Who to start · 2025-26
Brock Nelson vs Mika Zibanejad
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mika Zibanejad projects to 2.27 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brock Nelson's 2.23.
Nelson had 65 points in 81 games; Zibanejad had 78 in 81 games.
This week Nelson has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Zibanejad has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Zibanejad for 1.4 ESPN points to Nelson's 1.3.
They split the 36 stats both are ranked on 18–18.
Nelson's biggest edges: Plus/minus +15, Fenwick 57.3%, Expected goals 60.0%.
Zibanejad's biggest edges: Luck Meter +47, Hardest shot 96.4, Hits 105.
Head to head on the dot, Zibanejad leads Nelson 105–91.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 PPP, 1 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 3 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Brock Nelson
2.23
fantasy points per game
Mika Zibanejad
2.27
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Mika Zibanejad has the edge.
| Points per game from | Nelson | Zibanejad |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.89 | 0.81 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.50 | 0.51 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.20 | 0.21 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.22 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.14 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.38 | 0.34 |
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 Zibanejad
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.
Nelson 15G 14A, 78 SOG · Zibanejad 6G 21A, 117 SOG
Nelson's offensive zone 32–48 · neutral 35–33 · Nelson's defensive zone 24–24 (2017-18 to 2025-26)
Nelson blocked 6 of Zibanejad's shots; Zibanejad blocked 1 of Nelson's.
On the ice against each other (Nelson's side)
14:26 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Nelson's side
- Shot attempts
- 22–12
- 64.7%
- Expected goals
- 1.7–0.2
- 88.1%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Nelson | Zibanejad |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-06 | COL 3–2 NYR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-11-20 | COL 6–3 NYR | 1G 1A 4S | 0G 2A 0S |
| 2025-03-03 | NYI 0–4 NYR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2025-02-25 | NYI 1–5 NYR | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2024-11-03 | NYI 2–5 NYR | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 3A 3S |
| 2024-04-13 | NYI 2–3 NYR | 2G 0A 7S | 0G 1A 8S |
| 2024-04-09 | NYI 4–2 NYR | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2024-03-17 | NYI 2–5 NYR | 0G 2A 1S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2024-02-18 | NYI 5–6 NYR | 1G 1A 3S | 1G 0A 6S |
| 2022-12-22 | NYI 3–5 NYR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2022-11-08 | NYI 4–3 NYR | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2022-10-26 | NYI 3–0 NYR | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 4S |
Latest 12 of 35 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)
1.3proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 vs LAKOpp allows the most FP to CLikely vs Darcy Kuemper (.891)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs STL1.3 ptsOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +13.4 win%vs Jordan Binnington (.873)
Mika Zibanejad
4games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ BOSOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)
- Thu, Oct 1 vs TBLOpp allows 11th-most FP to CLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Fri, Oct 2 @ DETB2BOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs John Gibson (.901)
- Sun, Oct 4 vs UTA1.4 ptsOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Brock Nelson or Mika Zibanejad in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mika Zibanejad projects to 2.27 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brock Nelson's 2.23. Nelson had 65 points in 81 games; Zibanejad had 78 in 81 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 Mika Zibanejad?
- On 2025-26 numbers they split 18–18 across 36 stats where both qualify.
- How have Nelson and Zibanejad done against each other?
- In 35 games against each other in our data, Nelson's team went 20–15. Nelson had 29 points (15 goals) and Zibanejad had 27 (6 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Nelson or Zibanejad?
- Against each other, Nelson has won 91 and Zibanejad 105 of their 196 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 →