Who to start · 2025-26
Nathan MacKinnon vs Zach Benson
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nathan MacKinnon projects to 3.08 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Zach Benson's 1.34.
MacKinnon had 127 points in 80 games; Benson had 43 in 65 games.
This week MacKinnon has 2 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Benson has 2 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project MacKinnon for 5.9 to Benson's 3.2 over the games left.
Nathan MacKinnon has the better number in 30 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
MacKinnon's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 1.83, Hardest shot 91.0, Top skating speed 24.8.
Benson's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 −0.014, Ascension score 67, Shorthanded points 2.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Nathan MacKinnon rates ahead, +14.0 to +3.0 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: MacKinnon is cooling, On-ice xGF/60 2.51 (was 3.88); Benson is rising, +2:28 PP TOI.
- • 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 6 G, 10 A, 2 PPP, 44 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 0 G, 6 A, 1 PPP, 18 SOG.
Colorado Avalanche · Buffalo Sabres · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Nathan MacKinnon
+14.0
category z-score total
Zach Benson
+3.0
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Nathan MacKinnon has the edge (MacKinnon wins 5, Benson wins 1 of 6 categories).
| Category | MacKinnon | Benson |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.64 | 0.13 |
| Assists / game | 0.96 | 0.54 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.43 | 0.43 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.30 | 0.09 |
| Shots on goal / game | 4.38 | 1.87 |
| Hits / game | 0.68 | 0.93 |
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: MacKinnon vs Benson
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2023-24 to 2024-25: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
MacKinnon 2G 6A, 18 SOG · Benson 2G 1A, 7 SOG
Games against each other
| Date | Score | MacKinnon | Benson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-01-02 | COL 6–5 BUF | 0G 3A 3S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2024-12-03 | COL 5–4 BUF | 2G 1A 9S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2023-12-13 | COL 5–1 BUF | 0G 2A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2023-10-29 | COL 0–4 BUF | 0G 0A 4S | 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
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 @ PHIOpp allows 10th-most FP to CLikely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
- Tue, Oct 20 @ NJDB2B
- Fri, Oct 23 vs TBL2.5 ptsOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Sun, Oct 25 @ NSH3.5 pts
Zach Benson
2games
3.2proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs PHI1.7 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ WSH1.5 ptsOpp allows 16th-most FP to LWLikely vs Logan Thompson (.912)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Nathan MacKinnon or Zach Benson 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 Zach Benson's 1.34. MacKinnon had 127 points in 80 games; Benson had 43 in 65 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 Zach Benson?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nathan MacKinnon leads in 30 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 Benson done against each other?
- In 4 games against each other in our data, MacKinnon's team went 3–1. MacKinnon had 8 points (2 goals) and Benson had 3 (2 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 →