Who to start · 2025-26
Ryan McLeod vs Stephen Halliday
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Stephen Halliday projects to 1.07 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan McLeod's 1.01.
McLeod had 54 points in 81 games; Halliday had 11 in 30 games.
This week McLeod has 2 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Halliday has 3 left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Halliday for 3.1 to McLeod's 1.9 over the games left.
Ryan McLeod has the better number in 16 of the 22 stats both are ranked on.
McLeod's biggest edges: 20+ mph bursts 316, Ice-time share 29.1%, Ice time per game 17:37.
Halliday's biggest edges: Offensive-zone time 50.5%, Ascension score 59, Goals above expected +0.3.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Stephen Halliday 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; Halliday is steady, +3:19 TOI a game.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 7 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 2 G, 1 A, 2 PPP, 12 SOG.
Buffalo Sabres · Ottawa Senators · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Ryan McLeod
-2.6
category z-score total
Stephen Halliday
-2.1
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Stephen Halliday has the edge (McLeod wins 2, Halliday wins 4 of 6 categories).
| Category | McLeod | Halliday |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.15 | 0.17 |
| Assists / game | 0.35 | 0.19 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.06 | -0.13 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.05 | 0.15 |
| Shots on goal / game | 0.99 | 1.21 |
| Hits / game | 0.29 | 0.83 |
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 Halliday
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2025-26 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
McLeod 0G 1A, 1 SOG · Halliday 0G 0A, 0 SOG
McLeod's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 0–1 · McLeod's defensive zone 0–0 (2025-26)
Games against each other
| Date | Score | McLeod | Halliday |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-23 | BUF 3–2 OTT | 0G 1A 1S | 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
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)
Stephen Halliday
3games
3.1proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs FLA1.0 ptsOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to Cvs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs NYR0.9 ptsOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Ryan McLeod or Stephen Halliday in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Stephen Halliday projects to 1.07 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan McLeod's 1.01. McLeod had 54 points in 81 games; Halliday had 11 in 30 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 Stephen Halliday?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Ryan McLeod leads in 16 of 22 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have McLeod and Halliday done against each other?
- In 1 games against each other in our data, McLeod's team went 1–0. McLeod had 1 points (0 goals) and Halliday had 0 (0 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, McLeod or Halliday?
- Against each other, McLeod has won 0 and Halliday 1 of their 1 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 →