Who to start · 2025-26
Darnell Nurse vs Evgeni Malkin
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Evgeni Malkin projects to 2.12 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Darnell Nurse's 1.83.
Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Malkin had 61 in 56 games.
This week Nurse has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Malkin has 1 left. We project Nurse for 2.1 ESPN points to Malkin's 1.6.
Evgeni Malkin has the better number in 20 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Nurse's biggest edges: Top skating speed 23.2, Hits 137, Blocked shots 167.
Malkin's biggest edges: Plus/minus +13, On-ice PDO 1034, Offensive-zone time 44.9%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 1 PPP, 2 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Darnell Nurse
1.83
fantasy points per game
Evgeni Malkin
2.12
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Evgeni Malkin has the edge.
| Points per game from | Nurse | Malkin |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.16 | 0.76 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.19 | 0.70 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.22 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.19 | 0.26 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.17 | 0.04 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 1.11 | 0.14 |
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: Nurse vs Malkin
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.
Nurse 2G 3A, 33 SOG · Malkin 3G 7A, 28 SOG
Nurse blocked 1 of Malkin's shots; Malkin blocked 0 of Nurse's.
On the ice against each other (Nurse's side)
5:57 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Nurse's side
- Shot attempts
- 2–4
- 33.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.2
- 10.0%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Nurse | Malkin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-22 | EDM 2–6 PIT | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 1A 2S |
| 2024-10-25 | EDM 4–0 PIT | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-03-10 | EDM 4–0 PIT | 2G 0A 7S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-03-03 | EDM 6–1 PIT | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2023-02-23 | EDM 7–2 PIT | 0G 1A 5S | 0G 2A 3S |
| 2022-10-24 | EDM 6–3 PIT | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2019-12-20 | EDM 2–5 PIT | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 6S |
| 2019-11-02 | EDM 2–1 PIT | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 6S |
| 2018-10-23 | EDM 5–6 PIT | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2017-11-01 | EDM 2–3 PIT | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2017-10-24 | EDM 1–2 PIT | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 0S |
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.
Darnell Nurse
2games (1 left)
2.1proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs FLAOpp allows 15th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs LAK2.1 ptsOpp allows 3rd-most FP to DSchedule edge +3.3 win%Likely vs Anton Forsberg (.910)
Evgeni Malkin
2games (1 left)
1.6proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ PHIOpp allows 7th-most FP to CLikely vs Dan Vladar (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs MTL1.6 ptsOpp allows 14th-most FP to Cvs Jakub Dobes (.901)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Darnell Nurse or Evgeni Malkin in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Evgeni Malkin projects to 2.12 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Darnell Nurse's 1.83. Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Malkin had 61 in 56 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, Darnell Nurse or Evgeni Malkin?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Evgeni Malkin 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 Nurse and Malkin done against each other?
- In 11 games against each other in our data, Nurse's team went 6–5. Nurse had 5 points (2 goals) and Malkin had 10 (3 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 →