @ WPG1.2 ptsOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Stuart Skinner (.888)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Drake Batherson or Zachary Bolduc in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Drake Batherson projects to 1.92 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Zachary Bolduc's 1.39. Batherson had 71 points in 79 games; Bolduc had 30 in 78 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 Zachary Bolduc?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Drake Batherson leads in 24 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Batherson and Bolduc done against each other?
- In 7 games against each other in our data, Batherson's team went 2–5. Batherson had 7 points (4 goals) and Bolduc had 0 (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 →