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Who to start · 2025-26

Alex Ovechkin vs Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Alex OvechkinAlex OvechkinCapitals · Left wingvsRyan Nugent-HopkinsRyan Nugent-HopkinsOilers · Centre

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Alex Ovechkin projects to 1.84 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins's 1.70.

Ovechkin had 64 points in 82 games; Nugent-Hopkins had 56 in 72 games.

This week Ovechkin has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Nugent-Hopkins has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Ovechkin for 1.9 ESPN points to Nugent-Hopkins's 1.1.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has the better number in 18 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.

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

Nugent-Hopkins's biggest edges: Goals above expected +2.1, Faceoffs won 172, Top skating speed 22.8.

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

Fantasy value: your scoring

Alex Ovechkin

1.85

fantasy points per game

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

1.70

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Alex Ovechkin has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromOvechkinNugent-Hopkins
Goals (+2)0.780.56
Assists (+1)0.390.50
Power-play points (+0.5)0.120.20
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.000.01
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.300.18
Hits (+0.1)0.160.03
Blocks (+0.5)0.100.22

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 Nugent-Hopkins

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.

OvechkinNugent-Hopkins
7Team record in 12 meetings5
12Points in those games16

Ovechkin 7G 5A, 53 SOG · Nugent-Hopkins 5G 11A, 29 SOG

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

1:23 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Ovechkin's side

Shot attempts
2–0
100.0%
Expected goals
0.0–0.0
100.0%
Goals
0–0

Games against each other

Games between Alex Ovechkin and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
DateScoreOvechkinNugent-Hopkins
2026-01-24WSH 5–6 EDM0G 0A 1S0G 1A 2S
2025-02-23WSH 7–3 EDM3G 0A 9S1G 1A 1S
2025-01-21WSH 3–2 EDM0G 0A 3S0G 0A 2S
2024-03-13WSH 2–7 EDM0G 1A 7S0G 2A 1S
2023-11-24WSH 0–5 EDM0G 0A 3S1G 2A 2S
2022-12-05WSH 3–2 EDM0G 0A 5S0G 1A 2S
2022-11-07WSH 5–4 EDM1G 1A 5S2G 0A 4S
2019-10-24WSH 3–4 EDM2G 0A 9S0G 0A 3S
2018-11-05WSH 4–2 EDM1G 0A 3S0G 2A 5S
2018-10-25WSH 1–4 EDM0G 0A 3S1G 1A 3S
2017-11-12WSH 2–1 EDM0G 0A 0S0G 0A 1S
2017-10-28WSH 5–2 EDM0G 3A 5S0G 1A 3S

Every stat, side by side

Season values; bars are percentiles at each player's position (longer is better). Click a stat for its explainer.

OvechkinNugent-Hopkins

Fantasy box score

Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)

Transition, turnovers & faceoffs

Usage

Special teams & discipline

Luck & trend

NHL EDGE tracking

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 12th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.895)
  • Sat, Oct 3 @ TBLB2B1.9 pts
    Opp allows 6th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −13.3 win%Likely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

3games (1 left)

1.1proj. ESPN pts

  • Tue, Sep 29 vs VAN
    Opp allows 4th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
  • Thu, Oct 1 @ VAN
    Opp allows 4th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA1.1 pts
    Opp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Joey Daccord (.897)

Similar matchups

FAQ

Should I start Alex Ovechkin or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Alex Ovechkin projects to 1.84 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins's 1.70. Ovechkin had 64 points in 82 games; Nugent-Hopkins had 56 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 Ovechkin or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins?
On 2025-26 numbers, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins leads in 18 of 33 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have Ovechkin and Nugent-Hopkins done against each other?
In 12 games against each other in our data, Ovechkin's team went 7–5. Ovechkin had 12 points (7 goals) and Nugent-Hopkins had 16 (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 →