Who to start · 2026-27
Mattias Ekholm vs Shea Theodore
In 2026-27, Mattias Ekholm scored 1.43 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Shea Theodore's 1.40.
Ekholm had 10 points in 19 games; Theodore had 7 in 21 games.
This week Ekholm has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Theodore has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Ekholm for 1.6 to Theodore's 1.6 over the games left.
Mattias Ekholm has the better number in 8 of the 14 stats both are ranked on.
Ekholm's biggest edges: Luck Meter +74, Ascension score 51, Corsi 55.3%.
Theodore's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 +0.26, Transition attempts /60 0.65, Expected goals 59.2%.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Mattias Ekholm rates ahead, +3.2 to +0.6 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Ekholm is rising, 4 P in last 5 (0.40/GP before); Theodore is cooling, On-ice xGF/60 2.45 (was 3.39).
- • Ekholm has played 10 of the Oilers' 12 games since Oct 22 (in and out of the lineup).
- • Ekholm, last 10 games (Oct 22–Nov 14): 2 G, 5 A, 0 PPP, 13 SOG.
- • Theodore, last 10 games (Oct 22–Nov 13): 0 G, 3 A, 1 PPP, 14 SOG.
Edmonton Oilers · Vegas Golden Knights · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Under Standard (6 categories), Mattias Ekholm has the edge (Ekholm wins 4, Theodore wins 2 of 6 categories).
| Category | Ekholm | Theodore |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.16 | 0.10 |
| Assists / game | 0.37 | 0.24 |
| Plus/minus / game | 1.37 | 0.57 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.00 | 0.10 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.16 | 1.76 |
| Hits / game | 0.79 | 0.05 |
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: Ekholm vs Theodore
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.
Ekholm 2G 7A, 47 SOG · Theodore 3G 9A, 59 SOG
Ekholm blocked 3 of Theodore's shots; Theodore blocked 2 of Ekholm's.
On the ice against each other (Ekholm's side)
22:06 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Ekholm's side
- Shot attempts
- 21–23
- 47.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.9–1.4
- 40.0%
- Goals
- 2–3
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Ekholm | Theodore |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-04 | EDM 1–5 VGK | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2026-03-26 | EDM 4–3 VGK | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2026-03-08 | EDM 4–2 VGK | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-12-14 | EDM 6–3 VGK | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-12-03 | EDM 0–1 VGK | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-11-06 | EDM 2–4 VGK | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2024-04-10 | EDM 5–1 VGK | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-05-14 · PO | EDM 2–5 VGK | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2023-05-12 · PO | EDM 3–4 VGK | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-05-10 · PO | EDM 4–1 VGK | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2023-05-08 · PO | EDM 1–5 VGK | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-05-06 · PO | EDM 5–1 VGK | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
Latest 12 of 28 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, Luck & trend, NHL EDGE tracking continue below
Every stat, side by side (continued)
Transition, turnovers & faceoffs
Usage
Special teams & discipline
This week's schedule
Nov 9 to Nov 15. 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
Mattias Ekholm
4games (1 left)
1.6proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Nov 9 vs NYROpp allows 14th-most FP to DLikely vs Dylan Garand (.910)
- Wed, Nov 11 vs PHIOpp allows 3rd-most FP to DLikely vs Dan Vladar (.879)
- Sat, Nov 14 @ TOROpp allows 7th-most FP to DLikely vs Anthony Stolarz (.905)
- Opp allows 3rd-most FP to Dvs Dan Vladar (.879)
Shea Theodore
3games (1 left)
1.6proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Nov 11 vs UTAOpp allows 10th-most FP to DLikely vs Sebastian Cossa (.862)
- Fri, Nov 13 vs NSHOpp allows 16th-most FP to DLikely vs Juuse Saros (.922)
- Sun, Nov 15 vs VAN1.6 pts
Player data stories
How the game changed, told through the numbers.
- In 2022-23, Four NHL Players Wore a Number in the 90s for Every One in No. 9 The count was 53 to 13, and the incomplete 2025-26 rosters show the same split, 51 to 12.
- The 1,000-Game Club Had Its Biggest Year. Getting In Is No Easier. Seventeen players reached 1,000 NHL games in 2025-26, more than in any season before, in the biggest league the NHL has had.
- Only 14 NHL Defencemen Still Score Like Ken Daneyko A stay-at-home defenceman stays back to defend and leaves the scoring to others.
- How Much Lighter Did the NHL Really Get? Teams write down NHL weights.
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Mattias Ekholm or Shea Theodore in fantasy hockey?
- In 2026-27, Mattias Ekholm scored 1.43 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Shea Theodore's 1.40. Ekholm had 10 points in 19 games; Theodore had 7 in 21 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, Mattias Ekholm or Shea Theodore?
- On 2026-27 numbers, Mattias Ekholm leads in 8 of 14 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Ekholm and Theodore done against each other?
- In 28 games against each other in our data, Ekholm's team went 12–16. Ekholm had 9 points (2 goals) and Theodore had 12 (3 goals).
2026-27 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 →