Who to start · 2025-26
Kirill Marchenko 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 Kirill Marchenko's 1.92.
Marchenko had 67 points in 76 games; Zibanejad had 78 in 81 games.
This week Marchenko has 1 game left; Zibanejad has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Marchenko for 1.8 ESPN points to Zibanejad's 1.4.
Mika Zibanejad has the better number in 18 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Marchenko's biggest edges: Plus/minus +7, Ascension score 58, Top skating speed 23.4.
Zibanejad's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 574, Goals above expected +5.8, Turnover Ledger /60 −0.001.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 7 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 3 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Kirill Marchenko
1.92
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 | Marchenko | Zibanejad |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.63 | 0.81 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.52 | 0.51 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.13 | 0.21 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.29 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.11 | 0.14 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.23 | 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: Marchenko vs Zibanejad
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2022-23 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Marchenko 4G 6A, 32 SOG · Zibanejad 4G 7A, 44 SOG
Marchenko's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 0–1 · Marchenko's defensive zone 0–1 (2022-23 to 2023-24)
Marchenko blocked 1 of Zibanejad's shots; Zibanejad blocked 1 of Marchenko's.
On the ice against each other (Marchenko's side)
15:33 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Marchenko's side
- Shot attempts
- 14–21
- 40.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–1.0
- 40.0%
- Goals
- 1–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Marchenko | Zibanejad |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-19 | CBJ 6–3 NYR | 0G 1A 3S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2026-03-02 | CBJ 5–4 NYR | 2G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2025-11-15 | CBJ 1–2 NYR | 0G 1A 4S | 1G 0A 7S |
| 2025-03-15 | CBJ 0–4 NYR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-03-09 | CBJ 7–3 NYR | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 2A 4S |
| 2025-01-18 | CBJ 0–1 NYR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-02-28 | CBJ 1–4 NYR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-02-25 | CBJ 4–2 NYR | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-11-12 | CBJ 3–4 NYR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2023-10-14 | CBJ 5–3 NYR | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2023-04-08 | CBJ 0–4 NYR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2023-03-28 | CBJ 2–6 NYR | 1G 0A 5S | 1G 1A 3S |
Latest 12 of 13 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.
Kirill Marchenko
3games (1 left)
1.8proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs MTLOpp allows 12th-most FP to RWLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
- Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2BOpp allows 14th-most FP to RWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT1.8 ptsvs Linus Ullmark (.891)
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 Kirill Marchenko 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 Kirill Marchenko's 1.92. Marchenko had 67 points in 76 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, Kirill Marchenko or Mika Zibanejad?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Mika Zibanejad leads in 18 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Marchenko and Zibanejad done against each other?
- In 13 games against each other in our data, Marchenko's team went 5–8. Marchenko had 10 points (4 goals) and Zibanejad had 11 (4 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Marchenko or Zibanejad?
- Against each other, Marchenko has won 0 and Zibanejad 2 of their 2 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 →