Who to start · 2025-26
Brandon Hagel vs William Nylander
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, William Nylander projects to 2.36 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brandon Hagel's 2.15.
Hagel had 74 points in 71 games; Nylander had 79 in 65 games.
This week Hagel has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Nylander has 1 left. We project Nylander for 2.1 ESPN points to Hagel's 1.8.
Brandon Hagel has the better number in 22 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Hagel's biggest edges: Plus/minus +34, Ascension score 58, Expected goals 59.8%.
Nylander's biggest edges: Goals above expected +5.0, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.036, Luck Meter +74.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Brandon Hagel
2.15
fantasy points per game
William Nylander
2.36
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, William Nylander has the edge.
| Points per game from | Hagel | Nylander |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.95 | 1.05 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.50 | 0.67 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.07 | 0.14 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.30 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.06 | 0.02 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.25 | 0.24 |
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: Hagel vs Nylander
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.
Hagel 5G 19A, 56 SOG · Nylander 15G 21A, 114 SOG
Hagel's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 0–0 · Hagel's defensive zone 1–0 (2021-22)
Hagel blocked 1 of Nylander's shots; Nylander blocked 1 of Hagel's.
On the ice against each other (Hagel's side)
11:24 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Hagel's side
- Shot attempts
- 19–9
- 67.9%
- Expected goals
- 1.1–0.4
- 73.1%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Hagel | Nylander |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-07 | TBL 5–2 TOR | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2026-02-25 | TBL 4–2 TOR | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 2A 4S |
| 2025-12-08 | TBL 0–2 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-04-09 | TBL 3–4 TOR | 0G 2A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-01-20 | TBL 3–5 TOR | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-11-30 | TBL 3–5 TOR | 0G 2A 6S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2024-10-21 | TBL 2–5 TOR | 0G 0A 5S | 2G 1A 5S |
| 2024-04-17 | TBL 6–4 TOR | 1G 1A 1S | 0G 1A 5S |
| 2024-04-03 | TBL 4–1 TOR | 0G 2A 1S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2023-11-06 | TBL 5–6 TOR | 1G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2023-10-21 | TBL 3–4 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 1A 6S |
| 2023-04-29 · PO | TBL 1–2 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
Latest 12 of 30 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.
Brandon Hagel
2games (1 left)
1.8proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 @ NYROpp allows 7th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs WSH1.8 ptsOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge +13.4 win%vs Charlie Lindgren (.879)
William Nylander
3games (1 left)
2.1proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs MTLOpp allows 12th-most FP to RWLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
- Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2BOpp allows 14th-most FP to RWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT2.1 ptsLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Brandon Hagel or William Nylander in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, William Nylander projects to 2.36 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brandon Hagel's 2.15. Hagel had 74 points in 71 games; Nylander had 79 in 65 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, Brandon Hagel or William Nylander?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Brandon Hagel leads in 22 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Hagel and Nylander done against each other?
- In 30 games against each other in our data, Hagel's team went 12–18. Hagel had 24 points (5 goals) and Nylander had 36 (15 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Hagel or Nylander?
- Against each other, Hagel has won 1 and Nylander 0 of their 1 head-to-head draws.
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 →