Evgeni Malkin or Vasily Podkolzin? Week 4
Points leagues, Week 4 (Oct 19-25): start Evgeni Malkin. Both count 1 games left in Week 4 (Oct 19-25), so it comes down to value per game: 2.1 fantasy points to 2.0. Who to start in fantasy hockey in Week 4 (Oct 19-25), Cs ranked 19th and 21st at the position.
Updated Oct 23, 6:50 AM ET. Rechecked every 30 minutes.
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The Week 4 call
Points leagues, Week 4 (Oct 19-25): start Evgeni Malkin. Both count 1 games left in Week 4 (Oct 19-25), so it comes down to value per game: 2.1 fantasy points to 2.0.
Categories leagues: Vasily Podkolzin instead, 2.5 category value for the week to 0.2, because his category mix is worth more there.
Over PIT's last 5 games Evgeni Malkin played 5 games, 15:57 a night with 2:24 on the power play: line 2 by even-strength ice time and the first power-play unit.
Over EDM's last 5 games Vasily Podkolzin played 5 games, 19:07 a night with 2:02 on the power play: line 1 by even-strength ice time and the first power-play unit.
Vasily Podkolzin's ice time is up: 19:07 over his last 5 games against 16:38 on the board.
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 4 (Oct 19-25), side by side
| This week | Evgeni Malkin | Vasily Podkolzin |
|---|---|---|
| Games, Week 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Games counted (left this week) | 1 | 1 |
| Back-to-backs | 0 | 0 |
| Games, Week 5 | 2 | 4 |
| Line by ice time | Line 2 | Line 1 |
| Power-play unit | PP1 | PP1 |
| TOI, last games | 15:57 (5) | 19:07 (5) |
| TOI, board | 17:24 | 16:38 |
| PP TOI, last games | 2:24 | 2:02 |
| Shots, last games | 1.8 | 1.6 |
| Injury | None listed | None listed |
| Projected fantasy points | 2.1 | 2.0 |
| Projected category value | 0.2 | 2.5 |
Schedule: Evgeni Malkin Mon @UTA, Thu FLA, Sat NSH. Vasily Podkolzin Tue MIN, Thu CAR, Sat TOR.
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: Evgeni Malkin, 2.13 fantasy points per game to 2.04.
Categories leagues: Vasily Podkolzin instead, 40th overall against 78th, because the categories reward a different mix.
| Category (z per game) | Evgeni Malkin | Vasily Podkolzin |
|---|---|---|
| A assists | 0.4 | -0.9 |
| G goals | 0.7 | 0.6 |
| +/- plus-minus | 0.3 | 1.5 |
| BLK blocked shots | -1.0 | -0.4 |
| HIT hits | -0.9 | 2.5 |
| PPP power-play points | 0.5 | -0.2 |
| SOG shots on goal | 0.1 | -0.6 |
Other close calls
Week 4 streamers and goalie starts · NHL waiver wire · Rest-of-season rankings
Common questions
Should I start Evgeni Malkin or Vasily Podkolzin in Week 4?
Points leagues, Week 4 (Oct 19-25): start Evgeni Malkin. Both count 1 games left in Week 4 (Oct 19-25), so it comes down to value per game: 2.1 fantasy points to 2.0. Categories leagues: Vasily Podkolzin instead, 2.5 category value for the week to 0.2, because his category mix is worth more there. Over PIT's last 5 games Evgeni Malkin played 5 games, 15:57 a night with 2:24 on the power play: line 2 by even-strength ice time and the first power-play unit. Over EDM's last 5 games Vasily Podkolzin played 5 games, 19:07 a night with 2:02 on the power play: line 1 by even-strength ice time and the first power-play unit. Vasily Podkolzin's ice time is up: 19:07 over his last 5 games against 16:38 on the board.
Who is better for the rest of the season, Evgeni Malkin or Vasily Podkolzin?
Season-long, points leagues: Evgeni Malkin, 2.13 fantasy points per game to 2.04. Categories leagues: Vasily Podkolzin instead, 40th overall against 78th, because the categories reward a different mix.
Who wins more categories, Evgeni Malkin or Vasily Podkolzin?
Evgeni Malkin is ahead per game in 4 (assists, goals, power-play points, shots on goal); Vasily Podkolzin in 3 (plus-minus, blocked shots, hits).
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 23, 2026 at 6:50 AM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number