Who to start · 2025-26
Nathan MacKinnon vs Will Cuylle
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nathan MacKinnon projects to 3.32 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Will Cuylle's 1.63.
MacKinnon had 127 points in 80 games; Cuylle had 38 in 82 games.
This week MacKinnon has 1 game left; Cuylle has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project MacKinnon for 2.8 ESPN points to Cuylle's 1.4.
Nathan MacKinnon has the better number in 29 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
MacKinnon's biggest edges: Plus/minus +57, Expected goals 59.7%, Sequence xG 59.5%.
Cuylle's biggest edges: Hits 302, Turnover Ledger /60 −0.021, Blocked shots 68.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 1 PPP, 8 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 3 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 8 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Nathan MacKinnon
3.32
fantasy points per game
Will Cuylle
1.63
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Nathan MacKinnon has the edge.
| Points per game from | MacKinnon | Cuylle |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 1.49 | 0.41 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.87 | 0.24 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.21 | 0.07 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.46 | 0.20 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.09 | 0.37 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.21 | 0.35 |
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 custom weights are saved in this browser only.
Head-to-head: MacKinnon vs Cuylle
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2023-24 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
MacKinnon 5G 5A, 28 SOG · Cuylle 0G 1A, 6 SOG
MacKinnon's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 2–0 · MacKinnon's defensive zone 0–0 (2024-25)
MacKinnon blocked 0 of Cuylle's shots; Cuylle blocked 1 of MacKinnon's.
On the ice against each other (MacKinnon's side)
7:15 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from MacKinnon's side
- Shot attempts
- 9–5
- 64.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–0.3
- 64.5%
- Goals
- 2–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | MacKinnon | Cuylle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-06 | COL 3–2 NYR | 2G 0A 7S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-11-20 | COL 6–3 NYR | 2G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-01-26 | COL 5–4 NYR | 0G 2A 1S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-01-14 | COL 3–2 NYR | 0G 2A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-03-28 | COL 2–3 NYR | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-02-05 | COL 1–2 NYR | 1G 0A 7S | 0G 0A 1S |
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
Sep 28 to Oct 4. 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 use ESPN default points for the games left.
Nathan MacKinnon
2games (1 left)
2.8proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 vs LAKOpp allows the most FP to CLikely vs Darcy Kuemper (.891)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs STL2.8 ptsSchedule edge +10.1 win%vs Jordan Binnington (.873)
Will Cuylle
4games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ BOSOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)
- Thu, Oct 1 vs TBLOpp allows 6th-most FP to LWLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Fri, Oct 2 @ DETB2BSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs John Gibson (.901)
- Sun, Oct 4 vs UTA1.4 ptsOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Nathan MacKinnon or Will Cuylle in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nathan MacKinnon projects to 3.32 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Will Cuylle's 1.63. MacKinnon had 127 points in 80 games; Cuylle had 38 in 82 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 Will Cuylle?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nathan MacKinnon 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 MacKinnon and Cuylle done against each other?
- In 6 games against each other in our data, MacKinnon's team went 4–2. MacKinnon had 10 points (5 goals) and Cuylle had 1 (0 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, MacKinnon or Cuylle?
- Against each other, MacKinnon has won 2 and Cuylle 0 of their 2 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 →