Who to start · 2025-26
Jared McCann vs Nikolaj Ehlers
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jared McCann projects to 1.80 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Nikolaj Ehlers's 1.49.
McCann had 40 points in 52 games; Ehlers had 71 in 82 games.
This week McCann has 3 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Ehlers has 3 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project McCann for 5.2 to Ehlers's 4.8 over the games left.
Nikolaj Ehlers has the better number in 24 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
McCann's biggest edges: Ascension score 72, On-ice PDO 997, Hits 40.
Ehlers's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.024, Top skating speed 23.1, 20+ mph bursts 182.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Jared McCann rates ahead, +4.6 to +2.7 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: McCann is rising, ixG/60 1.94 (was 0.89); Ehlers is rising, PP1 in 5 of last 5 (was 14 of 20).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 3 G, 5 A, 3 PPP, 26 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 4 PPP, 19 SOG.
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Fantasy value: your scoring
Jared McCann
+4.6
category z-score total
Nikolaj Ehlers
+2.7
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Jared McCann has the edge (McCann wins 4, Ehlers wins 2 of 6 categories).
| Category | McCann | Ehlers |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.37 | 0.23 |
| Assists / game | 0.45 | 0.49 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.08 | -0.10 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.28 | 0.36 |
| Shots on goal / game | 2.49 | 2.27 |
| Hits / game | 0.65 | 0.27 |
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: McCann vs Ehlers
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.
McCann 2G 5A, 31 SOG · Ehlers 7G 3A, 56 SOG
McCann blocked 1 of Ehlers's shots; Ehlers blocked 0 of McCann's.
On the ice against each other (McCann's side)
7:10 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from McCann's side
- Shot attempts
- 6–10
- 37.5%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.3
- 45.8%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | McCann | Ehlers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-02 | SEA 2–1 CAR | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2026-01-10 | SEA 2–3 CAR | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2025-03-16 | SEA 2–3 WPG | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-01-16 | SEA 1–2 WPG | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 6S |
| 2024-10-24 | SEA 3–4 WPG | 0G 2A 3S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-04-16 | SEA 3–4 WPG | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 1A 5S |
| 2024-03-08 | SEA 0–3 WPG | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2024-03-05 | SEA 4–3 WPG | 1G 2A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-02-14 | SEA 2–3 WPG | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 5S |
| 2022-05-01 | SEA 3–4 WPG | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2021-12-09 | SEA 0–3 WPG | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 7S |
| 2019-10-13 | PIT 7–2 WPG | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
Latest 12 of 16 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
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
Jared McCann
3games
5.2proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs DET2.0 ptsOpp allows 3rd-most FP to LWvs Daniil Tarasov (.895)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs UTA1.7 ptsOpp allows 16th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs MIN1.4 ptsOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
Nikolaj Ehlers
3games
4.8proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 @ VAN1.8 ptsOpp allows the most FP to LWvs Leevi Meriläinen (.860)
- Thu, Oct 22 @ EDM1.4 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ STL1.6 pts
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Jared McCann or Nikolaj Ehlers in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jared McCann projects to 1.80 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Nikolaj Ehlers's 1.49. McCann had 40 points in 52 games; Ehlers had 71 in 82 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, Jared McCann or Nikolaj Ehlers?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nikolaj Ehlers leads in 24 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have McCann and Ehlers done against each other?
- In 16 games against each other in our data, McCann's team went 4–12. McCann had 7 points (2 goals) and Ehlers had 10 (7 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 →