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Who to start · 2025-26

Cale Makar vs Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Cale MakarCale MakarAvalanche · DefencevsRyan Nugent-HopkinsRyan Nugent-HopkinsOilers · Centre

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Cale Makar projects to 2.70 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins's 1.70.

Makar had 79 points in 75 games; Nugent-Hopkins had 56 in 72 games.

This week Makar has 1 game left; Nugent-Hopkins has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Makar for 2.5 ESPN points to Nugent-Hopkins's 1.1.

Cale Makar has the better number in 24 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.

Makar's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 −0.021, Plus/minus +32, On-ice PDO 1036.

Nugent-Hopkins's biggest edges: Goals above expected +2.1, High-danger chances 54.8%, Shorthanded points 1.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 1 PPP, 1 SOG.

Fantasy value: your scoring

Cale Makar

2.61

fantasy points per game

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

1.70

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Cale Makar has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromMakarNugent-Hopkins
Goals (+2)0.530.56
Assists (+1)0.790.50
Power-play points (+0.5)0.190.20
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.000.01
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.270.18
Hits (+0.1)0.050.03
Blocks (+0.5)0.790.22

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: Makar vs Nugent-Hopkins

Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2019-20 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.

MakarNugent-Hopkins
9Team record in 15 meetings6
19Points in those games12

Makar 7G 12A, 48 SOG · Nugent-Hopkins 7G 5A, 33 SOG

0Hits on each other1
4Shots blocked by the other4

Makar blocked 4 of Nugent-Hopkins's shots; Nugent-Hopkins blocked 4 of Makar's.

On the ice against each other (Makar's side)

7:25 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Makar's side

Shot attempts
7–3
70.0%
Expected goals
0.3–0.1
75.5%
Goals
1–1

Games against each other

Games between Cale Makar and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
DateScoreMakarNugent-Hopkins
2026-03-10COL 3–4 EDM0G 0A 2S2G 0A 2S
2025-11-08COL 9–1 EDM2G 0A 4S0G 0A 0S
2025-02-07COL 5–4 EDM2G 1A 6S0G 2A 0S
2025-01-16COL 3–4 EDM0G 0A 4S0G 0A 1S
2024-11-30COL 1–4 EDM0G 0A 5S1G 1A 4S
2024-04-05COL 2–6 EDM0G 1A 0S0G 0A 3S
2024-03-16COL 3–2 EDM0G 1A 3S0G 0A 3S
2023-01-07COL 3–2 EDM1G 1A 2S0G 0A 2S
2022-06-06 · POCOL 6–5 EDM1G 4A 4S1G 0A 3S
2022-06-04 · POCOL 4–2 EDM0G 0A 4S0G 0A 1S
2022-06-02 · POCOL 4–0 EDM0G 1A 2S0G 0A 0S
2022-05-31 · POCOL 8–6 EDM1G 2A 2S1G 1A 3S

Latest 12 of 15 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.

MakarNugent-Hopkins

Fantasy box score

Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)

Transition, turnovers & faceoffs

Usage

Special teams & discipline

Luck & trend

NHL EDGE tracking

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.

Cale Makar

2games (1 left)

2.5proj. ESPN pts

  • Wed, Sep 30 vs LAK
    Opp allows 3rd-most FP to DLikely vs Darcy Kuemper (.891)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs STL2.5 pts
    Schedule edge +10.1 win%vs Jordan Binnington (.873)

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

3games (1 left)

1.1proj. ESPN pts

  • Tue, Sep 29 vs VAN
    Opp allows 4th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
  • Thu, Oct 1 @ VAN
    Opp allows 4th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA1.1 pts
    Opp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Joey Daccord (.897)

Similar matchups

FAQ

Should I start Cale Makar or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Cale Makar projects to 2.70 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins's 1.70. Makar had 79 points in 75 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, Cale Makar or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins?
On 2025-26 numbers, Cale Makar leads in 24 of 33 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have Makar and Nugent-Hopkins done against each other?
In 15 games against each other in our data, Makar's team went 9–6. Makar had 19 points (7 goals) and Nugent-Hopkins had 12 (7 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 →