Who to start · 2025-26
Jake McCabe vs Pavel Buchnevich
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jake McCabe projects to 1.75 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Pavel Buchnevich's 1.30.
McCabe had 25 points in 80 games; Buchnevich had 48 in 81 games.
This week McCabe has 1 game left; Buchnevich has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project McCabe for 1.7 ESPN points to Buchnevich's 1.5.
Pavel Buchnevich has the better number in 22 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
McCabe's biggest edges: Top skating speed 22.7, Hits 104, Transition attempts /60 0.45.
Buchnevich's biggest edges: Offensive-zone time 42.9%, Scoring chances 50.7%, Offensive-zone start % 53.1%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 2 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Jake McCabe
1.75
fantasy points per game
Pavel Buchnevich
1.30
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Jake McCabe has the edge.
| Points per game from | McCabe | Buchnevich |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.11 | 0.46 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.22 | 0.32 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.08 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.10 | 0.16 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.13 | 0.03 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 1.19 | 0.23 |
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 custom weights are saved in this browser only.
Head-to-head: McCabe vs Buchnevich
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
McCabe 2G 1A, 22 SOG · Buchnevich 6G 10A, 40 SOG
McCabe blocked 4 of Buchnevich's shots; Buchnevich blocked 1 of McCabe's.
On the ice against each other (McCabe's side)
8:28 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from McCabe's side
- Shot attempts
- 5–8
- 38.5%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.5
- 33.3%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | McCabe | Buchnevich |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-28 | TOR 1–5 STL | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-11-18 | TOR 3–2 STL | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-11-02 | TOR 2–4 STL | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2024-10-24 | TOR 1–5 STL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2024-02-19 | TOR 4–2 STL | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2024-02-13 | TOR 4–1 STL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-01-21 | CHI 5–3 STL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2022-12-29 | CHI 1–3 STL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-11-16 | CHI 2–5 STL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-02-27 | CHI 0–4 STL | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2022-02-12 | CHI 1–5 STL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2021-11-26 | CHI 3–2 STL | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 1A 3S |
Latest 12 of 22 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
This week's schedule
Sep 28 to Oct 4. 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 use ESPN default points for the games left.
Jake McCabe
3games (1 left)
1.7proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs MTLOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
- Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2BOpp allows 16th-most FP to DSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT1.7 ptsvs Linus Ullmark (.891)
Pavel Buchnevich
2games (1 left)
1.5proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 @ DALOpp allows 11th-most FP to LWLikely vs Jake Oettinger (.899)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ COLB2B1.5 ptsOpp allows 7th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −13.4 win%Likely vs Scott Wedgewood (.921)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Jake McCabe or Pavel Buchnevich in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jake McCabe projects to 1.75 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Pavel Buchnevich's 1.30. McCabe had 25 points in 80 games; Buchnevich had 48 in 81 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, Jake McCabe or Pavel Buchnevich?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Pavel Buchnevich leads in 22 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have McCabe and Buchnevich done against each other?
- In 22 games against each other in our data, McCabe's team went 8–14. McCabe had 3 points (2 goals) and Buchnevich had 16 (6 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 →