Who to start · 2025-26
Leon Draisaitl vs Quinton Byfield
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Leon Draisaitl projects to 2.96 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Quinton Byfield's 1.57.
Draisaitl had 97 points in 65 games; Byfield had 49 in 79 games.
This week Draisaitl has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Byfield has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Draisaitl for 2.0 ESPN points to Byfield's 1.4.
Leon Draisaitl has the better number in 24 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Draisaitl's biggest edges: Draw Equity /100 +0.077, Faceoff win % 56.9%, Offensive-zone start % 61.0%.
Byfield's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 1.78, Blocked shots 44, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.42.
Head to head on the dot, Draisaitl leads Byfield 41–19.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 2 PPP, 10 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Leon Draisaitl
2.96
fantasy points per game
Quinton Byfield
1.57
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Leon Draisaitl has the edge.
| Points per game from | Draisaitl | Byfield |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 1.19 | 0.57 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.96 | 0.30 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.34 | 0.07 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.31 | 0.23 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.05 | 0.08 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.10 | 0.32 |
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 Byfield
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2021-22 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Draisaitl 24G 29A, 124 SOG · Byfield 9G 14A, 64 SOG
Draisaitl's offensive zone 24–8 · neutral 8–4 · Draisaitl's defensive zone 9–7 (2021-22 to 2025-26)
Draisaitl blocked 0 of Byfield's shots; Byfield blocked 2 of Draisaitl's.
On the ice against each other (Draisaitl's side)
9:52 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Draisaitl's side
- Shot attempts
- 12–12
- 50.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.5–0.4
- 53.0%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Draisaitl | Byfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-26 | EDM 8–1 LAK | 1G 3A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2026-01-10 | EDM 3–4 LAK | 2G 0A 8S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-05-01 · PO | EDM 6–4 LAK | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2025-04-29 · PO | EDM 3–1 LAK | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-04-27 · PO | EDM 4–3 LAK | 1G 3A 4S | 0G 0A 6S |
| 2025-04-25 · PO | EDM 7–4 LAK | 0G 2A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-04-23 · PO | EDM 2–6 LAK | 1G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2025-04-21 · PO | EDM 5–6 LAK | 1G 1A 4S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2025-01-13 | EDM 1–0 LAK | 0G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-12-28 | EDM 3–4 LAK | 0G 1A 2S | 2G 1A 5S |
| 2024-05-01 · PO | EDM 4–3 LAK | 2G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-04-28 · PO | EDM 1–0 LAK | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
Latest 12 of 33 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 4th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ VANOpp allows 4th-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)
Quinton Byfield
2games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ COLOpp allows 8th-most FP to RWLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ SJS1.4 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Leon Draisaitl or Quinton Byfield in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Leon Draisaitl projects to 2.96 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Quinton Byfield's 1.57. Draisaitl had 97 points in 65 games; Byfield had 49 in 79 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 Quinton Byfield?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Leon Draisaitl 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 Draisaitl and Byfield done against each other?
- In 33 games against each other in our data, Draisaitl's team went 23–10. Draisaitl had 53 points (24 goals) and Byfield had 23 (9 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Draisaitl or Byfield?
- Against each other, Draisaitl has won 41 and Byfield 19 of their 60 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 →