Who to start · 2025-26
Casey Cizikas vs Nick Cousins
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nick Cousins projects to 0.93 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Casey Cizikas's 0.87.
Cizikas had 18 points in 81 games; Cousins had 23 in 81 games.
This week Cizikas has 2 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Cousins has 2 left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Cousins for 1.8 to Cizikas's 1.6 over the games left.
Nick Cousins has the better number in 20 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Cizikas's biggest edges: 20+ mph bursts 130, Ascension score 51, Faceoffs won 351.
Cousins's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.036, Offensive-zone time 44.1%, Penalty minutes 92.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Casey Cizikas rates ahead, -2.0 to -3.0 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Cizikas is cooling, ixG/60 0.04 (was 0.93); Cousins is falling, On-ice xGF/60 0.93 (was 2.05).
- • Cizikas, 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 7 SOG.
- • Cousins, 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
New York Islanders · Ottawa Senators · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Casey Cizikas
-2.0
category z-score total
Nick Cousins
-3.0
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Casey Cizikas has the edge (Cizikas wins 3, Cousins wins 2 of 6 categories).
| Category | Cizikas | Cousins |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.12 | 0.11 |
| Assists / game | 0.10 | 0.14 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.14 | -0.10 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal / game | 0.91 | 0.83 |
| Hits / game | 1.68 | 2.01 |
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 Cousins
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Cizikas 0G 2A, 20 SOG · Cousins 1G 1A, 17 SOG
Cizikas's offensive zone 1–1 · neutral 1–4 · Cizikas's defensive zone 1–0 (2018-19 to 2022-23)
On the ice against each other (Cizikas's side)
5:02 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Cizikas's side
- Shot attempts
- 3–6
- 33.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.2
- 38.7%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Cizikas | Cousins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-15 | NYI 1–2 OTT | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2026-04-11 | NYI 0–3 OTT | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2026-03-19 | NYI 2–3 OTT | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-10-18 | NYI 5–4 OTT | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-01-14 | NYI 0–2 OTT | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-12-08 | NYI 4–2 OTT | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-11-07 | NYI 4–2 OTT | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-03-28 | NYI 3–2 FLA | 0G 2A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-12-02 | NYI 4–3 FLA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-10-23 | NYI 2–3 FLA | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-10-13 | NYI 1–3 FLA | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2021-10-30 | NYI 2–3 NSH | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
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.
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)
Nick Cousins
3games (2 left)
1.8proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs FLAOpp allows 10th-most FP to CLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs NYR0.8 ptsOpp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Casey Cizikas or Nick Cousins in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nick Cousins projects to 0.93 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Casey Cizikas's 0.87. Cizikas had 18 points in 81 games; Cousins had 23 in 81 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 Nick Cousins?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nick Cousins leads in 20 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Cizikas and Cousins done against each other?
- In 15 games against each other in our data, Cizikas's team went 7–8. Cizikas had 2 points (0 goals) and Cousins had 2 (1 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Cizikas or Cousins?
- Against each other, Cizikas has won 3 and Cousins 5 of their 8 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 →