Who to start · 2025-26
Darnell Nurse vs Ian Cole
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Darnell Nurse projects to 1.83 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ian Cole's 1.30.
Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Cole had 23 in 82 games.
This week Nurse has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Cole has 1 left. We project Nurse for 2.1 ESPN points to Cole's 1.5.
Darnell Nurse has the better number in 19 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Nurse's biggest edges: 20+ mph bursts 101, Top skating speed 23.2, Shots on goal 164.
Cole's biggest edges: Plus/minus +16, Turnover Ledger /60 −0.019, Forecheck xG /60 0.39.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Darnell Nurse
1.83
fantasy points per game
Ian Cole
1.30
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Darnell Nurse has the edge.
| Points per game from | Nurse | Cole |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.16 | 0.06 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.19 | 0.22 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.19 | 0.07 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.17 | 0.08 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 1.11 | 0.87 |
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 Cole
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 7A, 69 SOG · Cole 1G 8A, 24 SOG
Nurse blocked 4 of Cole's shots; Cole blocked 3 of Nurse's.
On the ice against each other (Nurse's side)
18:34 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Nurse's side
- Shot attempts
- 13–22
- 37.1%
- Expected goals
- 0.5–0.6
- 43.6%
- Goals
- 1–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Nurse | Cole |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-07 | EDM 5–6 UTA | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2026-03-24 | EDM 5–2 UTA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2025-10-28 | EDM 6–3 UTA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-03-18 | EDM 7–1 UTA | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-12-31 | EDM 4–1 UTA | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-11-29 | EDM 4–3 UTA | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-05-20 · PO | EDM 3–2 VAN | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-05-18 · PO | EDM 5–1 VAN | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-05-16 · PO | EDM 2–3 VAN | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-05-14 · PO | EDM 3–2 VAN | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-05-12 · PO | EDM 3–4 VAN | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-05-10 · PO | EDM 4–3 VAN | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
Latest 12 of 29 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
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)
Ian Cole
3games (1 left)
1.5proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ VGKOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Carter Hart (.891)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ UTAOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to DLikely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ BUF1.5 ptsOpp allows 11th-most FP to DSchedule edge −1.0 win%vs Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (.910)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Darnell Nurse or Ian Cole in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Darnell Nurse projects to 1.83 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ian Cole's 1.30. Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Cole had 23 in 82 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 Ian Cole?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Darnell Nurse leads in 19 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 Cole done against each other?
- In 29 games against each other in our data, Nurse's team went 13–16. Nurse had 9 points (2 goals) and Cole had 9 (1 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 →