Who to start · 2025-26
Ivan Barbashev vs Jaden Schwartz
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Ivan Barbashev projects to 1.48 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Jaden Schwartz's 1.40.
Barbashev had 61 points in 82 games; Schwartz had 26 in 50 games.
This week Barbashev has 2 games left; Schwartz has 2 left with 1 tough matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Barbashev for 3.0 to Schwartz's 2.2 over the games left.
Ivan Barbashev has the better number in 23 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Barbashev's biggest edges: High-danger chances 57.9%, Expected goals 57.3%, Sequence xG 57.2%.
Schwartz's biggest edges: Ascension score 60, Transition attempts /60 1.21, Power-play share 42.6%.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Ivan Barbashev rates ahead, +4.3 to +0.1 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Barbashev is steady, 3 P in last 5 (0.90/GP before); Schwartz is steady, 0 P in last 5 (0.65/GP before).
- • 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 0 G, 7 A, 2 PPP, 14 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 3 G, 3 A, 1 PPP, 17 SOG.
Vegas Golden Knights · Colorado Avalanche · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Ivan Barbashev
+4.3
category z-score total
Jaden Schwartz
+0.1
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Ivan Barbashev has the edge (Barbashev wins 4, Schwartz wins 2 of 6 categories).
| Category | Barbashev | Schwartz |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.17 | 0.25 |
| Assists / game | 0.56 | 0.30 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.47 | 0.06 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.12 | 0.08 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.53 | 1.66 |
| Hits / game | 1.72 | 0.66 |
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: Barbashev vs Schwartz
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2018-19 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Barbashev 3G 2A, 29 SOG · Schwartz 2G 1A, 20 SOG
Goals each scored with the other picking up an assist (as teammates).
On the ice against each other (Barbashev's side)
19:23 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Barbashev's side
- Shot attempts
- 28–12
- 70.0%
- Expected goals
- 1.4–0.2
- 85.0%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Barbashev | Schwartz |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-09 | VGK 3–4 SEA | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2026-01-31 | VGK 2–3 SEA | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-10-11 | VGK 1–2 SEA | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-04-10 | VGK 2–1 SEA | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-11-08 | VGK 3–4 SEA | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-03-21 | VGK 3–1 SEA | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2023-10-10 | VGK 4–1 SEA | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-04-13 | VGK 3–1 SEA | 0G 1A 2S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2023-04-11 | VGK 4–1 SEA | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-12-20 | STL 2–5 SEA | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2022-10-19 | STL 4–3 SEA | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 5S |
Faceoffs: Barbashev vs Schwartz
Model: Ivan Barbashev wins 36.0% of draws against Jaden Schwartz on average (L shot vs L shot). Same-handed, so the dot decides who is on his strong side; the gap between the left and right dots is the real matchup.
| Barbashev at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 42% | 30% | 43% | 31% | 36% | 43% | 31% | 44% | 31% |
| Road | 40% | 28% | 41% | 29% | 36% | 41% | 29% | 43% | 30% |
They have not faced each other on a draw in the seasons we track.
Barbashev faceoffs · Schwartz faceoffs · how the model works
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
Chemistry as teammates
How their expected-goal share at 5v5 changed together vs apart (shrunk for sample size), and how closely their DraftKings points moved game to game (raw, that season only; for forward linemates the typical value is about .28).
| Season | 5v5 min together | xG% lift | xGF/60 lift | DK correlation (raw) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 STL | 52 | −0.8 | −0.06 | – (too few games together) |
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
Ivan Barbashev
3games (2 left)
3.0proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs TBLOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to LWvs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Thu, Oct 22 @ STL1.5 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ CBJ1.5 ptsOpp allows 15th-most FP to LWLikely vs Jet Greaves (.908)
Jaden Schwartz
4games (2 left)
2.2proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 @ PHIOpp allows 6th-most FP to LWLikely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
- Tue, Oct 20 @ NJDB2B
- Fri, Oct 23 vs TBL1.1 ptsOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Sun, Oct 25 @ NSH1.2 pts
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Ivan Barbashev or Jaden Schwartz in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Ivan Barbashev projects to 1.48 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Jaden Schwartz's 1.40. Barbashev had 61 points in 82 games; Schwartz had 26 in 50 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, Ivan Barbashev or Jaden Schwartz?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Ivan Barbashev leads in 23 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Barbashev and Schwartz done against each other?
- In 11 games against each other in our data, Barbashev's team went 6–5. Barbashev had 5 points (3 goals) and Schwartz had 3 (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 →