Edgehalla

Who to start · 2025-26

Easton Cowan vs Nikita Kucherov

Easton CowanMaple Leafs · Right wing
vs
Nikita KucherovLightning · Right wing
SteadyPP1 in 0 of last 5 (was 9 of 20)
Cooling6 P in last 5 (1.50/GP before)

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Kucherov projects to 2.79 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Easton Cowan's 1.46.

Cowan had 29 points in 66 games; Kucherov had 130 in 76 games.

This week Cowan has 2 games left with 2 tough matchups; Kucherov has 2 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Kucherov for 5.4 to Cowan's 2.3 over the games left.

Nikita Kucherov has the better number in 29 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.

Cowan's biggest edges: Hits 72, Ascension score 51, Blocked shots 32.

Kucherov's biggest edges: Fenwick 55.9%, Corsi 56.2%, Scoring chances 56.4%.

In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Nikita Kucherov rates ahead, +12.3 to +0.7 in summed category z-scores.

Role trend over the last 5 games: Cowan is steady, PP1 in 0 of last 5 (was 9 of 20); Kucherov is cooling, 6 P in last 5 (1.50/GP before).

  • • 2026-27 so far: 11 GP, 4 G, 6 A, 1 PPP, 23 SOG.
  • • Last 10 games (Sep 30–Oct 20): 4 G, 5 A, 1 PPP, 22 SOG.
  • • 2026-27 so far: 8 GP, 3 G, 7 A, 3 PPP, 24 SOG.

Toronto Maple Leafs · Tampa Bay Lightning · Who should I start? · Compare other players

Fantasy value: your scoring

Easton Cowan

+0.7

category z-score total

Nikita Kucherov

+12.3

category z-score total

Under Standard (6 categories), Nikita Kucherov has the edge (Cowan wins 1, Kucherov wins 5 of 6 categories).

Per-stat breakdown under Standard (6 categories)
CategoryCowanKucherov
Goals / game0.250.51
Assists / game0.391.04
Plus/minus / game-0.010.41
Power-play points / game0.090.45
Shots on goal / game1.693.03
Hits / game1.010.35

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: Cowan vs Kucherov

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

CowanKucherov
1Team record in 2 meetings1
1Points in those games4

Cowan 0G 1A, 5 SOG · Kucherov 0G 4A, 3 SOG

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

5:15 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Cowan's side

Shot attempts
1–4
20.0%
Expected goals
0.1–0.3
31.4%
Goals
0–0

Games against each other

Games between Easton Cowan and Nikita Kucherov
DateScoreCowanKucherov
2026-03-07TOR 2–5 TBL0G 0A 3S0G 4A 1S
2025-12-08TOR 2–0 TBL0G 1A 2S0G 0A 2S

Every stat, side by side

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

CowanKucherov

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

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

Easton Cowan

4games (2 left)

2.3proj. ESPN default pts

  • Mon, Oct 19 vs SJS
    Opp allows 15th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)
  • Tue, Oct 20 @ CBJB2B
    Opp allows 5th-most FP to RWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Jet Greaves (.908)
  • Thu, Oct 22 vs NYR1.1 pts
    Opp allows 7th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
  • Sat, Oct 24 @ EDM1.1 pts
    Opp allows 5th-fewest FP to RWSchedule edge −1.0 win%Likely vs Tristan Jarry (.882)

Nikita Kucherov

3games (2 left)

5.4proj. ESPN default pts

  • Tue, Oct 20 @ VGK
    Opp allows 4th-fewest FP to RWvs Carter Hart (.891)
  • Fri, Oct 23 @ COL2.3 pts
    Opp allows 11th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
  • Sat, Oct 24 @ UTAB2B3.1 pts
    Opp allows 10th-most FP to RWSchedule edge −12.1 win%Likely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)

Similar matchups

FAQ

Should I start Easton Cowan or Nikita Kucherov in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Kucherov projects to 2.79 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Easton Cowan's 1.46. Cowan had 29 points in 66 games; Kucherov had 130 in 76 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, Easton Cowan or Nikita Kucherov?
On 2025-26 numbers, Nikita Kucherov leads in 29 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have Cowan and Kucherov done against each other?
In 2 games against each other in our data, Cowan's team went 1–1. Cowan had 1 points (0 goals) and Kucherov had 4 (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 →