Who to start · 2025-26
Darnell Nurse vs Jack Hughes
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jack Hughes projects to 2.55 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Darnell Nurse's 1.83.
Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Hughes had 77 in 61 games.
This week Nurse has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Hughes has 1 left. We project Hughes for 2.3 ESPN points to Nurse's 2.1.
Jack Hughes has the better number in 26 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Nurse's biggest edges: Hits 137, Penalty minutes 104, Blocked shots 167.
Hughes's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 +0.55, Scoring chances 56.0%, Offensive-zone time 45.1%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Darnell Nurse
1.83
fantasy points per game
Jack Hughes
2.55
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Jack Hughes has the edge.
| Points per game from | Nurse | Hughes |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.16 | 0.95 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.19 | 0.77 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.18 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.02 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.19 | 0.38 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.17 | 0.01 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 1.11 | 0.25 |
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 Hughes
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.
Nurse 0G 4A, 20 SOG · Hughes 4G 4A, 31 SOG
Nurse blocked 4 of Hughes's shots; Hughes blocked 1 of Nurse's.
On the ice against each other (Nurse's side)
14:14 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Nurse's side
- Shot attempts
- 12–15
- 44.4%
- Expected goals
- 0.7–1.3
- 34.9%
- Goals
- 1–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Nurse | Hughes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-20 | EDM 1–2 NJD | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-10-18 | EDM 3–5 NJD | 0G 1A 2S | 2G 1A 4S |
| 2024-11-04 | EDM 0–3 NJD | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-12-21 | EDM 6–3 NJD | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-12-10 | EDM 4–1 NJD | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2022-11-21 | EDM 2–5 NJD | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2022-11-03 | EDM 3–4 NJD | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-03-19 | EDM 6–3 NJD | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2021-12-31 | EDM 5–6 NJD | 0G 0A 4S | 2G 1A 7S |
| 2019-11-08 | EDM 4–0 NJD | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2019-10-10 | EDM 4–3 NJD | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 4S |
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)
Jack Hughes
2games (1 left)
2.3proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs PHIOpp allows 7th-most FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ NYI2.3 ptsOpp allows 15th-most FP to CSchedule edge −4.0 win%vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Darnell Nurse or Jack Hughes in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jack Hughes projects to 2.55 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Darnell Nurse's 1.83. Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Hughes had 77 in 61 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 Jack Hughes?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Jack Hughes leads in 26 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 Hughes done against each other?
- In 11 games against each other in our data, Nurse's team went 5–6. Nurse had 4 points (0 goals) and Hughes had 8 (4 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 →