Who to start · 2025-26
Aliaksei Protas vs Darnell Nurse
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Darnell Nurse projects to 1.83 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Aliaksei Protas's 1.58.
Protas had 52 points in 76 games; Nurse had 24 in 82 games.
This week Protas has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Nurse has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Nurse for 2.1 ESPN points to Protas's 1.8.
Aliaksei Protas has the better number in 24 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Protas's biggest edges: Plus/minus +20, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.30, Forecheck xG /60 0.43.
Nurse's biggest edges: Hits 137, Penalty minutes 104, Faceoffs won 0.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 2 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Aliaksei Protas
1.58
fantasy points per game
Darnell Nurse
1.83
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Darnell Nurse has the edge.
| Points per game from | Protas | Nurse |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.62 | 0.16 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.40 | 0.19 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.02 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.21 | 0.19 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.17 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.29 | 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: Protas vs Nurse
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2021-22 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Protas 2G 5A, 16 SOG · Nurse 2G 2A, 19 SOG
On the ice against each other (Protas's side)
12:41 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Protas's side
- Shot attempts
- 13–15
- 46.4%
- Expected goals
- 0.5–1.1
- 30.3%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Protas | Nurse |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | WSH 5–6 EDM | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-11-19 | WSH 7–4 EDM | 1G 0A 3S | 2G 0A 4S |
| 2025-02-23 | WSH 7–3 EDM | 0G 3A 4S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2025-01-21 | WSH 3–2 EDM | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2023-11-24 | WSH 0–5 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-12-05 | WSH 3–2 EDM | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2022-11-07 | WSH 5–4 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2022-02-02 | WSH 3–5 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 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.
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.
Aliaksei Protas
2games (1 left)
1.8proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 @ CAROpp allows 9th-most FP to LWLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.895)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TBLB2B1.8 ptsOpp allows 6th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −13.3 win%vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
Darnell Nurse
2games (1 left)
2.1proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs FLAOpp allows 15th-fewest 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 Aliaksei Protas or Darnell Nurse in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Darnell Nurse projects to 1.83 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Aliaksei Protas's 1.58. Protas had 52 points in 76 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, Aliaksei Protas or Darnell Nurse?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Aliaksei Protas leads in 24 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Protas and Nurse done against each other?
- In 8 games against each other in our data, Protas's team went 5–3. Protas had 7 points (2 goals) and Nurse had 4 (2 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 →