Who to start · 2025-26
Nikita Kucherov vs Raphael Lavoie
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Kucherov projects to 2.87 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Raphael Lavoie's 0.24.
Kucherov had 130 points in 76 games; Lavoie had 0 in 1 game.
This week Kucherov has 2 games left with 1 soft matchup; Lavoie has 2 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Kucherov for 5.7 to Lavoie's 1.5 over the games left.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Nikita Kucherov rates ahead, +13.3 to -4.7 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Kucherov is steady, 63% of team PP time (was 72%); Lavoie has no recent trend.
- • Kucherov, 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 4 G, 9 A, 4 PPP, 26 SOG.
- • Raphael Lavoie is a rookie: 17 NHL games before this season.
- • Lavoie, 2026-27 so far: 7 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 0 PPP, 8 SOG.
Tampa Bay Lightning · Vegas Golden Knights · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Nikita Kucherov
+13.3
category z-score total
Raphael Lavoie
-4.7
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Nikita Kucherov has the edge (Kucherov wins 5, Lavoie wins 1 of 6 categories).
| Category | Kucherov | Lavoie |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.53 | 0.00 |
| Assists / game | 1.08 | 0.09 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.52 | 0.09 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.47 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal / game | 2.98 | 0.36 |
| Hits / game | 0.34 | 1.09 |
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: Kucherov vs Lavoie
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2026-27 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Kucherov 1G 2A, 2 SOG · Lavoie 0G 0A, 1 SOG
On the ice against each other (Kucherov's side)
2:09 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2026-27, from Kucherov's side
- Shot attempts
- 1–3
- 25.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.2
- 0.0%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Kucherov | Lavoie |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-20 | TBL 6–2 VGK | 1G 2A 2S | 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, 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
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)
Raphael Lavoie
3games (2 left)
1.5proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs TBLOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Thu, Oct 22 @ STL0.7 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ CBJ0.8 ptsOpp allows 3rd-most FP to CLikely vs Jet Greaves (.908)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Nikita Kucherov or Raphael Lavoie 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 Raphael Lavoie's 0.24. Kucherov had 130 points in 76 games; Lavoie had 0 in 1 game. Check this week's games and your league's scoring in the fantasy panel above, since more games usually decide a weekly start.
- How have Kucherov and Lavoie done against each other?
- In 1 games against each other in our data, Kucherov's team went 1–0. Kucherov had 3 points (1 goals) and Lavoie had 0 (0 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 →