Who to start · 2025-26
Casey Cizikas vs Jesper Boqvist
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jesper Boqvist projects to 0.98 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Casey Cizikas's 0.87.
Cizikas had 18 points in 81 games; Boqvist had 13 in 73 games.
This week Cizikas has 2 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Boqvist has 2 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Boqvist for 2.2 to Cizikas's 1.6 over the games left.
Casey Cizikas has the better number in 22 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Cizikas's biggest edges: Forecheck xG /60 0.46, Faceoff win % 54.7%, Draw Equity /100 +0.043.
Boqvist's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 +0.69, Offensive-zone start % 56.6%, Offensive-zone time 40.5%.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Jesper Boqvist rates ahead, -1.7 to -2.0 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Cizikas is cooling, ixG/60 0.04 (was 0.93); Boqvist is steady, On-ice xGF/60 3.39 (was 1.82).
- • Cizikas, 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 7 SOG.
- • Boqvist, 2026-27 so far: 7 GP, 3 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 13 SOG.
New York Islanders · New Jersey Devils · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Casey Cizikas
-2.0
category z-score total
Jesper Boqvist
-1.7
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Jesper Boqvist has the edge (Cizikas wins 2, Boqvist wins 4 of 6 categories).
| Category | Cizikas | Boqvist |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.12 | 0.17 |
| Assists / game | 0.10 | 0.13 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.14 | -0.01 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.00 | 0.05 |
| Shots on goal / game | 0.91 | 1.19 |
| Hits / game | 1.68 | 1.54 |
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 scoring choice is shared with Who Should I Start: saved on this device, and on your account when you are signed in.
Head-to-head: Cizikas vs Boqvist
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.
Cizikas 3G 2A, 28 SOG · Boqvist 1G 0A, 17 SOG
Cizikas's offensive zone 1–0 · neutral 2–3 · Cizikas's defensive zone 2–1 (2021-22 to 2025-26)
Cizikas blocked 0 of Boqvist's shots; Boqvist blocked 1 of Cizikas's.
On the ice against each other (Cizikas's side)
12:15 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Cizikas's side
- Shot attempts
- 13–10
- 56.5%
- Expected goals
- 0.3–0.3
- 53.7%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Cizikas | Boqvist |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-28 | NYI 5–2 FLA | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-03-01 | NYI 5–4 FLA | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-12-07 | NYI 1–4 FLA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-03-16 | NYI 4–2 FLA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-02-02 | NYI 3–6 FLA | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-10-26 | NYI 3–6 FLA | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-03-02 | NYI 5–1 BOS | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-12-15 | NYI 4–5 BOS | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2022-12-09 | NYI 6–4 NJD | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-04-03 | NYI 4–3 NJD | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2022-01-13 | NYI 3–2 NJD | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2021-12-11 | NYI 4–2 NJD | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
Latest 12 of 18 meetings.
Faceoffs: Cizikas vs Boqvist
Model: Casey Cizikas wins 61.9% of draws against Jesper Boqvist on average (L shot vs L shot). Same-handed, so the dot decides who is on his strong side; the gap between the left and right dots is the real matchup.
| Cizikas at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 69% | 54% | 70% | 55% | 62% | 70% | 55% | 71% | 57% |
| Road | 67% | 53% | 68% | 54% | 62% | 68% | 54% | 70% | 55% |
Head-to-head 2023-24 to 2025-26: Cizikas 3–2 (60.0%). Blended with the model: 61.9%. The record is normal luck for this matchup (z -0.1); pair-specific edges are about ±2 points, so the model carries most of the weight.
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, Luck & trend, NHL EDGE tracking continue below
Every stat, side by side (continued)
Transition, turnovers & faceoffs
Usage
Special teams & discipline
This week's schedule
Oct 19 to Oct 25. 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 cover the games left: Edgehalla's rest-of-season rates per game, adjusted for each opponent's scoring allowed, in ESPN default points.
Scored in ESPN default points (G 2, A 1, PPP 0.5, SHP 0.5, SOG 0.1, HIT 0.1, BLK 0.5). Use your league's scoring
Casey Cizikas
3games (2 left)
1.6proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs ANA
- Thu, Oct 22 vs LAK0.9 pts
- Sun, Oct 25 @ DAL0.7 ptsOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jake Oettinger (.899)
Jesper Boqvist
3games (2 left)
2.2proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs COL
- Thu, Oct 22 vs ANA1.1 ptsOpp allows 11th-most FP to Cvs Ville Husso (.884)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs LAK1.1 ptsOpp allows 2nd-most FP to CLikely vs Darcy Kuemper (.891)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Casey Cizikas or Jesper Boqvist in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jesper Boqvist projects to 0.98 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Casey Cizikas's 0.87. Cizikas had 18 points in 81 games; Boqvist had 13 in 73 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, Casey Cizikas or Jesper Boqvist?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Casey Cizikas leads in 22 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Cizikas and Boqvist done against each other?
- In 18 games against each other in our data, Cizikas's team went 11–7. Cizikas had 5 points (3 goals) and Boqvist had 1 (1 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Cizikas or Boqvist?
- Against each other, Cizikas has won 5 and Boqvist 4 of their 9 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 →