Who to start · 2025-26
Kaapo Kakko vs Nikita Kucherov
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Kucherov projects to 2.79 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Kaapo Kakko's 1.22.
Kakko had 40 points in 65 games; Kucherov had 130 in 76 games.
This week Kakko has 2 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Kucherov has 2 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Kucherov for 5.4 to Kakko's 2.4 over the games left.
Nikita Kucherov has the better number in 28 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Kakko's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.048, Ascension score 62, Faceoffs won 17.
Kucherov's biggest edges: Scoring chances 56.4%, High-danger chances 56.9%, 20+ mph bursts 138.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Nikita Kucherov rates ahead, +12.3 to +1.0 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Kakko is cooling, 0% of 5v5 TOI with top players (was 63%); Kucherov is steady, 63% of team PP time (was 72%).
- • 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 2 G, 6 A, 1 PPP, 8 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 8 GP, 3 G, 7 A, 3 PPP, 24 SOG.
Seattle Kraken · Tampa Bay Lightning · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Kaapo Kakko
+1.0
category z-score total
Nikita Kucherov
+12.3
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Nikita Kucherov has the edge (Kakko wins 1, Kucherov wins 5 of 6 categories).
| Category | Kakko | Kucherov |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.20 | 0.51 |
| Assists / game | 0.49 | 1.04 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.25 | 0.41 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.11 | 0.45 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.04 | 3.03 |
| Hits / game | 0.56 | 0.35 |
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: Kakko vs Kucherov
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2019-20 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Kakko 4G 2A, 28 SOG · Kucherov 9G 15A, 61 SOG
Kakko blocked 1 of Kucherov's shots; Kucherov blocked 0 of Kakko's.
On the ice against each other (Kakko's side)
8:01 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Kakko's side
- Shot attempts
- 9–7
- 56.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–0.2
- 79.5%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Kakko | Kucherov |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-15 | SEA 3–4 TBL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 8S |
| 2026-03-26 | SEA 4–3 TBL | 1G 1A 1S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2026-03-17 | SEA 2–6 TBL | 0G 0A 0S | 3G 2A 7S |
| 2025-02-23 | SEA 1–4 TBL | 0G 0A 6S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-03-14 | NYR 3–6 TBL | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 4A 1S |
| 2024-02-07 | NYR 3–1 TBL | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2023-04-05 | NYR 6–3 TBL | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2022-12-29 | NYR 1–2 TBL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 8S |
| 2022-10-11 | NYR 3–1 TBL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2022-06-09 · PO | NYR 1–3 TBL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2022-06-07 · PO | NYR 1–4 TBL | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2022-06-05 · PO | NYR 2–3 TBL | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 2A 5S |
Latest 12 of 15 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
Kaapo Kakko
3games (2 left)
2.4proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs DETOpp allows 13th-most FP to RWLikely vs Daniil Tarasov (.895)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs UTA1.4 ptsOpp allows 10th-most FP to RWLikely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs MIN1.0 ptsOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
Nikita Kucherov
3games (2 left)
5.4proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 @ VGKOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Carter Hart (.891)
- Fri, Oct 23 @ COL2.3 ptsOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Kaapo Kakko or Nikita Kucherov in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Kucherov projects to 2.79 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Kaapo Kakko's 1.22. Kakko had 40 points in 65 games; Kucherov had 130 in 76 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, Kaapo Kakko or Nikita Kucherov?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nikita Kucherov leads in 28 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Kakko and Kucherov done against each other?
- In 15 games against each other in our data, Kakko's team went 7–8. Kakko had 6 points (4 goals) and Kucherov had 24 (9 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 →