Who to start · 2025-26
Mikael Backlund vs Pius Suter
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Pius Suter projects to 1.20 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mikael Backlund's 1.13.
Backlund had 43 points in 82 games; Suter had 29 in 64 games.
This week Backlund has 2 games left; Suter has 2 left with 2 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Backlund for 2.0 to Suter's 1.9 over the games left.
Mikael Backlund has the better number in 21 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Backlund's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 1.84, Goals above expected +1.6, 20+ mph bursts 70.
Suter's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.005, High-danger chances 53.0%, Expected goals 50.5%.
Head to head on the dot, Backlund leads Suter 9–9.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Pius Suter rates ahead, +0.7 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); Suter is steady, On-ice xGF/60 1.72 (was 2.33).
- • Backlund, 2026-27 so far: 8 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 24 SOG.
- • Suter, 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 3 G, 3 A, 0 PPP, 12 SOG.
Calgary Flames · St. Louis Blues · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Mikael Backlund
-0.9
category z-score total
Pius Suter
+0.7
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Pius Suter has the edge (Backlund wins 1, Suter wins 5 of 6 categories).
| Category | Backlund | Suter |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.18 | 0.25 |
| Assists / game | 0.25 | 0.28 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.07 | 0.25 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.02 | 0.04 |
| Shots on goal / game | 2.52 | 1.43 |
| Hits / game | 0.49 | 0.94 |
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 Suter
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.
Backlund 0G 3A, 17 SOG · Suter 4G 2A, 24 SOG
Backlund's offensive zone 2–4 · neutral 4–1 · Backlund's defensive zone 3–4 (2021-22 to 2025-26)
On the ice against each other (Backlund's side)
10:52 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Backlund's side
- Shot attempts
- 9–7
- 56.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.2
- 43.3%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Backlund | Suter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-18 | CGY 2–1 STL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-11-11 | CGY 2–3 STL | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2025-10-11 | CGY 2–4 STL | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2025-03-12 | CGY 3–4 VAN | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-12-31 | CGY 3–1 VAN | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-11-12 | CGY 1–3 VAN | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2024-04-16 | CGY 1–4 VAN | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2024-03-23 | CGY 2–4 VAN | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-02-16 | CGY 2–5 DET | 0G 1A 5S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2023-02-09 | CGY 1–2 DET | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2022-03-12 | CGY 3–0 DET | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2021-10-21 | CGY 3–0 DET | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
Faceoffs: Backlund vs Suter
Model: Mikael Backlund wins 54.1% of draws against Pius Suter 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.
| Backlund at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 61% | 46% | 62% | 47% | 54% | 62% | 47% | 63% | 49% |
| Road | 60% | 45% | 61% | 46% | 54% | 61% | 46% | 62% | 47% |
Head-to-head 2023-24 to 2025-26: Backlund 7–3 (70.0%). Blended with the model: 54.4%. The record is a bit unusual for this matchup (z 1.0); 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
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)
Pius Suter
3games (2 left)
1.9proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs WPGOpp allows 8th-most FP to CLikely vs Stuart Skinner (.888)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs VGK0.9 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 vs CAR0.9 pts
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Mikael Backlund or Pius Suter in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Pius Suter projects to 1.20 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mikael Backlund's 1.13. Backlund had 43 points in 82 games; Suter had 29 in 64 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 Pius Suter?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Mikael Backlund leads in 21 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Backlund and Suter done against each other?
- In 12 games against each other in our data, Backlund's team went 4–8. Backlund had 3 points (0 goals) and Suter had 6 (4 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Backlund or Suter?
- Against each other, Backlund has won 9 and Suter 9 of their 18 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 →