Who to start · 2025-26
K'Andre Miller vs Sam Malinski
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, K'Andre Miller projects to 1.39 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Sam Malinski's 1.34.
Miller had 37 points in 72 games; Malinski had 40 in 82 games.
This week Miller has 2 games left with 1 tough matchup; Malinski has 2 left. In ESPN default points scoring we project Miller for 2.8 to Malinski's 2.7 over the games left.
K'Andre Miller has the better number in 17 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Miller's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 −0.012, Penalty minutes 56, Ice time per game 22:24.
Malinski's biggest edges: On-ice PDO 1035, Hardest shot 96.8, Luck Meter +46.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Sam Malinski rates ahead, +2.7 to +1.9 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Miller is steady, On-ice xGF/60 2.40 (was 3.22); Malinski is falling, On-ice xGF/60 2.43 (was 3.70).
- • 2026-27 so far: 11 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 0 PPP, 18 SOG.
- • Last 10 games (Oct 2–Oct 20): 1 G, 3 A, 0 PPP, 18 SOG.
- • Malinski has played 9 of the Avalanche's 10 games since Sep 30 (in and out of the lineup).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 0 PPP, 10 SOG.
Carolina Hurricanes · Colorado Avalanche · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
K'Andre Miller
+1.9
category z-score total
Sam Malinski
+2.7
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Sam Malinski has the edge (Miller wins 5, Malinski wins 1 of 6 categories).
| Category | Miller | Malinski |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.10 | 0.06 |
| Assists / game | 0.35 | 0.33 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.02 | 0.58 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.02 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.68 | 1.67 |
| Hits / game | 1.23 | 0.64 |
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: Miller vs Malinski
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.
Miller 0G 1A, 2 SOG · Malinski 0G 0A, 1 SOG
On the ice against each other (Miller's side)
6:41 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Miller's side
- Shot attempts
- 3–6
- 33.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.4
- 12.6%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Miller | Malinski |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-03 | CAR 3–5 COL | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-01-26 | NYR 4–5 COL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-01-14 | NYR 2–3 COL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
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
K'Andre Miller
3games (2 left)
2.8proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 @ VANOpp allows 5th-most FP to DLikely vs Leevi Meriläinen (.860)
- Thu, Oct 22 @ EDM1.3 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ STL1.5 ptsOpp allows 11th-most FP to DLikely vs Joel Hofer (.910)
Sam Malinski
4games (2 left)
2.7proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 @ PHIOpp allows 4th-most FP to DLikely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
- Tue, Oct 20 @ NJDB2B
- Fri, Oct 23 vs TBL1.3 ptsOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Sun, Oct 25 @ NSH1.4 pts
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start K'Andre Miller or Sam Malinski in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, K'Andre Miller projects to 1.39 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Sam Malinski's 1.34. Miller had 37 points in 72 games; Malinski had 40 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, K'Andre Miller or Sam Malinski?
- On 2025-26 numbers, K'Andre Miller leads in 17 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Miller and Malinski done against each other?
- In 3 games against each other in our data, Miller's team went 0–3. Miller had 1 points (0 goals) and Malinski had 0 (0 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 →