Who to start · 2025-26
Brock Nelson vs Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Brock Nelson projects to 2.23 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins's 1.70.
Nelson had 65 points in 81 games; Nugent-Hopkins had 56 in 72 games.
This week Nelson has 1 game left; Nugent-Hopkins has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Nelson for 1.6 ESPN points to Nugent-Hopkins's 1.1.
Brock Nelson has the better number in 23 of the 35 stats both are ranked on.
Nelson's biggest edges: Plus/minus +15, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.000, Fenwick 57.3%.
Nugent-Hopkins's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 1.26, Goals above expected +2.1, Offensive-zone start % 60.5%.
Head to head on the dot, Nelson leads Nugent-Hopkins 14–7.
- • 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
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
1.70
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Brock Nelson has the edge.
| Points per game from | Nelson | Nugent-Hopkins |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.81 | 0.56 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.40 | 0.50 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.11 | 0.20 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.23 | 0.18 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.05 | 0.03 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.40 | 0.22 |
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 Nugent-Hopkins
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 2G 5A, 33 SOG · Nugent-Hopkins 3G 4A, 33 SOG
Nelson's offensive zone 6–3 · neutral 4–2 · Nelson's defensive zone 4–2 (2017-18 to 2025-26)
On the ice against each other (Nelson's side)
10:16 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Nelson's side
- Shot attempts
- 11–6
- 64.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.4–0.2
- 67.2%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Nelson | Nugent-Hopkins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-13 | COL 2–1 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-03-10 | COL 3–4 EDM | 0G 1A 3S | 2G 0A 2S |
| 2025-11-08 | COL 9–1 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-11-12 | NYI 3–4 EDM | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2023-12-19 | NYI 3–1 EDM | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-11-13 | NYI 1–4 EDM | 0G 0A 10S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-01-05 | NYI 2–4 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 2A 0S |
| 2022-11-23 | NYI 3–0 EDM | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2022-02-11 | NYI 1–3 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2019-10-08 | NYI 2–5 EDM | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2019-02-21 | NYI 3–4 EDM | 1G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 5S |
| 2019-02-16 | NYI 5–2 EDM | 1G 0A 4S | 1G 0A 7S |
Latest 12 of 14 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 C
- Sat, Oct 3 vs STL1.6 ptsSchedule edge +9.3 win%
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
3games (1 left)
1.1proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs VANOpp allows 4th-most FP to C
- Thu, Oct 1 @ VANOpp allows 4th-most FP to C
- Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA1.1 ptsOpp allows 6th-fewest FP to C
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Brock Nelson or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins 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 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins's 1.70. Nelson had 65 points in 81 games; Nugent-Hopkins had 56 in 72 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 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Brock Nelson leads in 23 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 Nugent-Hopkins done against each other?
- In 14 games against each other in our data, Nelson's team went 5–9. Nelson had 7 points (2 goals) and Nugent-Hopkins had 7 (3 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Nelson or Nugent-Hopkins?
- Against each other, Nelson has won 14 and Nugent-Hopkins 7 of their 21 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 →