Who to start · 2025-26
Quinton Byfield vs Will Smith
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Will Smith projects to 1.94 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Quinton Byfield's 1.57.
Byfield had 49 points in 79 games; Smith had 59 in 69 games.
This week Byfield has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Smith has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Smith for 1.9 ESPN points to Byfield's 1.4.
Quinton Byfield has the better number in 19 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Byfield's biggest edges: Blocked shots 44, High-danger chances 52.4%, Top skating speed 23.2.
Smith's biggest edges: Offensive-zone start % 68.9%, On-ice PDO 1033, Luck Meter +39.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 2 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Quinton Byfield
1.57
fantasy points per game
Will Smith
1.94
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Will Smith has the edge.
| Points per game from | Byfield | Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.57 | 0.90 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.30 | 0.54 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.07 | 0.15 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.23 | 0.24 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.08 | 0.03 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.32 | 0.08 |
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 custom weights are saved in this browser only.
Head-to-head: Byfield vs Smith
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2024-25 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Byfield 0G 2A, 9 SOG · Smith 1G 3A, 6 SOG
Byfield's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 0–0 · Byfield's defensive zone 1–0 (2025-26)
On the ice against each other (Byfield's side)
4:38 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Byfield's side
- Shot attempts
- 4–5
- 44.4%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.2
- 22.3%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Byfield | Smith |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-20 | LAK 3–4 SJS | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-10-28 | LAK 4–3 SJS | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2025-03-30 | LAK 8–1 SJS | 0G 2A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-11-25 | LAK 2–7 SJS | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 2A 0S |
| 2024-10-29 | LAK 2–4 SJS | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 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.
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.
Quinton Byfield
2games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ COLOpp allows 8th-most FP to RWLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ SJS1.4 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)
Will Smith
2games (1 left)
1.9proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs FLAOpp allows 9th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs LAK1.9 ptsOpp allows the most FP to CLikely vs Darcy Kuemper (.891)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Quinton Byfield or Will Smith in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Will Smith projects to 1.94 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Quinton Byfield's 1.57. Byfield had 49 points in 79 games; Smith had 59 in 69 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, Quinton Byfield or Will Smith?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Quinton Byfield leads in 19 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Byfield and Smith done against each other?
- In 5 games against each other in our data, Byfield's team went 2–3. Byfield had 2 points (0 goals) and Smith had 4 (1 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Byfield or Smith?
- Against each other, Byfield has won 1 and Smith 0 of their 1 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 →