Who to start · 2025-26
Leon Draisaitl 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 Leon Draisaitl's 2.96.
Draisaitl had 97 points in 65 games; MacKinnon had 127 in 80 games.
This week Draisaitl has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; MacKinnon has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project MacKinnon for 2.2 ESPN points to Draisaitl's 2.0.
Nathan MacKinnon has the better number in 28 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Draisaitl's biggest edges: Ascension score 69, Faceoff win % 56.9%, Draw Equity /100 +0.077.
MacKinnon's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 1.83, Blocked shots 35, On-ice PDO 1054.
Head to head on the dot, Draisaitl leads MacKinnon 72–56.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 2 PPP, 10 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 1 PPP, 8 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Leon Draisaitl
2.96
fantasy points per game
Nathan MacKinnon
3.32
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Nathan MacKinnon has the edge.
| Points per game from | Draisaitl | MacKinnon |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 1.19 | 1.49 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.96 | 0.87 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.34 | 0.21 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.31 | 0.46 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.05 | 0.09 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.10 | 0.21 |
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: Draisaitl 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.
Draisaitl 5G 28A, 72 SOG · MacKinnon 15G 19A, 137 SOG
Draisaitl's offensive zone 23–28 · neutral 25–12 · Draisaitl's defensive zone 24–16 (2017-18 to 2025-26)
Draisaitl blocked 2 of MacKinnon's shots; MacKinnon blocked 2 of Draisaitl's.
On the ice against each other (Draisaitl's side)
9:42 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Draisaitl's side
- Shot attempts
- 17–9
- 65.4%
- Expected goals
- 0.8–0.5
- 59.7%
- Goals
- 1–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Draisaitl | MacKinnon |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-10 | EDM 4–3 COL | 0G 2A 5S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-11-08 | EDM 1–9 COL | 0G 1A 1S | 2G 2A 6S |
| 2025-02-07 | EDM 4–5 COL | 2G 0A 3S | 1G 3A 7S |
| 2025-01-16 | EDM 4–3 COL | 0G 2A 3S | 2G 0A 3S |
| 2024-11-30 | EDM 4–1 COL | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 7S |
| 2024-04-05 | EDM 6–2 COL | 0G 2A 2S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2024-03-16 | EDM 2–3 COL | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 6S |
| 2023-04-11 | EDM 2–1 COL | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 7S |
| 2023-02-19 | EDM 5–6 COL | 1G 0A 4S | 1G 2A 9S |
| 2023-01-07 | EDM 2–3 COL | 0G 2A 0S | 1G 1A 11S |
| 2022-06-06 · PO | EDM 5–6 COL | 0G 4A 4S | 1G 0A 7S |
| 2022-06-04 · PO | EDM 2–4 COL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 5S |
Latest 12 of 24 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.
Leon Draisaitl
3games (1 left)
2.0proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs VANOpp allows 6th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ VANOpp allows 6th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA2.0 ptsOpp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Joey Daccord (.897)
Nathan MacKinnon
2games (1 left)
2.2proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 vs LAKOpp allows the most FP to CLikely vs Darcy Kuemper (.891)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs STL2.2 ptsOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +13.4 win%vs Jordan Binnington (.873)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Leon Draisaitl 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 Leon Draisaitl's 2.96. Draisaitl had 97 points in 65 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, Leon Draisaitl or Nathan MacKinnon?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nathan MacKinnon leads in 28 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Draisaitl and MacKinnon done against each other?
- In 24 games against each other in our data, Draisaitl's team went 10–14. Draisaitl had 33 points (5 goals) and MacKinnon had 34 (15 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Draisaitl or MacKinnon?
- Against each other, Draisaitl has won 72 and MacKinnon 56 of their 128 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 →