Cale Makar or Evan Bouchard? Week 3
Points leagues, Week 3 (Oct 12-18): start Evan Bouchard. Evan Bouchard counts 3 games left to 2 for Cale Makar, for 8.6 projected fantasy points against 5.0. Who to start in fantasy hockey in Week 3 (Oct 12-18), defensemen ranked 1st and 2nd at the position.

- FP/G
- 2.50
- Games
- 2
- Week proj.
- 4.99
The Week 3 call
Points leagues, Week 3 (Oct 12-18): start Evan Bouchard. Evan Bouchard counts 3 games left to 2 for Cale Makar, for 8.6 projected fantasy points against 5.0.
Categories leagues: Evan Bouchard again, 22.9 category value for the week to 9.4.
Over COL's last 5 games Cale Makar played 5 games, 21:30 a night with 4:25 on the power play: pair 2 by even-strength ice time and the first power-play unit.
Cale Makar's ice time is down: 21:30 over his last 5 games against 24:11 on the board.
Over EDM's last 5 games Evan Bouchard played 5 games, 24:52 a night with 4:14 on the power play: pair 1 by even-strength ice time and the first power-play unit.
COL has a back-to-back in Week 3.
This is the call for one lineup slot across the week, the way weekly-lock leagues play it. In a daily-lineup league, start whichever of the two plays that night, and both when they fit.
Week 3 (Oct 12-18), side by side
| This week | Cale Makar | Evan Bouchard |
|---|---|---|
| Games, Week 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Games counted (left this week) | 2 | 3 |
| Back-to-backs | 1 | 0 |
| Games, Week 4 | 4 | 3 |
| Line by ice time | Pair 2 | Pair 1 |
| Power-play unit | PP1 | PP1 |
| TOI, last games | 21:30 (5) | 24:52 (5) |
| TOI, board | 24:11 | 24:43 |
| PP TOI, last games | 4:25 | 4:14 |
| Shots, last games | 2.6 | 3.4 |
| Injury | None listed | None listed |
| Projected fantasy points | 5.0 | 8.6 |
| Projected category value | 9.4 | 22.9 |
Schedule: Cale Makar Tue @DAL, Wed DAL, Fri PIT. Evan Bouchard Tue @LAK, Thu UTA, Sat @UTA.
Projections are the board's per-game value times the games counted. A skater listed out, or who missed his team's last three games, counts none. A goalie counts his team's games times his share of its recent starts. Lines and power-play units are by ice time over the team's last five games. Stats and schedule from the NHL; injury designations from ESPN's public NHL injury list.
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The rest-of-season call
Season-long, points leagues: Evan Bouchard, 2.88 fantasy points per game to 2.50.
Categories leagues: Evan Bouchard again, 5th overall against 15th.
| Category (z per game) | Cale Makar | Evan Bouchard |
|---|---|---|
| A assists | 1.5 | 2.4 |
| G goals | 0.2 | 1.0 |
| +/- plus-minus | 1.4 | 2.6 |
| BLK blocked shots | 1.2 | 0.5 |
| HIT hits | -0.9 | -0.8 |
| PPP power-play points | 0.8 | 1.2 |
| SOG shots on goal | 0.5 | 0.8 |
Other close calls
Week 3 streamers and goalie starts · NHL waiver wire · Rest-of-season rankings
Common questions
Should I start Cale Makar or Evan Bouchard in Week 3?
Points leagues, Week 3 (Oct 12-18): start Evan Bouchard. Evan Bouchard counts 3 games left to 2 for Cale Makar, for 8.6 projected fantasy points against 5.0. Categories leagues: Evan Bouchard again, 22.9 category value for the week to 9.4. Over COL's last 5 games Cale Makar played 5 games, 21:30 a night with 4:25 on the power play: pair 2 by even-strength ice time and the first power-play unit. Cale Makar's ice time is down: 21:30 over his last 5 games against 24:11 on the board. Over EDM's last 5 games Evan Bouchard played 5 games, 24:52 a night with 4:14 on the power play: pair 1 by even-strength ice time and the first power-play unit. COL has a back-to-back in Week 3.
Who is better for the rest of the season, Cale Makar or Evan Bouchard?
Season-long, points leagues: Evan Bouchard, 2.88 fantasy points per game to 2.50. Categories leagues: Evan Bouchard again, 5th overall against 15th.
Who wins more categories, Cale Makar or Evan Bouchard?
Cale Makar is ahead per game in 1 (blocked shots); Evan Bouchard in 5 (assists, goals, plus-minus, power-play points, shots on goal).
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 13, 2026 at 8:39 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number
