Who to start · 2025-26
Rickard Rakell vs Ryan O'Reilly
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Rickard Rakell projects to 2.10 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan O'Reilly's 1.90.
Rakell had 48 points in 60 games; O'Reilly had 74 in 81 games.
This week Rakell has 1 game left; O'Reilly has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Rakell for 2.0 ESPN points to O'Reilly's 2.0.
Ryan O'Reilly has the better number in 24 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Rakell's biggest edges: Hits 71, Offensive-zone start % 66.1%, Top skating speed 22.8.
O'Reilly's biggest edges: Draw Equity /100 +0.056, Faceoff win % 55.1%, Turnover Ledger /60 −0.007.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 2 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Rickard Rakell
2.10
fantasy points per game
Ryan O'Reilly
1.90
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Rickard Rakell has the edge.
| Points per game from | Rakell | O'Reilly |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.75 | 0.58 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.44 | 0.57 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.16 | 0.12 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.27 | 0.20 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.13 | 0.03 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.34 | 0.38 |
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: Rakell vs O'Reilly
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2024-25: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Rakell 5G 7A, 60 SOG · O'Reilly 5G 11A, 46 SOG
Rakell's offensive zone 0–6 · neutral 0–0 · Rakell's defensive zone 0–0 (2017-18 to 2021-22)
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Rakell | O'Reilly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-02-01 | PIT 3–0 NSH | 0G 2A 6S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-12-19 | PIT 5–4 NSH | 1G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2024-04-15 | PIT 4–2 NSH | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2022-12-03 | PIT 6–2 STL | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2021-12-12 | ANA 3–2 STL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2021-05-05 | ANA 3–2 STL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2021-05-03 | ANA 1–3 STL | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2021-03-28 | ANA 3–2 STL | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2021-03-26 | ANA 4–1 STL | 1G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2021-03-03 | ANA 2–3 STL | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2021-03-01 | ANA 4–5 STL | 0G 2A 4S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2021-01-31 | ANA 1–4 STL | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 1A 3S |
Latest 12 of 21 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.
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.
Rickard Rakell
2games (1 left)
2.0proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ PHIOpp allows 5th-most FP to RW
- Sat, Oct 3 vs MTL2.0 ptsOpp allows 12th-most FP to RW
Ryan O'Reilly
2games (1 left)
2.0proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs MINOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to C
- Sat, Oct 3 vs DAL2.0 ptsOpp allows 3rd-most FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Rickard Rakell or Ryan O'Reilly in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Rickard Rakell projects to 2.10 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan O'Reilly's 1.90. Rakell had 48 points in 60 games; O'Reilly had 74 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, Rickard Rakell or Ryan O'Reilly?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Ryan O'Reilly leads in 24 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Rakell and O'Reilly done against each other?
- In 21 games against each other in our data, Rakell's team went 11–10. Rakell had 12 points (5 goals) and O'Reilly had 16 (5 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Rakell or O'Reilly?
- Against each other, Rakell has won 0 and O'Reilly 6 of their 6 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 →