Who to start · 2025-26
Lars Eller vs Sean Couturier
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Sean Couturier projects to 0.98 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Lars Eller's 0.86.
Eller had 15 points in 68 games; Couturier had 36 in 78 games.
This week Eller has 3 games left with 1 soft matchup; Couturier has 2 left. In ESPN default points scoring we project Eller for 2.6 to Couturier's 1.9 over the games left.
Sean Couturier has the better number in 24 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Eller's biggest edges: On-ice PDO 1024, Forecheck xG /60 0.52, Ascension score 81.
Couturier's biggest edges: Ice time per game 16:39, Ice-time share 27.2%, Penalty minutes 30.
Head to head on the dot, Couturier leads Eller 52–37.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Lars Eller rates ahead, -1.9 to -2.1 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Eller is surging, +4:41 TOI a game; Couturier is steady, On-ice xGF/60 1.21 (was 2.38).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 0 G, 5 A, 1 PPP, 8 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 11 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 0 PPP, 13 SOG.
- • Last 10 games (Oct 1–Oct 19): 0 G, 3 A, 0 PPP, 13 SOG.
Florida Panthers · Philadelphia Flyers · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Lars Eller
-1.9
category z-score total
Sean Couturier
-2.1
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Lars Eller has the edge (Eller wins 3, Couturier wins 3 of 6 categories).
| Category | Eller | Couturier |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.05 | 0.09 |
| Assists / game | 0.30 | 0.29 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.21 | -0.11 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.04 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal / game | 0.95 | 1.38 |
| Hits / game | 0.67 | 1.51 |
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 Couturier
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.
Eller 4G 9A, 40 SOG · Couturier 11G 18A, 80 SOG
Eller's offensive zone 10–13 · neutral 8–15 · Eller's defensive zone 19–24 (2017-18 to 2025-26)
Eller blocked 2 of Couturier's shots; Couturier blocked 0 of Eller's.
On the ice against each other (Eller's side)
5:21 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Eller's side
- Shot attempts
- 6–5
- 54.5%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.2
- 28.4%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Eller | Couturier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-05 | OTT 2–1 PHI | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-11-08 | OTT 3–2 PHI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-10-23 | OTT 2–1 PHI | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-03-20 | WSH 3–2 PHI | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2025-02-06 | WSH 4–3 PHI | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-02-25 | PIT 7–6 PHI | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2024-01-08 | PIT 4–1 PHI | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2023-12-04 | PIT 1–2 PHI | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2023-12-02 | PIT 3–4 PHI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2021-11-06 | WSH 1–2 PHI | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2021-05-08 | WSH 2–1 PHI | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2021-05-07 | WSH 2–4 PHI | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 0A 4S |
Latest 12 of 29 meetings.
Faceoffs: Eller vs Couturier
Model: Lars Eller wins 45.7% of draws against Sean Couturier on average (L shot vs L shot). Same-handed, so the dot decides who is on his strong side; the gap between the left and right dots is the real matchup.
| Eller at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 51% | 39% | 52% | 41% | 46% | 52% | 41% | 53% | 42% |
| Road | 50% | 38% | 51% | 39% | 45% | 51% | 39% | 52% | 40% |
Head-to-head 2023-24 to 2025-26: Eller 11–12 (47.8%). Blended with the model: 45.8%. The record is normal luck for this matchup (z 0.2); 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
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
2.6proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 @ OTT0.8 ptsOpp allows 14th-most FP to Cvs Linus Ullmark (.891)
- Sun, Oct 25 @ CHI0.9 ptsOpp allows 7th-most FP to CLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
Sean Couturier
3games (2 left)
1.9proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 vs COLOpp allows 15th-most FP to CLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
- Wed, Oct 21 @ BUF1.0 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 vs ANA1.0 pts
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Lars Eller or Sean Couturier in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Sean Couturier projects to 0.98 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Lars Eller's 0.86. Eller had 15 points in 68 games; Couturier had 36 in 78 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 Sean Couturier?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Sean Couturier leads in 24 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 Couturier done against each other?
- In 29 games against each other in our data, Eller's team went 18–11. Eller had 13 points (4 goals) and Couturier had 29 (11 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Eller or Couturier?
- Against each other, Eller has won 37 and Couturier 52 of their 89 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 →