Who to start · 2025-26
Ryan McLeod vs Sean Couturier
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Ryan McLeod projects to 1.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Sean Couturier's 0.98.
McLeod had 54 points in 81 games; Couturier had 36 in 78 games.
This week McLeod has 2 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Couturier has 2 left. In ESPN default points scoring we project McLeod for 1.9 to Couturier's 1.9 over the games left.
Ryan McLeod has the better number in 21 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
McLeod's biggest edges: Top skating speed 23.2, 20+ mph bursts 316, On-ice PDO 1030.
Couturier's biggest edges: Hits 100, Transition attempts /60 1.39, Turnover Ledger /60 −0.007.
Head to head on the dot, Couturier leads McLeod 27–16.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Sean Couturier rates ahead, -2.1 to -2.6 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: McLeod is cooling, −0:56 PP TOI; Couturier is steady, On-ice xGF/60 1.21 (was 2.38).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 7 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 11 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 0 PPP, 13 SOG.
- • Last 10 games (Oct 1–Oct 19): 0 G, 3 A, 0 PPP, 13 SOG.
Buffalo Sabres · Philadelphia Flyers · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Ryan McLeod
-2.6
category z-score total
Sean Couturier
-2.1
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Sean Couturier has the edge (McLeod wins 4, Couturier wins 2 of 6 categories).
| Category | McLeod | Couturier |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.15 | 0.09 |
| Assists / game | 0.35 | 0.29 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.06 | -0.11 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.05 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal / game | 0.99 | 1.38 |
| Hits / game | 0.29 | 1.51 |
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 scoring choice is shared with Who Should I Start: saved on this device, and on your account when you are signed in.
Head-to-head: McLeod vs Couturier
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.
McLeod 4G 6A, 16 SOG · Couturier 0G 7A, 11 SOG
McLeod's offensive zone 7–6 · neutral 4–10 · McLeod's defensive zone 5–11 (2023-24 to 2025-26)
McLeod blocked 1 of Couturier's shots; Couturier blocked 0 of McLeod's.
On the ice against each other (McLeod's side)
10:54 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from McLeod's side
- Shot attempts
- 11–12
- 47.8%
- Expected goals
- 0.7–1.0
- 41.0%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | McLeod | Couturier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-14 | BUF 5–2 PHI | 1G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-12-18 | BUF 5–3 PHI | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-12-03 | BUF 2–5 PHI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-04-17 | BUF 5–4 PHI | 1G 2A 5S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2025-03-29 | BUF 4–7 PHI | 0G 3A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-11-16 | BUF 2–5 PHI | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2024-01-02 | EDM 5–2 PHI | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2023-10-19 | EDM 1–4 PHI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 2A 2S |
Faceoffs: McLeod vs Couturier
Model: Ryan McLeod wins 44.3% of draws against Sean Couturier on average (L shot vs L shot). Same-handed, so the dot decides who is on his strong side; the gap between the left and right dots is the real matchup.
| McLeod at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 51% | 37% | 52% | 38% | 44% | 52% | 38% | 53% | 39% |
| Road | 50% | 36% | 51% | 37% | 44% | 51% | 37% | 52% | 38% |
Head-to-head 2023-24 to 2025-26: McLeod 16–27 (37.2%). Blended with the model: 43.8%. The record is normal luck for this matchup (z -0.9); pair-specific edges are about ±2 points, so the model carries most of the weight.
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
Oct 19 to Oct 25. 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 cover the games left: Edgehalla's rest-of-season rates per game, adjusted for each opponent's scoring allowed, in ESPN default points.
Scored in ESPN default points (G 2, A 1, PPP 0.5, SHP 0.5, SOG 0.1, HIT 0.1, BLK 0.5). Use your league's scoring
Ryan McLeod
2games
1.9proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs PHI1.1 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ WSH0.8 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Logan Thompson (.912)
Sean Couturier
3games (2 left)
1.9proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 vs COLOpp allows 15th-most FP to CLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
- Wed, Oct 21 @ BUF1.0 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 vs ANA1.0 pts
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Ryan McLeod or Sean Couturier in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Ryan McLeod projects to 1.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Sean Couturier's 0.98. McLeod had 54 points in 81 games; Couturier had 36 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, Ryan McLeod or Sean Couturier?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Ryan McLeod leads in 21 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have McLeod and Couturier done against each other?
- In 8 games against each other in our data, McLeod's team went 4–4. McLeod had 10 points (4 goals) and Couturier had 7 (0 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, McLeod or Couturier?
- Against each other, McLeod has won 16 and Couturier 27 of their 43 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 →