Who to start · 2025-26
Brock Nelson vs Dylan Cozens
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Brock Nelson projects to 2.23 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Dylan Cozens's 1.90.
Nelson had 65 points in 81 games; Cozens had 59 in 82 games.
This week Nelson has 1 game left; Cozens has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Nelson for 1.6 ESPN points to Cozens's 1.4.
Brock Nelson has the better number in 18 of the 35 stats both are ranked on.
Nelson's biggest edges: Plus/minus +15, Blocked shots 65, On-ice PDO 1010.
Cozens's biggest edges: Hits 215, Transition attempts /60 1.42, Top skating speed 23.7.
Head to head on the dot, Nelson leads Cozens 24–21.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 PPP, 1 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Brock Nelson
2.00
fantasy points per game
Dylan Cozens
1.90
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Brock Nelson has the edge.
| Points per game from | Nelson | Cozens |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.81 | 0.68 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.40 | 0.38 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.11 | 0.18 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.23 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.05 | 0.26 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.40 | 0.15 |
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: Nelson vs Cozens
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2020-21 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Nelson 9G 5A, 46 SOG · Cozens 6G 6A, 55 SOG
Nelson's offensive zone 7–9 · neutral 6–5 · Nelson's defensive zone 11–7 (2020-21 to 2025-26)
Nelson blocked 1 of Cozens's shots; Cozens blocked 0 of Nelson's.
On the ice against each other (Nelson's side)
12:43 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Nelson's side
- Shot attempts
- 10–15
- 40.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.3–0.7
- 33.1%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Nelson | Cozens |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-28 | COL 2–5 OTT | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-01-08 | COL 8–2 OTT | 2G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-03-20 | COL 5–1 OTT | 2G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2024-12-23 | NYI 1–7 BUF | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2024-11-30 | NYI 3–0 BUF | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-11-01 | NYI 4–3 BUF | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2024-03-14 | NYI 0–4 BUF | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2023-10-21 | NYI 1–3 BUF | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 6S |
| 2023-10-14 | NYI 3–2 BUF | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-03-25 | NYI 0–2 BUF | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 6S |
| 2023-03-07 | NYI 3–2 BUF | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2023-01-19 | NYI 2–3 BUF | 1G 0A 4S | 1G 0A 2S |
Latest 12 of 20 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.
Brock Nelson
2games (1 left)
1.6proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 vs LAKOpp allows the most FP to CLikely vs Darcy Kuemper (.891)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs STL1.6 ptsSchedule edge +10.1 win%vs Jordan Binnington (.873)
Dylan Cozens
1games
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TOR1.4 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Brock Nelson or Dylan Cozens in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Brock Nelson projects to 2.23 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Dylan Cozens's 1.90. Nelson had 65 points in 81 games; Cozens had 59 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, Brock Nelson or Dylan Cozens?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Brock Nelson leads in 18 of 35 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Nelson and Cozens done against each other?
- In 20 games against each other in our data, Nelson's team went 10–10. Nelson had 14 points (9 goals) and Cozens had 12 (6 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Nelson or Cozens?
- Against each other, Nelson has won 24 and Cozens 21 of their 45 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 →