Who to start · 2025-26
Rickard Rakell vs William Eklund
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Rickard Rakell projects to 2.10 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to William Eklund's 1.62.
Rakell had 48 points in 60 games; Eklund had 53 in 78 games.
This week Rakell has 1 game left; Eklund has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Rakell for 2.1 ESPN points to Eklund's 1.9.
Rickard Rakell has the better number in 19 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.
Rakell's biggest edges: Forecheck xG /60 0.35, Goals above expected +1.3, On-ice PDO 1018.
Eklund's biggest edges: Penalty minutes 32, Transition attempts /60 1.19, Assists 38.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 2 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Rickard Rakell
2.10
fantasy points per game
William Eklund
1.62
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Rickard Rakell has the edge.
| Points per game from | Rakell | Eklund |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.80 | 0.38 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.40 | 0.49 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.13 | 0.10 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.02 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.28 | 0.23 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.12 | 0.09 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.36 | 0.33 |
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 Eklund
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2023-24 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Rakell 1G 3A, 16 SOG · Eklund 1G 2A, 13 SOG
On the ice against each other (Rakell's side)
13:50 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Rakell's side
- Shot attempts
- 7–16
- 30.4%
- Expected goals
- 0.4–0.6
- 42.5%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Rakell | Eklund |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-13 | PIT 5–6 SJS | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2025-10-18 | PIT 3–0 SJS | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-01-27 | PIT 1–2 SJS | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-11-16 | PIT 4–3 SJS | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2024-03-14 | PIT 6–3 SJS | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-11-04 | PIT 10–2 SJS | 0G 2A 6S | 0G 0A 1S |
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)
2.1proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ PHIOpp allows 5th-most FP to RWLikely vs Dan Vladar (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs MTL2.1 ptsOpp allows 9th-most FP to RWLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
William Eklund
2games (1 left)
1.9proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs FLAOpp allows 13th-most FP to LWLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs LAK1.9 ptsOpp allows the most FP to LWLikely vs Darcy Kuemper (.891)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Rickard Rakell or William Eklund 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 William Eklund's 1.62. Rakell had 48 points in 60 games; Eklund had 53 in 78 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 William Eklund?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Rickard Rakell leads in 19 of 33 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Rakell and Eklund done against each other?
- In 6 games against each other in our data, Rakell's team went 4–2. Rakell had 4 points (1 goals) and Eklund had 3 (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 →