Rickard Rakell or Vasily Podkolzin? Week 3
Points leagues, Week 3 (Oct 12-18): start Vasily Podkolzin, narrowly. Both count 2 games left in Week 3 (Oct 12-18), so it comes down to value per game: 1.94 fantasy points to 1.91. Who to start in fantasy hockey in Week 3 (Oct 12-18), RWs ranked 20th and 22nd at the position.
- FP/G
- 1.91
- Games
- 2
- Week proj.
- 3.81
- FP/G
- 1.94
- Games
- 2
- Week proj.
- 3.88
Week 3 pick in points and categories leagues.
The Week 3 call
Points leagues, Week 3 (Oct 12-18): start Vasily Podkolzin, narrowly. Both count 2 games left in Week 3 (Oct 12-18), so it comes down to value per game: 1.94 fantasy points to 1.91.
Categories leagues: Vasily Podkolzin again, 3.5 category value for the week to -1.6.
Over PIT's last 5 games Rickard Rakell played 5 games, 20:14 a night with 3:33 on the power play: line 1 by even-strength ice time and the first power-play unit.
Over EDM's last 5 games Vasily Podkolzin played 5 games, 19:09 a night with 4:04 on the power play: line 1 by even-strength ice time and the first power-play unit.
Vasily Podkolzin's ice time is up: 19:09 over his last 5 games against 16:08 on the board.
PIT 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 | Rickard Rakell | Vasily Podkolzin |
|---|---|---|
| Games, Week 3 | 3 | 3 |
| Games counted (left this week) | 2 | 2 |
| Back-to-backs | 1 | 0 |
| Games, Week 4 | 3 | 3 |
| Line by ice time | Line 1 | Line 1 |
| Power-play unit | PP1 | PP1 |
| TOI, last games | 20:14 (5) | 19:09 (5) |
| TOI, board | 19:11 | 16:08 |
| PP TOI, last games | 3:33 | 4:04 |
| Shots, last games | 1.6 | 3.4 |
| Injury | None listed | None listed |
| Projected fantasy points | 3.8 | 3.9 |
| Projected category value | -1.6 | 3.5 |
Schedule: Rickard Rakell Tue @CHI, Fri @COL, Sat @VGK. Vasily Podkolzin 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: Vasily Podkolzin, 1.94 fantasy points per game to 1.91.
Categories leagues: Vasily Podkolzin again, 52nd overall against 104th.
| Category (z per game) | Rickard Rakell | Vasily Podkolzin |
|---|---|---|
| A assists | -0.6 | -1.2 |
| G goals | 0.0 | 0.6 |
| +/- plus-minus | -0.7 | 1.5 |
| BLK blocked shots | -0.0 | -0.5 |
| HIT hits | 0.2 | 2.6 |
| PPP power-play points | -0.0 | -0.7 |
| SOG shots on goal | 0.3 | -0.5 |
Other close calls
Week 3 streamers and goalie starts · NHL waiver wire · Rest-of-season rankings
Common questions
Should I start Rickard Rakell or Vasily Podkolzin in Week 3?
Points leagues, Week 3 (Oct 12-18): start Vasily Podkolzin, narrowly. Both count 2 games left in Week 3 (Oct 12-18), so it comes down to value per game: 1.94 fantasy points to 1.91. Categories leagues: Vasily Podkolzin again, 3.5 category value for the week to -1.6. Over PIT's last 5 games Rickard Rakell played 5 games, 20:14 a night with 3:33 on the power play: line 1 by even-strength ice time and the first power-play unit. Over EDM's last 5 games Vasily Podkolzin played 5 games, 19:09 a night with 4:04 on the power play: line 1 by even-strength ice time and the first power-play unit. Vasily Podkolzin's ice time is up: 19:09 over his last 5 games against 16:08 on the board. PIT has a back-to-back in Week 3.
Who is better for the rest of the season, Rickard Rakell or Vasily Podkolzin?
Season-long, points leagues: Vasily Podkolzin, 1.94 fantasy points per game to 1.91. Categories leagues: Vasily Podkolzin again, 52nd overall against 104th.
Who wins more categories, Rickard Rakell or Vasily Podkolzin?
Rickard Rakell is ahead per game in 4 (assists, blocked shots, power-play points, shots on goal); Vasily Podkolzin in 3 (goals, plus-minus, hits).
By the Parlae deskBoard updated Oct 13, 2026 at 10:41 PM ETHow this is builtReport a wrong number