Edgehalla

Who to start · 2025-26

Igor Chernyshov vs Nathan MacKinnon

Igor ChernyshovSharks · Left wing
vs
Nathan MacKinnonAvalanche · Centre
SteadyTop-six in 5 of last 5 (was 12 of 20)
CoolingOn-ice xGF/60 2.51 (was 3.88)

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nathan MacKinnon projects to 3.08 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Igor Chernyshov's 1.35.

Chernyshov had 19 points in 28 games; MacKinnon had 127 in 80 games.

This week Chernyshov has 2 games left with 1 tough matchup; MacKinnon has 2 left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project MacKinnon for 6.0 to Chernyshov's 2.5 over the games left.

Nathan MacKinnon has the better number in 31 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.

Chernyshov's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 −0.011, Offensive-zone start % 73.5%.

MacKinnon's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 681, Shots on goal 350, Hardest shot 91.0.

In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Nathan MacKinnon rates ahead, +14.0 to -0.1 in summed category z-scores.

Role trend over the last 5 games: Chernyshov is steady, Top-six in 5 of last 5 (was 12 of 20); MacKinnon is cooling, On-ice xGF/60 2.51 (was 3.88).

  • • 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 0 PPP, 11 SOG.
  • • 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 6 G, 10 A, 2 PPP, 44 SOG.

San Jose Sharks · Colorado Avalanche · Who should I start? · Compare other players

Fantasy value: your scoring

Igor Chernyshov

-0.1

category z-score total

Nathan MacKinnon

+14.0

category z-score total

Under Standard (6 categories), Nathan MacKinnon has the edge (Chernyshov wins 0, MacKinnon wins 6 of 6 categories).

Per-stat breakdown under Standard (6 categories)
CategoryChernyshovMacKinnon
Goals / game0.270.64
Assists / game0.290.96
Plus/minus / game0.040.43
Power-play points / game0.110.30
Shots on goal / game1.434.38
Hits / game0.520.68

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

Igor Chernyshov and Nathan MacKinnon have no head-to-head events in our data yet (regular season and playoffs since 2019-20).

Every stat, side by side

Season values; bars are percentiles at each player's position (longer is better). Click a stat for its explainer.

ChernyshovMacKinnon

Fantasy box score

Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)

Transition, turnovers & faceoffs

Usage

Special teams & discipline

Luck & trend

NHL EDGE tracking

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

Igor Chernyshov

4games (2 left)

2.5proj. ESPN default pts

  • Mon, Oct 19 @ TOR
    Opp allows 9th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
  • Tue, Oct 20 @ MTLB2B
    Opp allows 4th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
  • Thu, Oct 22 @ OTT1.4 pts
    Opp allows 13th-most FP to LWSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
  • Sat, Oct 24 @ BOS1.1 pts
    Opp allows 7th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)

Nathan MacKinnon

4games (2 left)

6.0proj. ESPN default pts

  • Mon, Oct 19 @ PHI
    Opp allows 11th-most FP to CLikely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
  • Tue, Oct 20 @ NJDB2B
    Opp allows 16th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Jake Allen (.904)
  • Fri, Oct 23 vs TBL2.5 pts
    Opp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
  • Sun, Oct 25 @ NSH3.5 pts
    Opp allows 9th-most FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Juuse Saros (.893)

Similar matchups

FAQ

Should I start Igor Chernyshov or Nathan MacKinnon in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nathan MacKinnon projects to 3.08 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Igor Chernyshov's 1.35. Chernyshov had 19 points in 28 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.
Who is better, Igor Chernyshov or Nathan MacKinnon?
On 2025-26 numbers, Nathan MacKinnon leads in 31 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.

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 →