Who to start · 2025-26
Macklin Celebrini vs Max Sasson
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Macklin Celebrini projects to 3.20 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Max Sasson's 1.05.
Celebrini had 115 points in 82 games; Sasson had 19 in 66 games.
This week Celebrini has 2 games left with 1 tough matchup; Sasson has 2 left. In ESPN default points scoring we project Celebrini for 5.3 to Sasson's 2.0 over the games left.
Macklin Celebrini has the better number in 31 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Celebrini's biggest edges: Assists 70, On-ice PDO 1036, Ice time per game 21:19.
Sasson's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.001, Top skating speed 23.7, Corsi 49.3%.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Macklin Celebrini rates ahead, +13.2 to -5.1 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Celebrini is surging, ixG/60 1.90 (was 1.10); Sasson is steady, On-ice xGF/60 2.90 (was 1.83).
- • 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.
- • Sasson, 2026-27 so far: 11 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 0 PPP, 13 SOG.
- • Sasson, last 10 games (Oct 1–Oct 20): 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 11 SOG.
San Jose Sharks · Vancouver Canucks · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Macklin Celebrini
+13.2
category z-score total
Max Sasson
-5.1
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Macklin Celebrini has the edge (Celebrini wins 6, Sasson wins 0 of 6 categories).
| Category | Celebrini | Sasson |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.58 | 0.19 |
| Assists / game | 0.95 | 0.13 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.06 | -0.34 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.61 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal / game | 3.89 | 1.04 |
| Hits / game | 0.64 | 0.45 |
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 Sasson
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.
Celebrini 1G 5A, 14 SOG · Sasson 0G 0A, 2 SOG
Celebrini's offensive zone 1–0 · neutral 0–0 · Celebrini's defensive zone 0–0 (2025-26)
On the ice against each other (Celebrini's side)
6:09 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Celebrini's side
- Shot attempts
- 9–5
- 64.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.9–0.1
- 85.8%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Celebrini | Sasson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-11 | SJS 3–4 VAN | 0G 2A 5S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-12-27 | SJS 6–3 VAN | 1G 1A 8S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-11-28 | SJS 3–2 VAN | 0G 2A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
Faceoffs: Celebrini vs Sasson
Model: Macklin Celebrini wins 54.4% of draws against Max Sasson 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 | 60% | 48% | 61% | 49% | 55% | 61% | 49% | 62% | 50% |
| Road | 59% | 46% | 60% | 47% | 54% | 60% | 47% | 61% | 49% |
Head-to-head 2025-26: Celebrini 1–0 (100.0%). Blended with the model: 54.4%. The record is normal luck for this matchup (z 0.9); pair-specific edges are about ±2 points, so the model carries most of the weight.
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)
Max Sasson
3games (2 left)
2.0proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs CAROpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to CLikely vs Pyotr Kochetkov (.899)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs DET1.0 ptsOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to CLikely vs John Gibson (.901)
- Sun, Oct 25 vs MIN1.0 pts
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Macklin Celebrini or Max Sasson 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 Max Sasson's 1.05. Celebrini had 115 points in 82 games; Sasson had 19 in 66 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 Max Sasson?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Macklin Celebrini leads in 31 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 Sasson done against each other?
- In 3 games against each other in our data, Celebrini's team went 2–1. Celebrini had 6 points (1 goals) and Sasson had 0 (0 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Celebrini or Sasson?
- Against each other, Celebrini has won 1 and Sasson 0 of their 1 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 →