Who to start · 2025-26
John Carlson vs Mika Zibanejad
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mika Zibanejad projects to 2.27 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Carlson's 2.10.
Carlson had 60 points in 71 games; Zibanejad had 78 in 81 games.
This week Carlson has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Zibanejad has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Carlson for 1.6 ESPN points to Zibanejad's 1.4.
John Carlson has the better number in 19 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Carlson's biggest edges: Plus/minus +9, Transition attempts /60 0.96, Fenwick 54.3%.
Zibanejad's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 −0.001, Hits 105, 20+ mph bursts 124.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 3 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
John Carlson
2.10
fantasy points per game
Mika Zibanejad
2.27
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Mika Zibanejad has the edge.
| Points per game from | Carlson | Zibanejad |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.37 | 0.81 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.61 | 0.51 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.09 | 0.21 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.23 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.14 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.76 | 0.34 |
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: Carlson vs Zibanejad
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.
Carlson 5G 23A, 98 SOG · Zibanejad 15G 21A, 103 SOG
Carlson blocked 4 of Zibanejad's shots; Zibanejad blocked 4 of Carlson's.
On the ice against each other (Carlson's side)
27:51 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Carlson's side
- Shot attempts
- 32–23
- 58.2%
- Expected goals
- 1.0–0.9
- 53.7%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Carlson | Zibanejad |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-01 | TBL 1–5 NYR | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2025-12-31 | WSH 6–3 NYR | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2025-12-23 | WSH 3–7 NYR | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 2A 0S |
| 2025-10-12 | WSH 1–0 NYR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 7S |
| 2025-03-05 | WSH 3–2 NYR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-01-04 | WSH 7–4 NYR | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-10-29 | WSH 5–3 NYR | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2024-04-28 · PO | WSH 2–4 NYR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2024-04-26 · PO | WSH 1–3 NYR | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2024-04-23 · PO | WSH 3–4 NYR | 0G 1A 4S | 1G 1A 6S |
| 2024-04-21 · PO | WSH 1–4 NYR | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2024-01-14 | WSH 1–2 NYR | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 3S |
Latest 12 of 36 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.
John Carlson
2games (1 left)
1.6proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 @ NYROpp allows 9th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs WSH1.6 ptsOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to DSchedule edge +13.4 win%vs Charlie Lindgren (.879)
Mika Zibanejad
4games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ BOSOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)
- Thu, Oct 1 vs TBLOpp allows 11th-most FP to CLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Fri, Oct 2 @ DETB2BOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs John Gibson (.901)
- Sun, Oct 4 vs UTA1.4 ptsOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start John Carlson or Mika Zibanejad in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mika Zibanejad projects to 2.27 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Carlson's 2.10. Carlson had 60 points in 71 games; Zibanejad had 78 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, John Carlson or Mika Zibanejad?
- On 2025-26 numbers, John Carlson leads in 19 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Carlson and Zibanejad done against each other?
- In 36 games against each other in our data, Carlson's team went 19–17. Carlson had 28 points (5 goals) and Zibanejad had 36 (15 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 →