Who to start · 2025-26
Fabian Zetterlund vs Matthew Tkachuk
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Matthew Tkachuk projects to 2.39 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Fabian Zetterlund's 1.16.
Zetterlund had 33 points in 82 games; Tkachuk had 34 in 31 games.
This week Zetterlund has 3 games left with 1 soft and 2 tough matchups; Tkachuk has 3 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Tkachuk for 7.6 to Zetterlund's 3.6 over the games left.
Matthew Tkachuk has the better number in 17 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Zetterlund's biggest edges: Hardest shot 94.3, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.011, 20+ mph bursts 121.
Tkachuk's biggest edges: Penalty minutes 48, Power-play share 74.0%, Ice-time share 30.2%.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Matthew Tkachuk rates ahead, +9.6 to +0.3 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Zetterlund is cooling, On-ice xGF/60 1.98 (was 2.75); Tkachuk is rising, 11 P in last 5 (1.15/GP before).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 1 PPP, 15 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 3 G, 11 A, 7 PPP, 19 SOG.
Ottawa Senators · Florida Panthers · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Fabian Zetterlund
+0.3
category z-score total
Matthew Tkachuk
+9.6
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Matthew Tkachuk has the edge (Zetterlund wins 1, Tkachuk wins 5 of 6 categories).
| Category | Zetterlund | Tkachuk |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.17 | 0.39 |
| Assists / game | 0.21 | 0.88 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.01 | 0.05 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.10 | 0.55 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.63 | 2.57 |
| Hits / game | 2.10 | 1.13 |
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: Zetterlund vs Tkachuk
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2022-23 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Zetterlund 1G 2A, 12 SOG · Tkachuk 4G 9A, 29 SOG
Zetterlund blocked 0 of Tkachuk's shots; Tkachuk blocked 1 of Zetterlund's.
On the ice against each other (Zetterlund's side)
1:23 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Zetterlund's side
- Shot attempts
- 0–3
- 0.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.1
- 0.0%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Zetterlund | Tkachuk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-31 | OTT 3–6 FLA | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 3A 5S |
| 2025-01-25 | SJS 2–7 FLA | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 2A 2S |
| 2024-12-07 | SJS 1–3 FLA | 0G 0A 1S | 2G 0A 7S |
| 2023-11-14 | SJS 3–5 FLA | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 2A 4S |
| 2023-10-24 | SJS 1–3 FLA | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 2A 7S |
| 2022-12-21 | NJD 4–2 FLA | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2022-12-17 | NJD 2–4 FLA | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
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
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
Fabian Zetterlund
3games
3.6proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs FLA1.1 ptsOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs NYR1.1 ptsOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
Matthew Tkachuk
3games
7.6proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 @ OTT2.5 ptsOpp allows 14th-most FP to LWLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
- Sun, Oct 25 @ CHI2.7 ptsOpp allows 9th-most FP to LWLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Fabian Zetterlund or Matthew Tkachuk in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Matthew Tkachuk projects to 2.39 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Fabian Zetterlund's 1.16. Zetterlund had 33 points in 82 games; Tkachuk had 34 in 31 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, Fabian Zetterlund or Matthew Tkachuk?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Matthew Tkachuk leads in 17 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Zetterlund and Tkachuk done against each other?
- In 7 games against each other in our data, Zetterlund's team went 1–6. Zetterlund had 3 points (1 goals) and Tkachuk had 13 (4 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 →