Who to start · 2025-26
Lars Eller vs Noah Laba
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Noah Laba projects to 0.90 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Lars Eller's 0.85.
Eller had 15 points in 68 games; Laba had 24 in 74 games.
This week Eller has 2 games left with 1 soft matchup; Laba has 2 left with 1 tough matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Laba for 1.8 to Eller's 1.7 over the games left.
Lars Eller has the better number in 20 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Eller's biggest edges: Ascension score 80, Forecheck xG /60 0.52, Hardest shot 85.7.
Laba's biggest edges: Penalty minutes 31, Top skating speed 23.0, 20+ mph bursts 179.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Noah Laba rates ahead, -2.2 to -2.5 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Eller is surging, +4:13 TOI a game; Laba is steady, ixG/60 0.44 (was 0.77).
- • Eller, 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 0 G, 5 A, 1 PPP, 9 SOG.
- • Laba, 2026-27 so far: 11 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 0 PPP, 9 SOG.
- • Laba, last 10 games (Oct 1–Oct 19): 0 G, 2 A, 0 PPP, 9 SOG.
Florida Panthers · New York Rangers · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Lars Eller
-2.5
category z-score total
Noah Laba
-2.2
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Noah Laba has the edge (Eller wins 4, Laba wins 2 of 6 categories).
| Category | Eller | Laba |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.04 | 0.07 |
| Assists / game | 0.29 | 0.19 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.12 | 0.02 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.04 | 0.04 |
| Shots on goal / game | 0.95 | 0.92 |
| Hits / game | 0.68 | 1.74 |
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: Eller vs Laba
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2025-26 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Eller 0G 0A, 0 SOG · Laba 1G 0A, 1 SOG
Eller's offensive zone 0–1 · neutral 3–0 · Eller's defensive zone 1–0 (2025-26)
On the ice against each other (Eller's side)
5:06 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Eller's side
- Shot attempts
- 5–2
- 71.4%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.1
- 35.2%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Eller | Laba |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-14 | OTT 8–4 NYR | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 1S |
Faceoffs: Eller vs Laba
Model: Lars Eller wins 50.9% of draws against Noah Laba on average (L shot vs R shot). Opposite-handed, so they are both strong or both weak at every dot and the dot barely matters.
| Eller at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 49% | 52% | 50% | 53% | 51% | 50% | 53% | 51% | 55% |
| Road | 47% | 51% | 48% | 52% | 51% | 48% | 52% | 50% | 53% |
Head-to-head 2025-26: Eller 4–1 (80.0%). Blended with the model: 51.2%. The record is a bit unusual for this matchup (z 1.3); pair-specific edges are about ±2 points, so the model carries most of the weight.
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, Luck & trend, NHL EDGE tracking continue below
Every stat, side by side (continued)
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
Lars Eller
3games (2 left)
1.7proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 @ OTTOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
- Sun, Oct 25 @ CHI0.9 ptsOpp allows 7th-most FP to CLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
Noah Laba
3games (2 left)
1.8proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 vs ANAOpp allows 11th-most FP to CLikely vs Ville Husso (.884)
- Thu, Oct 22 @ TOR0.9 ptsOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to Cvs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
- Sat, Oct 24 @ OTT0.9 ptsOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Samuel Ersson (.870)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Lars Eller or Noah Laba in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Noah Laba projects to 0.90 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Lars Eller's 0.85. Eller had 15 points in 68 games; Laba had 24 in 74 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, Lars Eller or Noah Laba?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Lars Eller leads in 20 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Eller and Laba done against each other?
- In 1 games against each other in our data, Eller's team went 1–0. Eller had 0 points (0 goals) and Laba had 1 (1 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Eller or Laba?
- Against each other, Eller has won 4 and Laba 1 of their 5 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 →