Who to start · 2025-26
Connor McDavid vs Michael Brandsegg-Nygård
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Connor McDavid projects to 3.76 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Michael Brandsegg-Nygård's 1.02.
McDavid had 138 points in 82 games; Brandsegg-Nygård had 1 in 14 games.
This week McDavid has 2 games left with 1 tough matchup; Brandsegg-Nygård has 2 left with 2 soft matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project McDavid for 6.2 to Brandsegg-Nygård's 2.7 over the games left.
They split the 2 stats both are ranked on 1–1.
McDavid's biggest edges: Luck Meter +14.
Brandsegg-Nygård's biggest edges: Ascension score 86.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Connor McDavid rates ahead, +21.0 to +1.3 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: McDavid is rising, 14 P in last 5 (2.00/GP before); Brandsegg-Nygård is steady, +3:12 TOI a game.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 6 G, 20 A, 8 PPP, 22 SOG.
- • Michael Brandsegg-Nygård is a rookie: 14 NHL games before this season.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 2 G, 4 A, 0 PPP, 22 SOG.
Edmonton Oilers · Detroit Red Wings · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Connor McDavid
+21.0
category z-score total
Michael Brandsegg-Nygård
+1.3
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Connor McDavid has the edge (McDavid wins 5, Brandsegg-Nygård wins 1 of 6 categories).
| Category | McDavid | Brandsegg-Nygård |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.62 | 0.08 |
| Assists / game | 1.52 | 0.21 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.84 | 0.11 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.74 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal / game | 3.25 | 1.81 |
| Hits / game | 0.85 | 3.50 |
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: McDavid vs Brandsegg-Nygård
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2025-26 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
McDavid 0G 0A, 2 SOG · Brandsegg-Nygård 0G 0A, 1 SOG
On the ice against each other (McDavid's side)
3:37 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from McDavid's side
- Shot attempts
- 0–3
- 0.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.1
- 0.0%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | McDavid | Brandsegg-Nygård |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-19 | EDM 2–4 DET | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
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
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
Connor McDavid
3games (2 left)
6.2proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs MINOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs CAR2.8 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 vs TOR3.3 ptsOpp allows 13th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
Michael Brandsegg-Nygård
3games (2 left)
2.7proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 @ SEAOpp allows 16th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Philipp Grubauer (.909)
- Thu, Oct 22 @ VAN1.4 ptsOpp allows the most FP to RWLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Sat, Oct 24 @ CGY1.4 ptsOpp allows 8th-most FP to RWLikely vs Dustin Wolf (.899)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Connor McDavid or Michael Brandsegg-Nygård in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Connor McDavid projects to 3.76 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Michael Brandsegg-Nygård's 1.02. McDavid had 138 points in 82 games; Brandsegg-Nygård had 1 in 14 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, Connor McDavid or Michael Brandsegg-Nygård?
- On 2025-26 numbers they split 1–1 across 2 stats where both qualify.
- How have McDavid and Brandsegg-Nygård done against each other?
- In 1 games against each other in our data, McDavid's team went 0–1. McDavid had 0 points (0 goals) and Brandsegg-Nygård had 0 (0 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 →