Who to start · 2025-26
Brock Nelson vs William Nylander
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, William Nylander projects to 2.36 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brock Nelson's 2.23.
Nelson had 65 points in 81 games; Nylander had 79 in 65 games.
This week Nelson has 1 game left; Nylander has 1 left. We project Nylander for 2.1 ESPN points to Nelson's 1.6.
Brock Nelson has the better number in 21 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Nelson's biggest edges: Plus/minus +15, Expected goals 60.0%, Sequence xG 59.8%.
Nylander's biggest edges: Luck Meter +74, Transition attempts /60 1.67, Hardest shot 92.6.
Head to head on the dot, Nylander leads Nelson 6–5.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 3 PPP, 1 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Brock Nelson
2.23
fantasy points per game
William Nylander
2.36
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, William Nylander has the edge.
| Points per game from | Nelson | Nylander |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.89 | 1.05 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.50 | 0.67 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.20 | 0.14 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.22 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.02 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.38 | 0.24 |
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 Nylander
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 4G 10A, 42 SOG · Nylander 7G 15A, 76 SOG
Nelson's offensive zone 1–2 · neutral 2–0 · Nelson's defensive zone 2–4 (2017-18 to 2025-26)
On the ice against each other (Nelson's side)
7:38 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Nelson's side
- Shot attempts
- 11–6
- 64.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.3–0.3
- 57.6%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Nelson | Nylander |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-12 | COL 3–4 TOR | 1G 0A 4S | 1G 1A 4S |
| 2025-03-19 | COL 1–2 TOR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-03-08 | COL 7–4 TOR | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2025-01-02 | NYI 1–2 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-12-31 | NYI 1–3 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 2A 4S |
| 2024-12-21 | NYI 6–3 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 2G 0A 7S |
| 2024-02-05 | NYI 3–2 TOR | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 1A 6S |
| 2024-01-11 | NYI 4–3 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2023-12-11 | NYI 4–3 TOR | 1G 1A 4S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2023-03-21 | NYI 7–2 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-01-23 | NYI 2–5 TOR | 0G 1A 2S | 2G 2A 4S |
| 2022-11-21 | NYI 3–2 TOR | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
Latest 12 of 23 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 LAK
- Sat, Oct 3 vs STL1.6 ptsSchedule edge +9.3 win%
William Nylander
3games (1 left)
2.1proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs MTL
- Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2BSchedule edge −9.3 win%
- Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT2.1 pts
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Brock Nelson or William Nylander in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, William Nylander projects to 2.36 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brock Nelson's 2.23. Nelson had 65 points in 81 games; Nylander had 79 in 65 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 William Nylander?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Brock Nelson leads in 21 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 Nylander done against each other?
- In 23 games against each other in our data, Nelson's team went 10–13. Nelson had 14 points (4 goals) and Nylander had 22 (7 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Nelson or Nylander?
- Against each other, Nelson has won 5 and Nylander 6 of their 11 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 →