Who to start · 2025-26
Macklin Celebrini vs Marat Khusnutdinov
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Macklin Celebrini projects to 3.20 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Marat Khusnutdinov's 1.06.
Celebrini had 115 points in 82 games; Khusnutdinov had 33 in 77 games.
This week Celebrini has 2 games left with 1 tough matchup; Khusnutdinov has 2 left with 2 soft matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Celebrini for 5.3 to Khusnutdinov's 2.4 over the games left.
Macklin Celebrini has the better number in 29 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Celebrini's biggest edges: Hardest shot 97.9, Offensive-zone time 44.5%, Power-play points 33.
Khusnutdinov's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 −0.021, Top skating speed 22.9, Forecheck xG /60 0.29.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Macklin Celebrini rates ahead, +13.2 to -0.5 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Celebrini is surging, ixG/60 1.90 (was 1.10); Khusnutdinov is rising, On-ice xGF/60 3.84 (was 2.14).
- • Celebrini has played 8 of the Sharks' 10 games since Oct 1 (in and out of the lineup).
- • Celebrini, 2026-27 so far: 8 GP, 5 G, 9 A, 8 PPP, 37 SOG.
- • Khusnutdinov, 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 2 G, 3 A, 0 PPP, 10 SOG.
San Jose Sharks · Boston Bruins · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Macklin Celebrini
+13.2
category z-score total
Marat Khusnutdinov
-0.5
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Macklin Celebrini has the edge (Celebrini wins 4, Khusnutdinov wins 2 of 6 categories).
| Category | Celebrini | Khusnutdinov |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.58 | 0.20 |
| Assists / game | 0.95 | 0.26 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.06 | 0.33 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.61 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal / game | 3.89 | 1.01 |
| Hits / game | 0.64 | 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: Celebrini vs Khusnutdinov
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2024-25 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Celebrini 4G 6A, 31 SOG · Khusnutdinov 0G 2A, 2 SOG
Celebrini blocked 0 of Khusnutdinov's shots; Khusnutdinov blocked 1 of Celebrini's.
On the ice against each other (Celebrini's side)
5:03 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Celebrini's side
- Shot attempts
- 7–4
- 63.6%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.1
- 58.7%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Celebrini | Khusnutdinov |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-13 | SJS 3–6 BOS | 1G 1A 5S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2026-03-12 | SJS 4–2 BOS | 0G 1A 5S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2025-11-23 | SJS 3–1 BOS | 1G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-03-22 | SJS 3–1 BOS | 0G 2A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-01-11 | SJS 1–3 MIN | 0G 1A 6S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-11-07 | SJS 2–5 MIN | 2G 0A 7S | 0G 0A 0S |
Faceoffs: Celebrini vs Khusnutdinov
Model: Macklin Celebrini wins 52.5% of draws against Marat Khusnutdinov 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.
| Celebrini at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 58% | 46% | 59% | 47% | 53% | 59% | 47% | 60% | 49% |
| Road | 57% | 45% | 58% | 46% | 52% | 58% | 46% | 59% | 47% |
They have not faced each other on a draw in the seasons we track.
Celebrini faceoffs · Khusnutdinov 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
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
Macklin Celebrini
4games (2 left)
5.3proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 @ TOROpp allows 10th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
- Tue, Oct 20 @ MTLB2B
- Thu, Oct 22 @ OTT2.8 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ BOS2.5 ptsOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)
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 Macklin Celebrini or Marat Khusnutdinov in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Macklin Celebrini projects to 3.20 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Marat Khusnutdinov's 1.06. Celebrini had 115 points in 82 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, Macklin Celebrini or Marat Khusnutdinov?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Macklin Celebrini leads in 29 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Celebrini and Khusnutdinov done against each other?
- In 6 games against each other in our data, Celebrini's team went 3–3. Celebrini had 10 points (4 goals) and Khusnutdinov had 2 (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 →