Edgehalla

Who to start · 2026-27

Nikita Kucherov vs Teddy Blueger

Nikita KucherovLightning · Right wing
vs
Teddy BluegerMaple Leafs · Centre
Steady63% of team PP time (was 72%)
Steady4% of 5v5 TOI with top players (was 41%)

In 2026-27, Nikita Kucherov scored 2.52 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Teddy Blueger's 0.63.

Kucherov had 13 points in 9 games; Blueger had 2 in 12 games.

This week Kucherov has 2 games left with 1 soft matchup; Blueger has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Kucherov for 5.7 to Blueger's 0.7 over the games left.

Nikita Kucherov has the better number in 2 of the 2 stats both are ranked on.

Kucherov's biggest edges: Luck Meter +12, Ascension score 33.

Role trend over the last 5 games: Kucherov is steady, 63% of team PP time (was 72%); Blueger is steady, 4% of 5v5 TOI with top players (was 41%).

  • • Kucherov, last 9 games (Oct 1–Oct 20): 4 G, 9 A, 4 PPP, 26 SOG.
  • • Blueger, last 10 games (Oct 3–Oct 22): 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 11 SOG.

Tampa Bay Lightning · Toronto Maple Leafs · Who should I start? · Compare other players

Fantasy value: your scoring

Nikita Kucherov

0.0

category z-score total

Teddy Blueger

0.0

category z-score total

Dead even under Standard (6 categories) (Kucherov wins 0, Blueger wins 0 of 6 categories).

Per-stat breakdown under Standard (6 categories)
CategoryKucherovBlueger
Goals / game0.440.08
Assists / game1.000.08
Plus/minus / game0.44-0.17
Power-play points / game0.440.00
Shots on goal / game2.891.00
Hits / game0.111.08

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 Blueger

Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2018-19 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.

KucherovBlueger
7Team record in 12 meetings5
17Points in those games5

Kucherov 6G 11A, 33 SOG · Blueger 2G 3A, 15 SOG

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

8:07 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Kucherov's side

Shot attempts
14–7
66.7%
Expected goals
0.7–0.2
81.3%
Goals
2–0

Games against each other

Games between Nikita Kucherov and Teddy Blueger
DateScoreKucherovBlueger
2026-03-19TBL 6–2 VAN1G 2A 3S0G 0A 1S
2024-12-08TBL 4–2 VAN1G 2A 4S0G 0A 0S
2024-10-15TBL 4–1 VAN1G 0A 4S0G 0A 0S
2023-12-12TBL 1–4 VAN0G 0A 0S0G 0A 0S
2023-03-09TBL 3–4 VGK1G 2A 5S0G 1A 1S
2023-02-26TBL 3–7 PIT1G 1A 4S1G 0A 3S
2021-10-12TBL 2–6 PIT0G 0A 0S1G 0A 3S
2020-02-11TBL 2–1 PIT0G 1A 3S0G 0A 2S
2020-02-06TBL 4–2 PIT1G 1A 2S0G 0A 2S
2019-10-23TBL 3–2 PIT0G 1A 5S0G 1A 2S
2019-02-09TBL 5–4 PIT0G 0A 1S0G 1A 1S
2019-01-30TBL 2–4 PIT0G 1A 2S0G 0A 0S

Every stat, side by side

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

KucherovBlueger

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)

KucherovBlueger

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 (.888)
  • Fri, Oct 23 @ COL2.6 pts
    Opp allows 14th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Scott Wedgewood (.912)
  • Sat, Oct 24 @ UTAB2B3.2 pts
    Opp allows 9th-most FP to RWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Karel Vejmelka (.879)
Toronto Maple Leafs logo

Teddy Blueger

4games (1 left)

0.7proj. ESPN default pts

  • Mon, Oct 19 vs SJS
    Opp allows 4th-most FP to CLikely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.883)
  • Tue, Oct 20 @ CBJB2B
    Opp allows 3rd-most FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Jet Greaves (.883)
  • Thu, Oct 22 vs NYR
    Opp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Dylan Garand (.915)
  • Sat, Oct 24 @ EDM0.7 pts
    Opp allows 9th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +1.8 win%Likely vs Tristan Jarry (.873)

FAQ

Should I start Nikita Kucherov or Teddy Blueger in fantasy hockey?
In 2026-27, Nikita Kucherov scored 2.52 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Teddy Blueger's 0.63. Kucherov had 13 points in 9 games; Blueger had 2 in 12 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 Teddy Blueger?
On 2026-27 numbers, Nikita Kucherov leads in 2 of 2 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have Kucherov and Blueger done against each other?
In 12 games against each other in our data, Kucherov's team went 7–5. Kucherov had 17 points (6 goals) and Blueger had 5 (2 goals).

2026-27 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 →