Edgehalla

Who to start · 2025-26

Nathan MacKinnon vs Sandis Vilmanis

Nathan MacKinnonAvalanche · Centre
vs
Sandis VilmanisPanthers · Left wing
CoolingOn-ice xGF/60 2.51 (was 3.88)
Steady

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nathan MacKinnon projects to 3.08 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Sandis Vilmanis's 0.83.

MacKinnon had 127 points in 80 games; Vilmanis had 5 in 19 games.

This week MacKinnon has 2 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Vilmanis has 3 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project MacKinnon for 5.9 to Vilmanis's 3.0 over the games left.

They split the 2 stats both are ranked on 1–1.

MacKinnon's biggest edges: Luck Meter +52.

Vilmanis's biggest edges: Ascension score 70.

In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Nathan MacKinnon rates ahead, +14.0 to -2.7 in summed category z-scores.

Role trend over the last 5 games: MacKinnon is cooling, On-ice xGF/60 2.51 (was 3.88); Vilmanis is steady.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 6 G, 10 A, 2 PPP, 44 SOG.
  • • Sandis Vilmanis is a rookie: 19 NHL games before this season.
  • • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 11 SOG.

Colorado Avalanche · Florida Panthers · Who should I start? · Compare other players

Fantasy value: your scoring

Nathan MacKinnon

+14.0

category z-score total

Sandis Vilmanis

-2.7

category z-score total

Under Standard (6 categories), Nathan MacKinnon has the edge (MacKinnon wins 5, Vilmanis wins 1 of 6 categories).

Per-stat breakdown under Standard (6 categories)
CategoryMacKinnonVilmanis
Goals / game0.640.10
Assists / game0.960.11
Plus/minus / game0.43-0.12
Power-play points / game0.300.00
Shots on goal / game4.380.95
Hits / game0.682.42

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

Nathan MacKinnon and Sandis Vilmanis have no head-to-head events in our data yet (regular season and playoffs since 2019-20).

Every stat, side by side

Season values; bars are percentiles at each player's position (longer is better). Click a stat for its explainer.

MacKinnonVilmanis

Fantasy box score

Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)

Transition, turnovers & faceoffs

Usage

Special teams & discipline

Luck & trend

NHL EDGE tracking

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

Nathan MacKinnon

4games (2 left)

5.9proj. ESPN default pts

  • Mon, Oct 19 @ PHI
    Opp allows 10th-most FP to CLikely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
  • Tue, Oct 20 @ NJDB2B
    Opp allows 16th-most FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Jake Allen (.904)
  • Fri, Oct 23 vs TBL2.5 pts
    Opp allows 4th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
  • Sun, Oct 25 @ NSH3.4 pts
    Opp allows 8th-most FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Juuse Saros (.893)

Sandis Vilmanis

3games

3.0proj. ESPN default pts

  • Wed, Oct 21 @ OTT1.0 pts
    Opp allows 14th-most FP to LWLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
  • Thu, Oct 22 @ PITB2B1.0 pts
    Opp allows 12th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −11.9 win%Likely vs Arturs Silovs (.888)
  • Sun, Oct 25 @ CHI1.0 pts
    Opp allows 9th-most FP to LWLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)

Similar matchups

FAQ

Should I start Nathan MacKinnon or Sandis Vilmanis in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nathan MacKinnon projects to 3.08 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Sandis Vilmanis's 0.83. MacKinnon had 127 points in 80 games; Vilmanis had 5 in 19 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, Nathan MacKinnon or Sandis Vilmanis?
On 2025-26 numbers they split 1–1 across 2 stats where both qualify.

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 →