Who to start · 2025-26
Michael Bunting vs Nikita Kucherov
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Kucherov projects to 2.87 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Michael Bunting's 0.88.
Bunting had 33 points in 74 games; Kucherov had 130 in 76 games.
This week Bunting has 2 games left with 1 soft matchup; Kucherov has 2 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Kucherov for 5.7 to Bunting's 1.9 over the games left.
Nikita Kucherov has the better number in 26 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Bunting's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 +0.95, Faceoffs won 10, Transition attempts /60 1.86.
Kucherov's biggest edges: Plus/minus +43, On-ice PDO 1046, Sequence xG 57.2%.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Nikita Kucherov rates ahead, +13.3 to -3.7 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Bunting is steady, On-ice xGF/60 0.79 (was 1.84); Kucherov is steady, 63% of team PP time (was 72%).
- • 2026-27 so far: 7 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 9 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 4 G, 9 A, 4 PPP, 26 SOG.
Philadelphia Flyers · Tampa Bay Lightning · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Michael Bunting
-3.7
category z-score total
Nikita Kucherov
+13.3
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Nikita Kucherov has the edge (Bunting wins 1, Kucherov wins 5 of 6 categories).
| Category | Bunting | Kucherov |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.13 | 0.53 |
| Assists / game | 0.22 | 1.08 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.45 | 0.52 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.14 | 0.47 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.57 | 2.98 |
| Hits / game | 0.64 | 0.34 |
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: Bunting vs Kucherov
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.
Bunting 4G 8A, 24 SOG · Kucherov 9G 19A, 64 SOG
On the ice against each other (Bunting's side)
3:53 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Bunting's side
- Shot attempts
- 4–2
- 66.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.1
- 58.2%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Bunting | Kucherov |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-28 | NSH 2–5 TBL | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 1A 4S |
| 2024-11-19 | PIT 2–3 TBL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-04-06 | PIT 5–4 TBL | 1G 2A 2S | 0G 3A 4S |
| 2023-11-24 | CAR 2–8 TBL | 1G 1A 1S | 2G 4A 3S |
| 2023-10-24 | CAR 0–3 TBL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2023-04-29 · PO | TOR 2–1 TBL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-04-18 · PO | TOR 3–7 TBL | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 2A 4S |
| 2023-04-11 | TOR 4–3 TBL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 10S |
| 2022-12-20 | TOR 4–1 TBL | 1G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2022-12-03 | TOR 3–4 TBL | 0G 1A 0S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2022-05-14 · PO | TOR 1–2 TBL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-05-12 · PO | TOR 3–4 TBL | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 6S |
Latest 12 of 18 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
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
Michael Bunting
3games (2 left)
1.9proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 vs COLOpp allows 9th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
- Wed, Oct 21 @ BUF0.9 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 vs ANA0.9 ptsOpp allows 10th-most FP to LWLikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)
Nikita Kucherov
3games (2 left)
5.7proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 @ VGKOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Carter Hart (.891)
- Fri, Oct 23 @ COL2.6 ptsOpp allows 13th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Scott Wedgewood (.921)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Michael Bunting or Nikita Kucherov in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Kucherov projects to 2.87 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Michael Bunting's 0.88. Bunting had 33 points in 74 games; Kucherov had 130 in 76 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, Michael Bunting or Nikita Kucherov?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nikita Kucherov leads in 26 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Bunting and Kucherov done against each other?
- In 18 games against each other in our data, Bunting's team went 7–11. Bunting had 12 points (4 goals) and Kucherov had 28 (9 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 →