Who to start · 2025-26
Evgeni Malkin vs Ryan O'Reilly
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Evgeni Malkin projects to 2.12 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan O'Reilly's 1.90.
Malkin had 61 points in 56 games; O'Reilly had 74 in 81 games.
This week Malkin has 1 game left; O'Reilly has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project O'Reilly for 2.0 ESPN points to Malkin's 1.6.
Ryan O'Reilly has the better number in 23 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Malkin's biggest edges: Offensive-zone start % 76.9%, Hardest shot 93.1, Penalty minutes 61.
O'Reilly's biggest edges: Blocked shots 66, Faceoff win % 55.1%, Draw Equity /100 +0.056.
Head to head on the dot, O'Reilly leads Malkin 27–24.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 1 PPP, 2 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Evgeni Malkin
2.12
fantasy points per game
Ryan O'Reilly
1.90
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Evgeni Malkin has the edge.
| Points per game from | Malkin | O'Reilly |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.76 | 0.58 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.70 | 0.57 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.22 | 0.12 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.02 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.26 | 0.20 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.03 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.14 | 0.38 |
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 O'Reilly
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 5G 8A, 50 SOG · O'Reilly 0G 7A, 21 SOG
Malkin's offensive zone 10–12 · neutral 10–11 · Malkin's defensive zone 4–4 (2017-18 to 2025-26)
Malkin blocked 1 of O'Reilly's shots; O'Reilly blocked 1 of Malkin's.
On the ice against each other (Malkin's side)
5:26 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Malkin's side
- Shot attempts
- 2–7
- 22.2%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.2
- 49.4%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Malkin | O'Reilly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-16 | PIT 4–0 NSH | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-11-14 | PIT 1–2 NSH | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-12-19 | PIT 5–4 NSH | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2024-04-15 | PIT 4–2 NSH | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2023-11-28 | PIT 2–3 NSH | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2022-12-03 | PIT 6–2 STL | 0G 3A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-03-17 | PIT 3–2 STL | 0G 0A 8S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2019-12-04 | PIT 3–0 STL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2019-11-30 | PIT 2–5 STL | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 2A 0S |
| 2019-03-16 | PIT 1–5 STL | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2018-12-29 | PIT 6–1 STL | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2017-12-02 | PIT 5–1 BUF | 1G 1A 8S | 0G 0A 2S |
Latest 12 of 14 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.
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)
1.6proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ PHIOpp allows 7th-most FP to CLikely vs Dan Vladar (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs MTL1.6 ptsOpp allows 14th-most FP to Cvs Jakub Dobes (.901)
Ryan O'Reilly
2games (1 left)
2.0proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs MINOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs DAL2.0 ptsOpp allows 3rd-most FP to CSchedule edge +13.0 win%Likely vs Casey DeSmith (.907)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Evgeni Malkin or Ryan O'Reilly in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Evgeni Malkin projects to 2.12 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan O'Reilly's 1.90. Malkin had 61 points in 56 games; O'Reilly had 74 in 81 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 Ryan O'Reilly?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Ryan O'Reilly leads in 23 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 O'Reilly done against each other?
- In 14 games against each other in our data, Malkin's team went 10–4. Malkin had 13 points (5 goals) and O'Reilly had 7 (0 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Malkin or O'Reilly?
- Against each other, Malkin has won 24 and O'Reilly 27 of their 51 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 →