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Who to start · 2025-26

Evan Bouchard vs Mikko Rantanen

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Evan Bouchard projects to 3.14 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mikko Rantanen's 2.21.

Bouchard had 95 points in 82 games; Rantanen had 77 in 64 games.

This week Bouchard has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Rantanen has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Bouchard for 1.9 ESPN points to Rantanen's 1.6.

Evan Bouchard has the better number in 23 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.

Bouchard's biggest edges: Corsi 55.2%, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.06, Fenwick 55.4%.

Rantanen's biggest edges: On-ice PDO 1046, Penalty minutes 93, Top skating speed 22.8.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 4 G, 4 A, 1 PPP, 10 SOG.
  • • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.

Fantasy value: your scoring

Evan Bouchard

3.14

fantasy points per game

Mikko Rantanen

2.21

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Evan Bouchard has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromBouchardRantanen
Goals (+2)0.920.64
Assists (+1)1.030.81
Power-play points (+0.5)0.210.25
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.010.00
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.300.21
Hits (+0.1)0.040.08
Blocks (+0.5)0.630.22

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: Bouchard vs Rantanen

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.

BouchardRantanen
10Team record in 22 meetings12
18Points in those games21

Bouchard 5G 13A, 60 SOG · Rantanen 10G 11A, 71 SOG

1Hits on each other3
2Shots blocked by the other2

Bouchard blocked 2 of Rantanen's shots; Rantanen blocked 2 of Bouchard's.

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

4:56 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Bouchard's side

Shot attempts
7–4
63.6%
Expected goals
0.4–0.0
94.7%
Goals
0–0

Games against each other

Games between Evan Bouchard and Mikko Rantanen
DateScoreBouchardRantanen
2025-11-04EDM 3–4 DAL0G 1A 2S2G 1A 4S
2025-05-29 · POEDM 6–3 DAL0G 0A 1S0G 1A 3S
2025-05-27 · POEDM 4–1 DAL0G 0A 2S0G 0A 2S
2025-05-25 · POEDM 6–1 DAL1G 1A 3S0G 1A 2S
2025-05-23 · POEDM 3–0 DAL0G 2A 0S0G 0A 1S
2025-05-21 · POEDM 3–6 DAL1G 0A 1S0G 1A 3S
2025-03-26EDM 3–4 DAL0G 2A 4S0G 1A 1S
2025-03-08EDM 5–4 DAL0G 1A 0S1G 1A 4S
2025-03-01EDM 3–1 CAR1G 0A 3S0G 1A 2S
2025-01-16EDM 4–3 COL1G 1A 5S0G 1A 0S
2024-11-30EDM 4–1 COL0G 1A 2S0G 0A 1S
2024-04-05EDM 6–2 COL0G 2A 2S0G 1A 2S

Latest 12 of 22 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.

BouchardRantanen

Fantasy box score

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.

Evan Bouchard

3games (1 left)

1.9proj. ESPN pts

  • Tue, Sep 29 vs VAN
    Opp allows 5th-most FP to DLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
  • Thu, Oct 1 @ VAN
    Opp allows 5th-most FP to DLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA1.9 pts
    Opp allows 3rd-fewest FP to DLikely vs Joey Daccord (.897)

Mikko Rantanen

2games (1 left)

1.6proj. ESPN pts

  • Fri, Oct 2 vs STL
    Opp allows 3rd-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Joel Hofer (.910)
  • Sat, Oct 3 @ NSHB2B1.6 pts
    Opp allows 10th-fewest FP to RWSchedule edge −12.9 win%Likely vs Juuse Saros (.893)

FAQ

Should I start Evan Bouchard or Mikko Rantanen in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Evan Bouchard projects to 3.14 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mikko Rantanen's 2.21. Bouchard had 95 points in 82 games; Rantanen had 77 in 64 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, Evan Bouchard or Mikko Rantanen?
On 2025-26 numbers, Evan Bouchard leads in 23 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have Bouchard and Rantanen done against each other?
In 22 games against each other in our data, Bouchard's team went 10–12. Bouchard had 18 points (5 goals) and Rantanen had 21 (10 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 →