Edgehalla

Who to start · 2025-26

Kevin Fiala vs Nathan MacKinnon

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nathan MacKinnon projects to 3.32 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Kevin Fiala's 1.73.

Fiala had 40 points in 56 games; MacKinnon had 127 in 80 games.

This week Fiala has 1 game left; MacKinnon has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project MacKinnon for 2.2 ESPN points to Fiala's 1.6.

Nathan MacKinnon has the better number in 29 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.

Fiala's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 −0.020, Hardest shot 94.3, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.06.

MacKinnon's biggest edges: Top skating speed 24.8, Plus/minus +57, Goals above expected +4.3.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 1 PPP, 8 SOG.

Fantasy value: your scoring

Kevin Fiala

1.73

fantasy points per game

Nathan MacKinnon

3.17

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Nathan MacKinnon has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromFialaMacKinnon
Goals (+2)0.641.32
Assists (+1)0.390.93
Power-play points (+0.5)0.150.19
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.000.00
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.260.44
Hits (+0.1)0.070.08
Blocks (+0.5)0.210.22

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: Fiala vs MacKinnon

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.

FialaMacKinnon
17Team record in 35 meetings18
23Points in those games49

Fiala 11G 12A, 86 SOG · MacKinnon 19G 30A, 135 SOG

0Faceoffs against each other1

Fiala's offensive zone 0–1 · neutral 0–0 · Fiala's defensive zone 0–0 (2023-24)

1Hits on each other1
1Shots blocked by the other2

Fiala blocked 1 of MacKinnon's shots; MacKinnon blocked 2 of Fiala's.

1Penalties drawn off the other0

On the ice against each other (Fiala's side)

7:15 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Fiala's side

Shot attempts
9–6
60.0%
Expected goals
0.2–0.6
27.9%
Goals
0–1

Games against each other

Games between Kevin Fiala and Nathan MacKinnon
DateScoreFialaMacKinnon
2025-12-29LAK 2–5 COL0G 1A 3S1G 1A 2S
2025-10-07LAK 1–4 COL1G 0A 3S0G 2A 2S
2025-03-27LAK 0–4 COL0G 0A 1S0G 1A 2S
2024-11-13LAK 2–4 COL0G 0A 1S0G 3A 3S
2024-01-26LAK 1–5 COL1G 0A 4S1G 1A 3S
2023-12-03LAK 4–1 COL0G 0A 3S0G 1A 2S
2023-10-11LAK 2–5 COL0G 0A 5S1G 2A 4S
2023-03-09LAK 5–2 COL0G 1A 1S1G 0A 8S
2022-03-27MIN 3–2 COL1G 0A 1S0G 0A 3S
2022-01-17MIN 3–4 COL1G 0A 5S1G 1A 6S
2021-10-30MIN 1–4 COL0G 0A 0S0G 2A 5S
2021-04-07MIN 8–3 COL3G 1A 8S1G 1A 3S

Latest 12 of 35 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.

FialaMacKinnon

Fantasy box score

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.

Kevin Fiala

2games (1 left)

1.6proj. ESPN pts

  • Wed, Sep 30 @ COL
    Opp allows 7th-most FP to LWLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
  • Sat, Oct 3 @ SJS1.6 pts
    Opp allows 15th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge −3.2 win%Likely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)

Nathan MacKinnon

2games (1 left)

2.2proj. ESPN pts

  • Wed, Sep 30 vs LAK
    Opp allows the most FP to CLikely vs Darcy Kuemper (.891)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs STL2.2 pts
    Opp allows 3rd-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +10.1 win%vs Jordan Binnington (.873)

FAQ

Should I start Kevin Fiala or Nathan MacKinnon in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nathan MacKinnon projects to 3.32 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Kevin Fiala's 1.73. Fiala had 40 points in 56 games; MacKinnon had 127 in 80 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, Kevin Fiala or Nathan MacKinnon?
On 2025-26 numbers, Nathan MacKinnon leads in 29 of 33 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have Fiala and MacKinnon done against each other?
In 35 games against each other in our data, Fiala's team went 17–18. Fiala had 23 points (11 goals) and MacKinnon had 49 (19 goals).
Who wins more faceoffs, Fiala or MacKinnon?
Against each other, Fiala has won 0 and MacKinnon 1 of their 1 head-to-head draws.

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 →