Who to start · 2025-26
Rickard Rakell vs Tomas Hertl
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Rickard Rakell projects to 2.10 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Tomas Hertl's 1.88.
Rakell had 48 points in 60 games; Hertl had 58 in 82 games.
This week Rakell has 1 game left; Hertl has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Rakell for 2.0 ESPN points to Hertl's 2.0.
Tomas Hertl has the better number in 23 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Rakell's biggest edges: On-ice PDO 1018, Forecheck xG /60 0.35, Luck Meter +16.
Hertl's biggest edges: Draw Equity /100 +0.096, Faceoff win % 57.8%, Penalty minutes 39.
Head to head on the dot, Hertl leads Rakell 6–4.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 2 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 1 PPP, 9 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Rickard Rakell
2.10
fantasy points per game
Tomas Hertl
1.88
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Rickard Rakell has the edge.
| Points per game from | Rakell | Hertl |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.75 | 0.63 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.44 | 0.37 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.16 | 0.17 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.02 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.27 | 0.27 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.13 | 0.14 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.34 | 0.30 |
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 Hertl
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Rakell 14G 16A, 97 SOG · Hertl 7G 11A, 70 SOG
Rakell's offensive zone 3–4 · neutral 0–2 · Rakell's defensive zone 1–0 (2017-18 to 2025-26)
Rakell blocked 1 of Hertl's shots; Hertl blocked 3 of Rakell's.
On the ice against each other (Rakell's side)
2:11 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Rakell's side
- Shot attempts
- 4–2
- 66.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.1
- 59.0%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Rakell | Hertl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-12 | PIT 2–6 VGK | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-03-01 | PIT 5–0 VGK | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-03-11 | PIT 3–2 VGK | 0G 2A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-03-07 | PIT 0–4 VGK | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2023-11-04 | PIT 10–2 SJS | 0G 2A 6S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2023-02-14 | PIT 3–1 SJS | 1G 2A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-01-28 | PIT 4–6 SJS | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-03-06 | ANA 3–2 SJS | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-02-22 | ANA 4–3 SJS | 2G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2021-04-14 | ANA 4–1 SJS | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2021-04-12 | ANA 4–0 SJS | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2021-03-13 | ANA 1–3 SJS | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 0S |
Latest 12 of 30 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 RWLikely vs Dan Vladar (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs MTL2.0 ptsOpp allows 12th-most FP to RWvs Jakub Dobes (.901)
Tomas Hertl
3games (1 left)
2.0proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs CHIOpp allows 8th-most FP to CLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
- Fri, Oct 2 vs ANAOpp allows 9th-most FP to CLikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)
- Sun, Oct 4 @ VAN2.0 ptsOpp allows 6th-most FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Rickard Rakell or Tomas Hertl 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 Tomas Hertl's 1.88. Rakell had 48 points in 60 games; Hertl had 58 in 82 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 Tomas Hertl?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Tomas Hertl leads in 23 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 Hertl done against each other?
- In 30 games against each other in our data, Rakell's team went 13–17. Rakell had 30 points (14 goals) and Hertl had 18 (7 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Rakell or Hertl?
- Against each other, Rakell has won 4 and Hertl 6 of their 10 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 →