Who to start · 2026-27
Gabriel Vilardi vs Mikael Granlund
In 2026-27, Mikael Granlund scored 2.38 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Gabriel Vilardi's 1.43.
Vilardi had 14 points in 21 games; Granlund had 22 in 19 games.
This week Vilardi has no games left; Granlund has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Granlund for 2.4 to Vilardi's 0.0 over the games left.
Gabriel Vilardi has the better number in 9 of the 14 stats both are ranked on.
Vilardi's biggest edges: Offensive-zone start % 67.8%, Expected goals 50.8%, Scoring chances 51.4%.
Granlund's biggest edges: Luck Meter +16, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.62, Transition attempts /60 1.03.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Mikael Granlund rates ahead, +3.1 to -0.7 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Vilardi is surging, 7 P in last 5 (0.55/GP before); Granlund is surging, 9 P in last 5 (0.95/GP before).
- • Vilardi, last 10 games (Oct 27–Nov 14): 2 G, 6 A, 3 PPP, 26 SOG.
- • Granlund, last 10 games (Oct 24–Nov 14): 4 G, 10 A, 7 PPP, 18 SOG.
Winnipeg Jets · Anaheim Ducks · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Under Standard (6 categories), Mikael Granlund has the edge (Vilardi wins 2, Granlund wins 4 of 6 categories).
| Category | Vilardi | Granlund |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.14 | 0.32 |
| Assists / game | 0.52 | 0.84 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.19 | -0.05 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.29 | 0.58 |
| Shots on goal / game | 2.19 | 1.79 |
| Hits / game | 0.19 | 0.16 |
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: Vilardi vs Granlund
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2021-22 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Vilardi 3G 10A, 34 SOG · Granlund 4G 9A, 30 SOG
Vilardi's offensive zone 1–2 · neutral 0–1 · Vilardi's defensive zone 0–1 (2021-22 to 2023-24)
On the ice against each other (Vilardi's side)
9:01 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Vilardi's side
- Shot attempts
- 4–6
- 40.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.4
- 10.4%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Vilardi | Granlund |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-09 | WPG 1–5 ANA | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 1A 2S |
| 2026-03-10 | WPG 1–4 ANA | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-05-17 · PO | WPG 1–2 DAL | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-05-15 · PO | WPG 4–0 DAL | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-05-13 · PO | WPG 1–3 DAL | 0G 0A 2S | 3G 0A 3S |
| 2025-05-11 · PO | WPG 2–5 DAL | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2025-05-09 · PO | WPG 4–0 DAL | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-05-07 · PO | WPG 2–3 DAL | 0G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-03-14 | WPG 4–1 DAL | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-12-17 | WPG 4–3 SJS | 0G 3A 4S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-10-18 | WPG 8–3 SJS | 0G 2A 0S | 0G 2A 0S |
| 2024-02-14 | WPG 1–0 SJS | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
Latest 12 of 17 meetings.
Faceoffs: Vilardi vs Granlund
Model: Gabriel Vilardi wins 50.1% of draws against Mikael Granlund on average (R shot vs L shot). Opposite-handed, so they are both strong or both weak at every dot and the dot barely matters.
| Vilardi at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 51% | 49% | 52% | 50% | 50% | 52% | 50% | 53% | 51% |
| Road | 49% | 47% | 50% | 49% | 50% | 50% | 49% | 51% | 50% |
Head-to-head 2023-24: Vilardi 1–2 (33.3%). Blended with the model: 50.0%. The record is normal luck for this matchup (z -0.6); pair-specific edges are about ±2 points, so the model carries most of the weight.
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, Luck & trend, NHL EDGE tracking continue below
Every stat, side by side (continued)
Transition, turnovers & faceoffs
Usage
Special teams & discipline
This week's schedule
Nov 9 to Nov 15. 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
Gabriel Vilardi
3games (0 left)
0.0proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Nov 10 vs NJDOpp allows 9th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jake Allen (.881)
- Thu, Nov 12 @ DALOpp allows 14th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jake Oettinger (.902)
- Sat, Nov 14 @ CHIOpp allows 5th-most FP to CLikely vs Spencer Knight (.882)
Mikael Granlund
3games (1 left)
2.4proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Nov 11 vs NSH
- Sat, Nov 14 vs NYIOpp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Semyon Varlamov (.899)
- Opp allows 4th-most FP to Cvs Devin Cooley (.914)
Player data stories
How the game changed, told through the numbers.
- In 2022-23, Four NHL Players Wore a Number in the 90s for Every One in No. 9 The count was 53 to 13, and the incomplete 2025-26 rosters show the same split, 51 to 12.
- The 1,000-Game Club Had Its Biggest Year. Getting In Is No Easier. Seventeen players reached 1,000 NHL games in 2025-26, more than in any season before, in the biggest league the NHL has had.
- Only 14 NHL Defencemen Still Score Like Ken Daneyko A stay-at-home defenceman stays back to defend and leaves the scoring to others.
- How Much Lighter Did the NHL Really Get? Teams write down NHL weights.
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Gabriel Vilardi or Mikael Granlund in fantasy hockey?
- In 2026-27, Mikael Granlund scored 2.38 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Gabriel Vilardi's 1.43. Vilardi had 14 points in 21 games; Granlund had 22 in 19 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, Gabriel Vilardi or Mikael Granlund?
- On 2026-27 numbers, Gabriel Vilardi leads in 9 of 14 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Vilardi and Granlund done against each other?
- In 17 games against each other in our data, Vilardi's team went 9–8. Vilardi had 13 points (3 goals) and Granlund had 13 (4 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Vilardi or Granlund?
- Against each other, Vilardi has won 1 and Granlund 4 of their 5 head-to-head draws.
2026-27 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 →