Who to start · 2026-27
Leon Draisaitl vs Mikael Granlund
In 2026-27, Leon Draisaitl scored 3.51 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mikael Granlund's 2.38.
Draisaitl had 38 points in 21 games; Granlund had 22 in 19 games.
This week Draisaitl has 1 game left; Granlund has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Draisaitl for 3.2 to Granlund's 2.4 over the games left.
Leon Draisaitl has the better number in 12 of the 16 stats both are ranked on.
Draisaitl's biggest edges: Expected goals 62.1%, Sequence xG 62.9%, High-danger chances 58.4%.
Granlund's biggest edges: Ascension score 75, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.017, Transition attempts /60 1.03.
Head to head on the dot, Draisaitl leads Granlund 52–38.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Leon Draisaitl rates ahead, +12.6 to +3.1 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Draisaitl is rising, ixG/60 1.97 (was 1.43); Granlund is surging, 9 P in last 5 (0.95/GP before).
- • Draisaitl, last 10 games (Oct 26–Nov 14): 6 G, 9 A, 4 PPP, 39 SOG.
- • Granlund, last 10 games (Oct 24–Nov 14): 4 G, 10 A, 7 PPP, 18 SOG.
Edmonton Oilers · Anaheim Ducks · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Under Standard (6 categories), Leon Draisaitl has the edge (Draisaitl wins 5, Granlund wins 1 of 6 categories).
| Category | Draisaitl | Granlund |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.86 | 0.32 |
| Assists / game | 0.95 | 0.84 |
| Plus/minus / game | 1.00 | -0.05 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.57 | 0.58 |
| Shots on goal / game | 3.86 | 1.79 |
| Hits / game | 0.29 | 0.16 |
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: Draisaitl vs Granlund
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Draisaitl 29G 40A, 108 SOG · Granlund 7G 17A, 51 SOG
Draisaitl's offensive zone 16–9 · neutral 18–11 · Draisaitl's defensive zone 18–18 (2018-19 to 2026-27)
Draisaitl blocked 0 of Granlund's shots; Granlund blocked 1 of Draisaitl's.
On the ice against each other (Draisaitl's side)
42:11 at 5-on-5 over 9 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Draisaitl's side
- Shot attempts
- 43–40
- 51.8%
- Expected goals
- 2.3–1.2
- 65.5%
- Goals
- 2–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Draisaitl | Granlund |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-11-05 | EDM 4–5 ANA | 1G 1A 6S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2026-10-07 | EDM 5–2 ANA | 0G 4A 2S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2026-04-30 · PO | EDM 2–5 ANA | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2026-04-28 · PO | EDM 4–1 ANA | 2G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2026-04-26 · PO | EDM 3–4 ANA | 0G 1A 2S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2026-04-24 · PO | EDM 4–7 ANA | 0G 2A 1S | 1G 3A 2S |
| 2026-04-22 · PO | EDM 4–6 ANA | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2026-04-20 · PO | EDM 4–3 ANA | 0G 2A 2S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2026-01-26 | EDM 7–4 ANA | 0G 4A 1S | 3G 0A 5S |
| 2025-05-29 · PO | EDM 6–3 DAL | 0G 2A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-05-27 · PO | EDM 4–1 DAL | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-05-25 · PO | EDM 6–1 DAL | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
Latest 12 of 34 meetings.
Faceoffs: Draisaitl vs Granlund
Model: Leon Draisaitl wins 55.8% of draws against Mikael Granlund 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.
| Draisaitl at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 63% | 48% | 64% | 49% | 56% | 64% | 49% | 65% | 50% |
| Road | 62% | 46% | 63% | 48% | 56% | 63% | 48% | 64% | 49% |
Head-to-head 2023-24 to 2026-27: Draisaitl 37–24 (60.7%). Blended with the model: 56.3%. The record is normal luck for this matchup (z 0.8); pair-specific edges are about ±2 points, so the model carries most of the weight.
Draisaitl faceoffs · Granlund faceoffs · how the model works
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
Nov 9 to Nov 15. 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
Leon Draisaitl
4games (1 left)
3.2proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Nov 9 vs NYROpp allows 7th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Dylan Garand (.910)
- Wed, Nov 11 vs PHIOpp allows 16th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Dan Vladar (.879)
- Sat, Nov 14 @ TOROpp allows 16th-most FP to CLikely vs Anthony Stolarz (.905)
- Opp allows 16th-fewest FP to Cvs Dan Vladar (.879)
Mikael Granlund
3games (1 left)
2.4proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Nov 11 vs NSH
- Sat, Nov 14 vs NYIOpp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Semyon Varlamov (.899)
- Opp allows 4th-most FP to Cvs Devin Cooley (.914)
Player data stories
How the game changed, told through the numbers.
- In 2022-23, Four NHL Players Wore a Number in the 90s for Every One in No. 9 The count was 53 to 13, and the incomplete 2025-26 rosters show the same split, 51 to 12.
- The 1,000-Game Club Had Its Biggest Year. Getting In Is No Easier. Seventeen players reached 1,000 NHL games in 2025-26, more than in any season before, in the biggest league the NHL has had.
- Only 14 NHL Defencemen Still Score Like Ken Daneyko A stay-at-home defenceman stays back to defend and leaves the scoring to others.
- How Much Lighter Did the NHL Really Get? Teams write down NHL weights.
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Leon Draisaitl or Mikael Granlund in fantasy hockey?
- In 2026-27, Leon Draisaitl scored 3.51 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mikael Granlund's 2.38. Draisaitl had 38 points in 21 games; Granlund had 22 in 19 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, Leon Draisaitl or Mikael Granlund?
- On 2026-27 numbers, Leon Draisaitl leads in 12 of 16 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Draisaitl and Granlund done against each other?
- In 34 games against each other in our data, Draisaitl's team went 24–10. Draisaitl had 69 points (29 goals) and Granlund had 24 (7 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Draisaitl or Granlund?
- Against each other, Draisaitl has won 52 and Granlund 38 of their 90 head-to-head draws.
2026-27 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 →