Who to start · 2025-26
Brock Nelson vs Jake Sanderson
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jake Sanderson projects to 2.40 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brock Nelson's 2.23.
Nelson had 65 points in 81 games; Sanderson had 54 in 67 games.
This week Nelson has 1 game left; Sanderson has 1 left. We project Sanderson for 1.7 ESPN points to Nelson's 1.6.
Brock Nelson has the better number in 19 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.
Nelson's biggest edges: Penalty minutes 36, Forecheck xG /60 0.42, On-ice PDO 1010.
Sanderson's biggest edges: Luck Meter +55, Transition attempts /60 0.69, Hardest shot 99.7.
- • 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
Jake Sanderson
2.40
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Jake Sanderson has the edge.
| Points per game from | Nelson | Sanderson |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.81 | 0.42 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.40 | 0.60 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.11 | 0.16 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.23 | 0.22 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.05 | 0.04 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.40 | 0.96 |
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 Sanderson
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2022-23 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Nelson 6G 4A, 26 SOG · Sanderson 0G 6A, 16 SOG
Nelson blocked 0 of Sanderson's shots; Sanderson blocked 2 of Nelson's.
On the ice against each other (Nelson's side)
7:31 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Nelson's side
- Shot attempts
- 2–2
- 50.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.1
- 2.2%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Nelson | Sanderson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-28 | COL 2–5 OTT | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2026-01-08 | COL 8–2 OTT | 2G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-03-20 | COL 5–1 OTT | 2G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2025-01-14 | NYI 0–2 OTT | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-12-08 | NYI 4–2 OTT | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-11-07 | NYI 4–2 OTT | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2024-03-16 | NYI 3–4 OTT | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-11-24 | NYI 5–3 OTT | 0G 2A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-10-26 | NYI 3–2 OTT | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-01-25 | NYI 1–2 OTT | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2022-11-14 | NYI 4–2 OTT | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 0S |
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 +13.4 win%vs Jordan Binnington (.873)
Jake Sanderson
1games
1.7proj. ESPN pts
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TOR1.7 ptsOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Brock Nelson or Jake Sanderson in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jake Sanderson projects to 2.40 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brock Nelson's 2.23. Nelson had 65 points in 81 games; Sanderson had 54 in 67 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 Jake Sanderson?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Brock Nelson leads in 19 of 33 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Nelson and Sanderson done against each other?
- In 11 games against each other in our data, Nelson's team went 7–4. Nelson had 10 points (6 goals) and Sanderson had 6 (0 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 →