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Who to start · 2025-26

Alex Ovechkin vs Jack Hughes

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jack Hughes projects to 2.55 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Alex Ovechkin's 1.84.

Ovechkin had 64 points in 82 games; Hughes had 77 in 61 games.

This week Ovechkin has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Hughes has 1 left. We project Hughes for 2.3 ESPN points to Ovechkin's 1.9.

Jack Hughes has the better number in 25 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.

Ovechkin's biggest edges: Hits 134, On-ice PDO 1030, Hardest shot 97.3.

Hughes's biggest edges: 20+ mph bursts 128, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.55, Faceoffs won 145.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
  • • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.

Fantasy value: your scoring

Alex Ovechkin

1.84

fantasy points per game

Jack Hughes

2.55

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Jack Hughes has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromOvechkinHughes
Goals (+2)0.730.95
Assists (+1)0.430.77
Power-play points (+0.5)0.110.18
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.000.02
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.290.38
Hits (+0.1)0.160.01
Blocks (+0.5)0.120.25

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: Ovechkin vs Hughes

Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2019-20 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.

OvechkinHughes
17Team record in 25 meetings8
29Points in those games22

Ovechkin 18G 11A, 95 SOG · Hughes 7G 15A, 74 SOG

2Hits on each other0
0Shots blocked by the other1

Ovechkin blocked 0 of Hughes's shots; Hughes blocked 1 of Ovechkin's.

On the ice against each other (Ovechkin's side)

7:49 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Ovechkin's side

Shot attempts
13–4
76.5%
Expected goals
1.1–0.3
79.5%
Goals
1–0

Games against each other

Games between Alex Ovechkin and Jack Hughes
DateScoreOvechkinHughes
2026-04-02WSH 3–7 NJD0G 0A 4S2G 3A 5S
2026-03-20WSH 2–1 NJD0G 0A 4S0G 1A 4S
2025-12-27WSH 4–3 NJD1G 1A 3S0G 0A 3S
2024-10-19WSH 6–5 NJD1G 0A 5S0G 0A 3S
2024-10-12WSH 3–5 NJD0G 1A 0S0G 0A 2S
2024-02-20WSH 6–2 NJD2G 1A 5S0G 0A 7S
2024-01-03WSH 3–6 NJD0G 2A 3S0G 1A 1S
2023-10-25WSH 6–4 NJD1G 1A 4S0G 3A 4S
2023-04-13WSH 4–5 NJD0G 1A 4S0G 2A 5S
2023-03-09WSH 2–3 NJD0G 0A 2S0G 0A 5S
2022-11-26WSH 1–5 NJD0G 0A 8S3G 0A 4S
2022-10-24WSH 6–3 NJD1G 0A 5S0G 0A 5S

Latest 12 of 25 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.

OvechkinHughes

Fantasy box score

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.

Alex Ovechkin

2games (1 left)

1.9proj. ESPN pts

  • Fri, Oct 2 @ CAR
    Opp allows 9th-most FP to LWLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.895)
  • Sat, Oct 3 @ TBLB2B1.9 pts
    Opp allows 6th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −13.3 win%vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)

Jack Hughes

2games (1 left)

2.3proj. ESPN pts

  • Thu, Oct 1 vs PHI
    Opp allows 7th-most FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
  • Sat, Oct 3 @ NYI2.3 pts
    Opp allows 15th-most FP to CSchedule edge −4.0 win%vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)

FAQ

Should I start Alex Ovechkin or Jack Hughes in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jack Hughes projects to 2.55 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Alex Ovechkin's 1.84. Ovechkin had 64 points in 82 games; Hughes had 77 in 61 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 Ovechkin or Jack Hughes?
On 2025-26 numbers, Jack Hughes leads in 25 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have Ovechkin and Hughes done against each other?
In 25 games against each other in our data, Ovechkin's team went 17–8. Ovechkin had 29 points (18 goals) and Hughes had 22 (7 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 →