Who to start · 2025-26
Evgeni Malkin vs Leon Draisaitl
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Leon Draisaitl projects to 2.96 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Evgeni Malkin's 2.12.
Malkin had 61 points in 56 games; Draisaitl had 97 in 65 games.
This week Malkin has 1 game left; Draisaitl has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Draisaitl for 2.0 ESPN points to Malkin's 1.7.
Leon Draisaitl has the better number in 26 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Malkin's biggest edges: Hardest shot 93.1, Penalty minutes 61, On-ice PDO 1034.
Draisaitl's biggest edges: Ascension score 69, Top skating speed 23.3, Faceoff win % 56.9%.
Head to head on the dot, Draisaitl leads Malkin 19–18.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 1 PPP, 2 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 2 PPP, 10 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Evgeni Malkin
2.12
fantasy points per game
Leon Draisaitl
2.96
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Leon Draisaitl has the edge.
| Points per game from | Malkin | Draisaitl |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.76 | 1.19 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.70 | 0.96 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.22 | 0.34 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.26 | 0.31 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.05 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.14 | 0.10 |
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: Malkin vs Draisaitl
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Malkin 3G 7A, 32 SOG · Draisaitl 7G 7A, 35 SOG
Malkin's offensive zone 10–7 · neutral 4–7 · Malkin's defensive zone 4–5 (2017-18 to 2024-25)
On the ice against each other (Malkin's side)
4:20 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Malkin's side
- Shot attempts
- 2–3
- 40.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.1
- 0.8%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Malkin | Draisaitl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-22 | PIT 6–2 EDM | 1G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-10-25 | PIT 0–4 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-03-10 | PIT 0–4 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-03-03 | PIT 1–6 EDM | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 3A 3S |
| 2023-02-23 | PIT 2–7 EDM | 0G 2A 3S | 1G 1A 2S |
| 2022-10-24 | PIT 3–6 EDM | 0G 1A 4S | 1G 2A 4S |
| 2022-04-26 | PIT 1–5 EDM | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2019-12-20 | PIT 5–2 EDM | 0G 1A 6S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2019-11-02 | PIT 1–2 EDM | 0G 0A 6S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2018-10-23 | PIT 6–5 EDM | 0G 1A 0S | 2G 0A 3S |
| 2017-11-01 | PIT 3–2 EDM | 1G 0A 5S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2017-10-24 | PIT 2–1 EDM | 0G 1A 0S | 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
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.
Evgeni Malkin
2games (1 left)
1.7proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ PHIOpp allows 5th-most FP to CLikely vs Dan Vladar (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs MTL1.7 ptsOpp allows 12th-most FP to CLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
Leon Draisaitl
3games (1 left)
2.0proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs VANOpp allows 4th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ VANOpp allows 4th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA2.0 ptsOpp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Joey Daccord (.897)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Evgeni Malkin or Leon Draisaitl in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Leon Draisaitl projects to 2.96 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Evgeni Malkin's 2.12. Malkin had 61 points in 56 games; Draisaitl had 97 in 65 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, Evgeni Malkin or Leon Draisaitl?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Leon Draisaitl leads in 26 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Malkin and Draisaitl done against each other?
- In 12 games against each other in our data, Malkin's team went 5–7. Malkin had 10 points (3 goals) and Draisaitl had 14 (7 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Malkin or Draisaitl?
- Against each other, Malkin has won 18 and Draisaitl 19 of their 37 head-to-head draws.
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 →