Who to start · 2025-26
Mikael Backlund 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 Mikael Backlund's 1.13.
Backlund had 43 points in 82 games; Kucherov had 130 in 76 games.
This week Backlund has 2 games left; Kucherov has 2 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Kucherov for 5.7 to Backlund's 2.0 over the games left.
Nikita Kucherov has the better number in 29 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Backlund's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 720, Ascension score 50, Shorthanded points 5.
Kucherov's biggest edges: Offensive-zone start % 67.3%, Offensive-zone time 45.7%, Scoring chances 56.4%.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Nikita Kucherov rates ahead, +13.3 to -0.9 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Backlund is steady, ixG/60 1.23 (was 0.58); Kucherov is steady, 63% of team PP time (was 72%).
- • Backlund, 2026-27 so far: 8 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 24 SOG.
- • Kucherov, 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 4 G, 9 A, 4 PPP, 26 SOG.
Calgary Flames · Tampa Bay Lightning · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Mikael Backlund
-0.9
category z-score total
Nikita Kucherov
+13.3
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Nikita Kucherov has the edge (Backlund wins 1, Kucherov wins 5 of 6 categories).
| Category | Backlund | Kucherov |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.18 | 0.53 |
| Assists / game | 0.25 | 1.08 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.07 | 0.52 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.02 | 0.47 |
| Shots on goal / game | 2.52 | 2.98 |
| Hits / game | 0.49 | 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: Backlund vs Kucherov
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.
Backlund 4G 5A, 32 SOG · Kucherov 6G 20A, 49 SOG
Backlund blocked 1 of Kucherov's shots; Kucherov blocked 0 of Backlund's.
On the ice against each other (Backlund's side)
4:24 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Backlund's side
- Shot attempts
- 6–9
- 40.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.5
- 27.4%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Backlund | Kucherov |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-22 | CGY 4–3 TBL | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2025-11-26 | CGY 1–5 TBL | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2025-02-27 | CGY 0–3 TBL | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2024-12-12 | CGY 3–8 TBL | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 5A 1S |
| 2024-03-07 | CGY 6–3 TBL | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2023-12-16 | CGY 4–2 TBL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 2A 6S |
| 2023-01-21 | CGY 6–3 TBL | 0G 2A 2S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2022-11-17 | CGY 1–4 TBL | 0G 0A 3S | 2G 0A 5S |
| 2022-03-10 | CGY 4–1 TBL | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 6S |
| 2022-01-06 | CGY 1–4 TBL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 2A 3S |
| 2020-02-29 | CGY 3–4 TBL | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2019-02-12 | CGY 3–6 TBL | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 3A 3S |
Latest 12 of 15 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
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
Mikael Backlund
2games
2.0proj. ESPN default pts
- Thu, Oct 22 vs MIN1.0 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 vs DET1.0 ptsOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to CLikely vs John Gibson (.901)
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 14th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Scott Wedgewood (.921)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Mikael Backlund 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 Mikael Backlund's 1.13. Backlund had 43 points in 82 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, Mikael Backlund or Nikita Kucherov?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nikita Kucherov leads in 29 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Backlund and Kucherov done against each other?
- In 15 games against each other in our data, Backlund's team went 6–9. Backlund had 9 points (4 goals) and Kucherov had 26 (6 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 →