Who to start · 2025-26
Gavin McKenna vs Nathan MacKinnon
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nathan MacKinnon projects to 3.15 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Gavin McKenna's 1.23.
McKenna had 6 points in 10 games; MacKinnon had 127 in 80 games.
This week McKenna has 3 games left with 1 tough matchup; MacKinnon has 3 left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project MacKinnon for 9.1 to McKenna's 4.0 over the games left.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Nathan MacKinnon rates ahead, +14.9 to -2.1 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: McKenna is rising, ixG/60 1.34 (was 0.55); MacKinnon is steady, On-ice xGF/60 3.02 (was 3.76).
- • Gavin McKenna is an NHL rookie: this is his first season.
- • 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 3 G, 3 A, 2 PPP, 18 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 6 G, 10 A, 2 PPP, 39 SOG.
Toronto Maple Leafs · Colorado Avalanche · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Gavin McKenna
-2.1
category z-score total
Nathan MacKinnon
+14.9
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Nathan MacKinnon has the edge (McKenna wins 0, MacKinnon wins 6 of 6 categories).
| Category | McKenna | MacKinnon |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.30 | 0.66 |
| Assists / game | 0.30 | 0.99 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.50 | 0.53 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.20 | 0.32 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.80 | 4.36 |
| Hits / game | 0.00 | 0.58 |
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: McKenna vs MacKinnon
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2026-27 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
McKenna 0G 1A, 2 SOG · MacKinnon 2G 0A, 8 SOG
On the ice against each other (McKenna's side)
3:02 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2026-27, from McKenna's side
- Shot attempts
- 3–2
- 60.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.2
- 35.2%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | McKenna | MacKinnon |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-10 | TOR 6–3 COL | 0G 1A 2S | 2G 0A 8S |
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
Gavin McKenna
4games (3 left)
4.0proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 vs SJSOpp allows 5th-most FP to LWLikely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs NYR1.2 ptsOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
- Sat, Oct 24 @ EDM1.3 pts
Nathan MacKinnon
4games (3 left)
9.1proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 @ PHIOpp allows 11th-most FP to CLikely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
- Fri, Oct 23 vs TBL2.5 ptsOpp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Sun, Oct 25 @ NSH3.5 pts
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Gavin McKenna or Nathan MacKinnon in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nathan MacKinnon projects to 3.15 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Gavin McKenna's 1.23. McKenna had 6 points in 10 games; MacKinnon had 127 in 80 games. Check this week's games and your league's scoring in the fantasy panel above, since more games usually decide a weekly start.
- How have McKenna and MacKinnon done against each other?
- In 1 games against each other in our data, McKenna's team went 1–0. McKenna had 1 points (0 goals) and MacKinnon had 2 (2 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 →