Who to start · 2026-27
Jaccob Slavin vs Kasperi Kapanen
In 2026-27, Kasperi Kapanen scored 1.46 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Jaccob Slavin's 1.45.
Slavin had 4 points in 21 games; Kapanen had 10 in 21 games.
This week Slavin has no games left; Kapanen has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Kapanen for 1.3 to Slavin's 0.0 over the games left.
Jaccob Slavin has the better number in 18 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Slavin's biggest edges: Forecheck xG /60 0.52, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.40, Faceoffs won 0.
Kapanen's biggest edges: Penalty minutes 13, Hits 47, Goals above expected +1.3.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Kasperi Kapanen rates ahead, -0.2 to -1.9 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Slavin is cooling, On-ice xGF/60 2.23 (was 3.18); Kapanen is cooling, 1 P in last 5 (0.45/GP before).
- • Slavin, last 10 games (Oct 22–Nov 14): 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 13 SOG.
- • Kapanen, last 10 games (Oct 26–Nov 14): 2 G, 4 A, 5 PPP, 13 SOG.
Carolina Hurricanes · Edmonton Oilers · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Under Standard (6 categories), Kasperi Kapanen has the edge (Slavin wins 2, Kapanen wins 4 of 6 categories).
| Category | Slavin | Kapanen |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.00 | 0.24 |
| Assists / game | 0.19 | 0.24 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.29 | -0.24 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.00 | 0.33 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.62 | 1.38 |
| Hits / game | 0.24 | 2.24 |
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: Slavin vs Kapanen
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Slavin 2G 2A, 35 SOG · Kapanen 3G 3A, 37 SOG
Slavin blocked 3 of Kapanen's shots; Kapanen blocked 1 of Slavin's.
On the ice against each other (Slavin's side)
12:10 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Slavin's side
- Shot attempts
- 12–11
- 52.2%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.5
- 28.7%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Slavin | Kapanen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-22 | CAR 5–6 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2026-03-06 | CAR 6–3 EDM | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-03-01 | CAR 1–3 EDM | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-10-19 | CAR 3–4 STL | 0G 1A 2S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2024-04-12 | CAR 5–2 STL | 1G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-01-06 | CAR 1–2 STL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-01-14 | CAR 2–1 PIT | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-12-22 | CAR 4–3 PIT | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-12-18 | CAR 3–2 PIT | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2022-11-29 | CAR 3–2 PIT | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2022-02-20 | CAR 4–3 PIT | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-03-13 | CAR 2–4 PIT | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 2S |
Latest 12 of 19 meetings.
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
Jaccob Slavin
2games (0 left)
0.0proj. ESPN default pts
- Thu, Nov 12 @ SEAOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Philipp Grubauer (.892)
- Sat, Nov 14 vs SEA
Kasperi Kapanen
4games (1 left)
1.3proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Nov 9 vs NYROpp allows 14th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Dylan Garand (.910)
- Wed, Nov 11 vs PHIOpp allows 9th-most FP to RWLikely vs Dan Vladar (.879)
- Sat, Nov 14 @ TOROpp allows 12th-most FP to RWLikely vs Anthony Stolarz (.905)
- Opp allows 9th-most FP to RWvs Dan Vladar (.879)
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 Jaccob Slavin or Kasperi Kapanen in fantasy hockey?
- In 2026-27, Kasperi Kapanen scored 1.46 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Jaccob Slavin's 1.45. Slavin had 4 points in 21 games; Kapanen had 10 in 21 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, Jaccob Slavin or Kasperi Kapanen?
- On 2026-27 numbers, Jaccob Slavin leads in 18 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Slavin and Kapanen done against each other?
- In 19 games against each other in our data, Slavin's team went 11–8. Slavin had 4 points (2 goals) and Kapanen had 6 (3 goals).
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 →