Who to start · 2025-26
Darnell Nurse vs Joel Eriksson Ek
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Darnell Nurse projects to 1.83 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Joel Eriksson Ek's 1.70.
Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Eriksson Ek had 51 in 70 games.
This week Nurse has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Eriksson Ek has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Nurse for 2.1 ESPN points to Eriksson Ek's 1.3.
Joel Eriksson Ek has the better number in 21 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Nurse's biggest edges: Offensive-zone start % 53.0%, Top skating speed 23.2, Blocked shots 167.
Eriksson Ek's biggest edges: Plus/minus +16, On-ice PDO 1037, Offensive-zone time 44.4%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Darnell Nurse
1.83
fantasy points per game
Joel Eriksson Ek
1.70
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Darnell Nurse has the edge.
| Points per game from | Nurse | Eriksson Ek |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.16 | 0.51 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.19 | 0.43 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.11 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.19 | 0.28 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.17 | 0.15 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 1.11 | 0.23 |
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 Eriksson Ek
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 5A, 59 SOG · Eriksson Ek 9G 8A, 56 SOG
On the ice against each other (Nurse's side)
12:54 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Nurse's side
- Shot attempts
- 13–16
- 44.8%
- Expected goals
- 0.5–0.6
- 45.0%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Nurse | Eriksson Ek |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-31 | EDM 3–7 MIN | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 1A 1S |
| 2025-12-20 | EDM 2–5 MIN | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-12-02 | EDM 0–1 MIN | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-01-15 | EDM 5–3 MIN | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 2A 4S |
| 2024-02-23 | EDM 2–4 MIN | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2023-12-08 | EDM 4–3 MIN | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2023-10-24 | EDM 4–7 MIN | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2022-12-12 | EDM 1–2 MIN | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2022-12-09 | EDM 5–2 MIN | 0G 1A 5S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2022-12-01 | EDM 3–5 MIN | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 1A 5S |
| 2022-04-12 | EDM 1–5 MIN | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2022-02-20 | EDM 3–7 MIN | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 0A 3S |
Latest 12 of 21 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 D
- Sat, Oct 3 vs LAK2.1 ptsOpp allows 3rd-most FP to D
Joel Eriksson Ek
2games (1 left)
1.3proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 @ NSHOpp allows 10th-most FP to C
- Sat, Oct 3 vs BOS1.3 ptsOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Darnell Nurse or Joel Eriksson Ek 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 Joel Eriksson Ek's 1.70. Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Eriksson Ek had 51 in 70 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 Joel Eriksson Ek?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Joel Eriksson Ek leads in 21 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 Eriksson Ek done against each other?
- In 21 games against each other in our data, Nurse's team went 7–14. Nurse had 7 points (2 goals) and Eriksson Ek had 17 (9 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 →