Who to start · 2025-26
Evan Bouchard vs Nikita Kucherov
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Evan Bouchard projects to 3.14 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Nikita Kucherov's 3.01.
Bouchard had 95 points in 82 games; Kucherov had 130 in 77 games.
This week Bouchard has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Kucherov has 1 left. We project Kucherov for 2.8 ESPN points to Bouchard's 1.9.
Nikita Kucherov has the better number in 20 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Bouchard's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 0, Ascension score 68, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.06.
Kucherov's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 1.45, On-ice PDO 1046, Penalty minutes 50.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 4 G, 4 A, 1 PPP, 10 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Evan Bouchard
3.14
fantasy points per game
Nikita Kucherov
3.01
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Evan Bouchard has the edge.
| Points per game from | Bouchard | Kucherov |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.92 | 1.20 |
| Assists (+1) | 1.03 | 1.05 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.21 | 0.23 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.30 | 0.29 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.04 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.63 | 0.21 |
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 Kucherov
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.
Bouchard 1G 4A, 31 SOG · Kucherov 6G 12A, 50 SOG
Bouchard blocked 3 of Kucherov's shots; Kucherov blocked 0 of Bouchard's.
On the ice against each other (Bouchard's side)
16:48 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Bouchard's side
- Shot attempts
- 15–30
- 33.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.8–2.1
- 26.6%
- Goals
- 0–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Bouchard | Kucherov |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-21 | EDM 2–5 TBL | 0G 1A 3S | 2G 2A 7S |
| 2025-11-20 | EDM 1–2 TBL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 6S |
| 2025-02-25 | EDM 1–4 TBL | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 2A 3S |
| 2024-12-10 | EDM 2–1 TBL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2023-12-14 | EDM 4–7 TBL | 0G 2A 5S | 1G 2A 3S |
| 2023-11-18 | EDM 4–6 TBL | 1G 0A 6S | 2G 1A 6S |
| 2023-01-19 | EDM 5–3 TBL | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2022-11-08 | EDM 3–2 TBL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 7S |
| 2022-03-12 | EDM 4–1 TBL | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 7S |
| 2022-02-23 | EDM 3–5 TBL | 0G 0A 2S | 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.
Evan Bouchard
3games (1 left)
1.9proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs VANOpp allows 5th-most FP to DLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ VANOpp allows 5th-most FP to DLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA1.9 ptsOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to DLikely vs Joey Daccord (.897)
Nikita Kucherov
2games (1 left)
2.8proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 @ NYROpp allows 12th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs WSH2.8 ptsOpp allows 13th-most FP to RWSchedule edge +13.4 win%vs Charlie Lindgren (.879)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Evan Bouchard or Nikita Kucherov 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 Nikita Kucherov's 3.01. Bouchard had 95 points in 82 games; Kucherov had 130 in 77 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 Nikita Kucherov?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nikita Kucherov leads in 20 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 Kucherov done against each other?
- In 10 games against each other in our data, Bouchard's team went 4–6. Bouchard had 5 points (1 goals) and Kucherov had 18 (6 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 →