Who to start · 2025-26
Brock Nelson vs Nikolaj Ehlers
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Brock Nelson projects to 2.23 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Nikolaj Ehlers's 1.65.
Nelson had 65 points in 81 games; Ehlers had 71 in 82 games.
This week Nelson has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Ehlers has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Ehlers for 1.8 ESPN points to Nelson's 1.3.
Nikolaj Ehlers has the better number in 19 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Nelson's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 735, Blocked shots 65, Penalty minutes 36.
Ehlers's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 1.78, Hardest shot 93.6, Offensive-zone start % 67.3%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 PPP, 1 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Brock Nelson
2.23
fantasy points per game
Nikolaj Ehlers
1.65
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Brock Nelson has the edge.
| Points per game from | Nelson | Ehlers |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.89 | 0.56 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.50 | 0.48 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.20 | 0.15 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.22 | 0.26 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.03 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.38 | 0.16 |
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 Ehlers
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 7G 5A, 47 SOG · Ehlers 6G 4A, 55 SOG
Nelson's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 0–0 · Nelson's defensive zone 1–2 (2024-25 to 2025-26)
Nelson blocked 0 of Ehlers's shots; Ehlers blocked 1 of Nelson's.
On the ice against each other (Nelson's side)
4:40 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Nelson's side
- Shot attempts
- 6–7
- 46.2%
- Expected goals
- 0.3–0.4
- 44.9%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Nelson | Ehlers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-03 | COL 5–3 CAR | 2G 0A 7S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2025-10-23 | COL 4–5 CAR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-03-04 | NYI 3–2 WPG | 1G 1A 1S | 1G 0A 7S |
| 2025-02-07 | NYI 3–4 WPG | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-03-23 | NYI 6–3 WPG | 0G 1A 5S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2024-01-16 | NYI 2–4 WPG | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-02-26 | NYI 4–0 WPG | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2023-02-22 | NYI 2–1 WPG | 0G 1A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2022-03-11 | NYI 5–2 WPG | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2021-11-06 | NYI 2–0 WPG | 1G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2019-10-17 | NYI 3–1 WPG | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2019-10-06 | NYI 4–1 WPG | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 4S |
Latest 12 of 16 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 +10.1 win%vs Jordan Binnington (.873)
Nikolaj Ehlers
3games (1 left)
1.8proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs FLAOpp allows 13th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Jacob Markstrom (.883)
- Fri, Oct 2 vs WSHOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Logan Thompson (.912)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ PHIB2B1.8 ptsOpp allows 4th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −8.7 win%vs Joseph Woll (.899)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Brock Nelson or Nikolaj Ehlers 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 Nikolaj Ehlers's 1.65. Nelson had 65 points in 81 games; Ehlers had 71 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 Nikolaj Ehlers?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nikolaj Ehlers leads in 19 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Nelson and Ehlers done against each other?
- In 16 games against each other in our data, Nelson's team went 11–5. Nelson had 12 points (7 goals) and Ehlers had 10 (6 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Nelson or Ehlers?
- Against each other, Nelson has won 1 and Ehlers 2 of their 3 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 →