Who to start · 2025-26
Linus Karlsson vs Marat Khusnutdinov
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Linus Karlsson projects to 1.18 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Marat Khusnutdinov's 1.06.
Karlsson had 35 points in 79 games; Khusnutdinov had 33 in 77 games.
This week Karlsson has 2 games left; Khusnutdinov has 2 left with 2 soft matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Khusnutdinov for 2.4 to Karlsson's 2.3 over the games left.
They split the 34 stats both are ranked on 16–16.
Karlsson's biggest edges: High-danger chances 52.5%, Penalty minutes 42, Offensive-zone time 42.9%.
Khusnutdinov's biggest edges: On-ice PDO 1038, Plus/minus +12, Luck Meter +46.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Marat Khusnutdinov rates ahead, -0.5 to -1.6 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Karlsson is steady, ixG/60 1.24 (was 0.62); Khusnutdinov is rising, On-ice xGF/60 3.84 (was 2.14).
- • Karlsson, 2026-27 so far: 11 GP, 3 G, 5 A, 1 PPP, 21 SOG.
- • Karlsson, last 10 games (Oct 1–Oct 20): 3 G, 4 A, 1 PPP, 19 SOG.
- • Khusnutdinov, 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 2 G, 3 A, 0 PPP, 10 SOG.
Vancouver Canucks · Boston Bruins · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Linus Karlsson
-1.6
category z-score total
Marat Khusnutdinov
-0.5
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Marat Khusnutdinov has the edge (Karlsson wins 5, Khusnutdinov wins 1 of 6 categories).
| Category | Karlsson | Khusnutdinov |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.22 | 0.20 |
| Assists / game | 0.34 | 0.26 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.24 | 0.33 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.07 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.65 | 1.01 |
| Hits / game | 0.72 | 0.65 |
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: Karlsson vs Khusnutdinov
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.
Karlsson 2G 2A, 6 SOG · Khusnutdinov 0G 1A, 0 SOG
On the ice against each other (Karlsson's side)
10:33 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Karlsson's side
- Shot attempts
- 16–4
- 80.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.9–0.2
- 83.8%
- Goals
- 2–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Karlsson | Khusnutdinov |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-03 | VAN 2–3 BOS | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-12-20 | VAN 5–4 BOS | 2G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 0S |
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
Linus Karlsson
3games (2 left)
2.3proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs CAROpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to CLikely vs Pyotr Kochetkov (.899)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs DET1.1 ptsOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to CLikely vs John Gibson (.901)
- Sun, Oct 25 vs MIN1.2 pts
Marat Khusnutdinov
3games (2 left)
2.4proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 @ DALOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jake Oettinger (.899)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs NSH1.2 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 vs SJS1.2 ptsOpp allows 4th-most FP to CLikely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Linus Karlsson or Marat Khusnutdinov in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Linus Karlsson projects to 1.18 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Marat Khusnutdinov's 1.06. Karlsson had 35 points in 79 games; Khusnutdinov had 33 in 77 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, Linus Karlsson or Marat Khusnutdinov?
- On 2025-26 numbers they split 16–16 across 34 stats where both qualify.
- How have Karlsson and Khusnutdinov done against each other?
- In 2 games against each other in our data, Karlsson's team went 1–1. Karlsson had 4 points (2 goals) and Khusnutdinov had 1 (0 goals).
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 →