Who to start · 2025-26
Adrian Kempe vs Darnell Nurse
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Adrian Kempe projects to 2.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Darnell Nurse's 1.83.
Kempe had 73 points in 81 games; Nurse had 24 in 82 games.
This week Kempe has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Nurse has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Nurse for 2.1 ESPN points to Kempe's 1.6.
Adrian Kempe has the better number in 26 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Kempe's biggest edges: Plus/minus +14, On-ice PDO 1027, Luck Meter +71.
Nurse's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 0, High-danger chances 50.7%, Blocked shots 167.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Adrian Kempe
2.01
fantasy points per game
Darnell Nurse
1.83
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Adrian Kempe has the edge.
| Points per game from | Kempe | Nurse |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.83 | 0.16 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.43 | 0.19 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.07 | 0.00 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.28 | 0.19 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.16 | 0.17 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.23 | 1.11 |
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 custom weights are saved in this browser only.
Head-to-head: Kempe vs Nurse
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Kempe 23G 24A, 198 SOG · Nurse 5G 12A, 106 SOG
Kempe blocked 6 of Nurse's shots; Nurse blocked 19 of Kempe's.
On the ice against each other (Kempe's side)
23:33 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Kempe's side
- Shot attempts
- 36–15
- 70.6%
- Expected goals
- 0.9–0.4
- 70.4%
- Goals
- 0–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Kempe | Nurse |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-11 | LAK 1–0 EDM | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2026-02-26 | LAK 1–8 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2026-01-10 | LAK 4–3 EDM | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-05-01 · PO | LAK 4–6 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 1A 4S |
| 2025-04-29 · PO | LAK 1–3 EDM | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-04-27 · PO | LAK 3–4 EDM | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-04-25 · PO | LAK 4–7 EDM | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-04-23 · PO | LAK 6–2 EDM | 2G 2A 8S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-04-21 · PO | LAK 6–5 EDM | 1G 2A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-04-14 | LAK 5–0 EDM | 1G 2A 6S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-04-05 | LAK 3–0 EDM | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-01-13 | LAK 0–1 EDM | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 1A 3S |
Latest 12 of 54 meetings.
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
Sep 28 to Oct 4. 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 use ESPN default points for the games left.
Adrian Kempe
2games (1 left)
1.6proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ COLOpp allows 8th-most FP to RWLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ SJS1.6 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to RWSchedule edge −3.2 win%Likely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)
Darnell Nurse
2games (1 left)
2.1proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs FLAOpp allows 13th-most FP to DLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs LAK2.1 ptsOpp allows 3rd-most FP to DSchedule edge +3.3 win%Likely vs Anton Forsberg (.910)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Adrian Kempe or Darnell Nurse in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Adrian Kempe projects to 2.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Darnell Nurse's 1.83. Kempe had 73 points in 81 games; Nurse had 24 in 82 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, Adrian Kempe or Darnell Nurse?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Adrian Kempe leads in 26 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Kempe and Nurse done against each other?
- In 54 games against each other in our data, Kempe's team went 22–32. Kempe had 47 points (23 goals) and Nurse had 17 (5 goals).
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 →