Who to start · 2025-26
Alex Laferriere vs Valeri Nichushkin
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Alex Laferriere projects to 1.87 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Valeri Nichushkin's 1.41.
Laferriere had 44 points in 82 games; Nichushkin had 49 in 72 games.
This week Laferriere has 2 games left with 1 soft matchup; Nichushkin has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Laferriere for 3.7 to Nichushkin's 1.3 over the games left.
Valeri Nichushkin has the better number in 18 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Laferriere's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 198, Hits 255, Blocked shots 49.
Nichushkin's biggest edges: Forecheck xG /60 0.49, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.024, Sequence xG 59.6%.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Alex Laferriere rates ahead, +3.7 to +0.8 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Laferriere is steady, ixG/60 0.80 (was 1.35); Nichushkin is steady, −1:46 5v5 TOI.
- • 2026-27 so far: 7 GP, 2 G, 4 A, 0 PPP, 14 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 8 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 1 PPP, 10 SOG.
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Fantasy value: your scoring
Alex Laferriere
+3.7
category z-score total
Valeri Nichushkin
+0.8
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Alex Laferriere has the edge (Laferriere wins 4, Nichushkin wins 2 of 6 categories).
| Category | Laferriere | Nichushkin |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.27 | 0.20 |
| Assists / game | 0.37 | 0.42 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.02 | -0.01 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.03 | 0.08 |
| Shots on goal / game | 2.37 | 1.88 |
| Hits / game | 3.17 | 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 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: Laferriere vs Nichushkin
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2023-24 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Laferriere 1G 6A, 30 SOG · Nichushkin 1G 2A, 15 SOG
Laferriere blocked 0 of Nichushkin's shots; Nichushkin blocked 1 of Laferriere's.
On the ice against each other (Laferriere's side)
27:15 at 5-on-5 over 7 games, 2025-26, from Laferriere's side
- Shot attempts
- 35–27
- 56.5%
- Expected goals
- 0.7–0.8
- 47.2%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Laferriere | Nichushkin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-26 · PO | LAK 1–5 COL | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2026-04-23 · PO | LAK 2–4 COL | 0G 2A 6S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-04-21 · PO | LAK 1–2 COL | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-04-19 · PO | LAK 1–2 COL | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-03-02 | LAK 2–4 COL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-12-29 | LAK 2–5 COL | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-10-07 | LAK 1–4 COL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-04-12 | LAK 5–4 COL | 1G 2A 5S | 1G 1A 1S |
| 2025-03-27 | LAK 0–4 COL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-12-03 | LAK 4–1 COL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-10-11 | LAK 2–5 COL | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
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
Alex Laferriere
3games (2 left)
3.7proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 @ WSHOpp allows 6th-most FP to RWLikely vs Logan Thompson (.912)
- Thu, Oct 22 @ NYI1.8 ptsOpp allows 15th-most FP to RWLikely vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
- Sat, Oct 24 @ NJD1.9 ptsOpp allows 9th-most FP to RWLikely vs Jake Allen (.904)
Valeri Nichushkin
2games (1 left)
1.3proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs TOR
- Sat, Oct 24 vs VGK1.3 ptsOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Carter Hart (.891)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Alex Laferriere or Valeri Nichushkin in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Alex Laferriere projects to 1.87 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Valeri Nichushkin's 1.41. Laferriere had 44 points in 82 games; Nichushkin had 49 in 72 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, Alex Laferriere or Valeri Nichushkin?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Valeri Nichushkin leads in 18 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Laferriere and Nichushkin done against each other?
- In 11 games against each other in our data, Laferriere's team went 2–9. Laferriere had 7 points (1 goals) and Nichushkin had 3 (1 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 →