Who to start · 2025-26
Rickard Rakell vs Wyatt Johnston
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Wyatt Johnston projects to 2.41 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Rickard Rakell's 2.10.
Rakell had 48 points in 60 games; Johnston had 86 in 82 games.
This week Rakell has 1 game left; Johnston has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Johnston for 2.5 ESPN points to Rakell's 2.1.
Wyatt Johnston has the better number in 22 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Rakell's biggest edges: Top skating speed 22.8, Corsi 49.9%, Forecheck xG /60 0.35.
Johnston's biggest edges: Penalty minutes 32, Turnover Ledger /60 −0.003, Transition attempts /60 1.34.
- • 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
Wyatt Johnston
2.41
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Wyatt Johnston has the edge.
| Points per game from | Rakell | Johnston |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.75 | 1.03 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.44 | 0.47 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.16 | 0.24 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.02 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.27 | 0.26 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.13 | 0.07 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.34 | 0.35 |
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 Johnston
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2022-23 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Rakell 1G 1A, 15 SOG · Johnston 2G 0A, 15 SOG
Rakell's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 2–1 · Rakell's defensive zone 0–0 (2025-26)
Rakell blocked 1 of Johnston's shots; Johnston blocked 1 of Rakell's.
On the ice against each other (Rakell's side)
7:14 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Rakell's side
- Shot attempts
- 6–3
- 66.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.3
- 39.6%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Rakell | Johnston |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-28 | PIT 3–6 DAL | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-04-05 | PIT 5–3 DAL | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-11-11 | PIT 1–7 DAL | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 8S |
| 2024-03-22 | PIT 2–4 DAL | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-10-24 | PIT 1–4 DAL | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2023-03-23 | PIT 2–3 DAL | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2022-12-12 | PIT 2–1 DAL | 0G 0A 2S | 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.
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)
Wyatt Johnston
2games (1 left)
2.5proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 vs STLLikely vs Joel Hofer (.910)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ NSHB2B2.5 ptsOpp allows 7th-most FP to CSchedule edge −12.4 win%Likely vs Juuse Saros (.893)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Rickard Rakell or Wyatt Johnston in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Wyatt Johnston projects to 2.41 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Rickard Rakell's 2.10. Rakell had 48 points in 60 games; Johnston had 86 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 Wyatt Johnston?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Wyatt Johnston leads in 22 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 Johnston done against each other?
- In 7 games against each other in our data, Rakell's team went 2–5. Rakell had 2 points (1 goals) and Johnston had 2 (2 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Rakell or Johnston?
- Against each other, Rakell has won 2 and Johnston 1 of their 3 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 →