Who to start · 2026-27
Jesperi Kotkaniemi vs Macklin Celebrini
In 2026-27, Macklin Celebrini scored 3.61 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Jesperi Kotkaniemi's 1.12.
Kotkaniemi had 5 points in 10 games; Celebrini had 14 in 9 games.
This week Kotkaniemi has 1 game left; Celebrini has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Celebrini for 2.5 to Kotkaniemi's 0.9 over the games left.
They split the 2 stats both are ranked on 1–1.
Kotkaniemi's biggest edges: Luck Meter +69.
Celebrini's biggest edges: Ascension score 75.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Kotkaniemi is surging, On-ice xGF/60 2.80 (was 1.98); Celebrini is surging, On-ice xGF/60 4.29 (was 2.52).
- • Kotkaniemi, last 10 games (Oct 3–Oct 22): 2 G, 3 A, 0 PPP, 10 SOG.
- • Celebrini has played 9 of the Sharks' 11 games since Oct 1 (in and out of the lineup).
- • Celebrini, last 9 games (Oct 1–Oct 22): 5 G, 9 A, 8 PPP, 39 SOG.
Carolina Hurricanes · San Jose Sharks · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
0.0
category z-score total
Macklin Celebrini
0.0
category z-score total
Dead even under Standard (6 categories) (Kotkaniemi wins 0, Celebrini wins 0 of 6 categories).
| Category | Kotkaniemi | Celebrini |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.20 | 0.56 |
| Assists / game | 0.30 | 1.00 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.40 | 0.00 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.00 | 0.89 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.00 | 4.33 |
| Hits / game | 1.20 | 0.67 |
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: Kotkaniemi vs Celebrini
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2024-25 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Kotkaniemi 0G 0A, 3 SOG · Celebrini 1G 3A, 6 SOG
Kotkaniemi's offensive zone 1–0 · neutral 0–0 · Kotkaniemi's defensive zone 0–0 (2024-25)
On the ice against each other (Kotkaniemi's side)
1:11 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Kotkaniemi's side
- Shot attempts
- 2–3
- 40.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.3
- 12.8%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Kotkaniemi | Celebrini |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-07 | CAR 1–4 SJS | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 2A 3S |
| 2025-03-20 | CAR 3–1 SJS | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-12-10 | CAR 3–2 SJS | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 1S |
Faceoffs: Kotkaniemi vs Celebrini
Model: Jesperi Kotkaniemi wins 50.1% of draws against Macklin Celebrini 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.
| Kotkaniemi at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 57% | 42% | 58% | 43% | 50% | 58% | 43% | 59% | 45% |
| Road | 56% | 41% | 57% | 42% | 50% | 57% | 42% | 58% | 43% |
Head-to-head 2024-25: Kotkaniemi 1–0 (100.0%). Blended with the model: 50.2%. The record is normal luck for this matchup (z 1.0); pair-specific edges are about ±2 points, so the model carries most of the weight.
Kotkaniemi faceoffs · Celebrini 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, Luck & trend, NHL EDGE tracking continue below
Every stat, side by side (continued)
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
Jesperi Kotkaniemi
3games (1 left)
0.9proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 @ VANOpp allows 5th-most FP to CLikely vs Leevi Meriläinen (.917)
- Thu, Oct 22 @ EDMOpp allows 9th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Devon Levi (.887)
- Sat, Oct 24 @ STL0.9 ptsOpp allows 16th-most FP to CLikely vs Joel Hofer (.921)
Macklin Celebrini
4games (1 left)
2.5proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 @ TOROpp allows 10th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.895)
- Tue, Oct 20 @ MTLB2B
- Thu, Oct 22 @ OTT
- Sat, Oct 24 @ BOS2.5 ptsOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.928)
FAQ
- Should I start Jesperi Kotkaniemi or Macklin Celebrini in fantasy hockey?
- In 2026-27, Macklin Celebrini scored 3.61 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Jesperi Kotkaniemi's 1.12. Kotkaniemi had 5 points in 10 games; Celebrini had 14 in 9 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, Jesperi Kotkaniemi or Macklin Celebrini?
- On 2026-27 numbers they split 1–1 across 2 stats where both qualify.
- How have Kotkaniemi and Celebrini done against each other?
- In 3 games against each other in our data, Kotkaniemi's team went 2–1. Kotkaniemi had 0 points (0 goals) and Celebrini had 4 (1 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Kotkaniemi or Celebrini?
- Against each other, Kotkaniemi has won 1 and Celebrini 0 of their 1 head-to-head draws.
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 →