Edgehalla

Who to start · 2025-26

Nikita Kucherov vs Ryan McLeod

Nikita KucherovLightning · Right wing
vs
Ryan McLeodSabres · Centre
Steady63% of team PP time (was 72%)
Cooling−0:56 PP TOI

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Kucherov projects to 2.87 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan McLeod's 1.01.

Kucherov had 130 points in 76 games; McLeod had 54 in 81 games.

This week Kucherov has 2 games left with 1 soft matchup; McLeod has 2 left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Kucherov for 5.7 to McLeod's 1.9 over the games left.

Nikita Kucherov has the better number in 29 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.

Kucherov's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 1.45, Offensive-zone time 45.7%, Penalty minutes 50.

McLeod's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 612, Top skating speed 23.2, 20+ mph bursts 316.

In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Nikita Kucherov rates ahead, +13.3 to -2.6 in summed category z-scores.

Role trend over the last 5 games: Kucherov is steady, 63% of team PP time (was 72%); McLeod is cooling, −0:56 PP TOI.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 4 G, 9 A, 4 PPP, 26 SOG.
  • • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 7 SOG.

Tampa Bay Lightning · Buffalo Sabres · Who should I start? · Compare other players

Fantasy value: your scoring

Nikita Kucherov

+13.3

category z-score total

Ryan McLeod

-2.6

category z-score total

Under Standard (6 categories), Nikita Kucherov has the edge (Kucherov wins 6, McLeod wins 0 of 6 categories).

Per-stat breakdown under Standard (6 categories)
CategoryKucherovMcLeod
Goals / game0.530.15
Assists / game1.080.35
Plus/minus / game0.52-0.06
Power-play points / game0.470.05
Shots on goal / game2.980.99
Hits / game0.340.29

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 McLeod

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.

KucherovMcLeod
6Team record in 13 meetings7
24Points in those games7

Kucherov 10G 14A, 58 SOG · McLeod 1G 6A, 19 SOG

1Shots blocked by the other0

Kucherov blocked 1 of McLeod's shots; McLeod blocked 0 of Kucherov's.

On the ice against each other (Kucherov's side)

20:22 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26, from Kucherov's side

Shot attempts
21–19
52.5%
Expected goals
1.0–1.2
44.1%
Goals
1–2

Games against each other

Games between Nikita Kucherov and Ryan McLeod
DateScoreKucherovMcLeod
2026-04-06TBL 2–4 BUF1G 0A 3S0G 1A 0S
2026-03-08TBL 7–8 BUF2G 1A 5S0G 1A 2S
2026-02-28TBL 2–6 BUF0G 0A 4S0G 0A 2S
2026-02-03TBL 4–3 BUF1G 3A 7S0G 1A 2S
2025-04-13TBL 7–4 BUF2G 1A 4S0G 0A 0S
2025-04-05TBL 2–3 BUF0G 1A 3S0G 0A 0S
2025-03-06TBL 6–5 BUF0G 2A 1S0G 2A 0S
2023-12-14TBL 7–4 EDM1G 2A 3S0G 0A 0S
2023-11-18TBL 6–4 EDM2G 1A 6S0G 0A 2S
2023-01-19TBL 3–5 EDM0G 1A 4S1G 0A 3S
2022-11-08TBL 2–3 EDM0G 1A 7S0G 1A 2S
2022-03-12TBL 1–4 EDM0G 0A 7S0G 0A 4S

Latest 12 of 13 meetings.

Every stat, side by side

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

KucherovMcLeod

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

Tampa Bay Lightning logo

Nikita Kucherov

3games (2 left)

5.7proj. ESPN default pts

  • Tue, Oct 20 @ VGK
    Opp allows 4th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Carter Hart (.891)
  • Fri, Oct 23 @ COL2.6 pts
    Opp allows 13th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Scott Wedgewood (.921)
  • Sat, Oct 24 @ UTAB2B3.2 pts
    Opp allows 9th-most FP to RWSchedule edge −11.4 win%Likely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
Buffalo Sabres logo

Ryan McLeod

2games

1.9proj. ESPN default pts

  • Wed, Oct 21 vs PHI1.1 pts
    Opp allows 10th-most FP to CSchedule edge +4.1 win%vs Dan Vladar (.906)
  • Sat, Oct 24 @ WSH0.8 pts
    Opp allows 7th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Logan Thompson (.912)

Similar matchups

FAQ

Should I start Nikita Kucherov or Ryan McLeod 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 Ryan McLeod's 1.01. Kucherov had 130 points in 76 games; McLeod had 54 in 81 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, Nikita Kucherov or Ryan McLeod?
On 2025-26 numbers, Nikita Kucherov 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 Kucherov and McLeod done against each other?
In 13 games against each other in our data, Kucherov's team went 6–7. Kucherov had 24 points (10 goals) and McLeod had 7 (1 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 →