Who to start · 2025-26
Darnell Nurse vs Kyle Connor
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Kyle Connor projects to 2.43 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Darnell Nurse's 1.83.
Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Connor had 92 in 82 games.
This week Nurse has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Connor has 1 left. We project Connor for 2.4 ESPN points to Nurse's 2.1.
Kyle Connor has the better number in 24 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Nurse's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 0, Blocked shots 167, Hits 137.
Connor's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 +0.31, Ascension score 57, On-ice PDO 1017.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 9 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Darnell Nurse
1.83
fantasy points per game
Kyle Connor
2.43
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Kyle Connor has the edge.
| Points per game from | Nurse | Connor |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.16 | 1.02 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.19 | 0.67 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.14 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.19 | 0.37 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.17 | 0.05 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 1.11 | 0.17 |
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 Connor
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 7G 15A, 94 SOG · Connor 14G 14A, 124 SOG
Nurse blocked 9 of Connor's shots; Connor blocked 0 of Nurse's.
On the ice against each other (Nurse's side)
18:35 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Nurse's side
- Shot attempts
- 18–16
- 52.9%
- Expected goals
- 1.4–0.8
- 65.3%
- Goals
- 1–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Nurse | Connor |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-08 | EDM 4–3 WPG | 0G 1A 3S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2025-12-29 | EDM 3–1 WPG | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 9S |
| 2025-12-06 | EDM 6–2 WPG | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-04-13 | EDM 4–1 WPG | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-03-20 | EDM 3–4 WPG | 0G 2A 1S | 1G 0A 7S |
| 2024-10-09 | EDM 0–6 WPG | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2024-03-26 | EDM 4–3 WPG | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2023-11-30 | EDM 3–1 WPG | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2023-10-21 | EDM 2–3 WPG | 1G 0A 6S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2023-03-04 | EDM 5–7 WPG | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2023-03-03 | EDM 6–3 WPG | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-12-31 | EDM 1–2 WPG | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 1A 2S |
Latest 12 of 36 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)
Kyle Connor
2games (1 left)
2.4proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 vs BOSOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)
- Sun, Oct 4 @ DET2.4 ptsOpp allows 13th-most FP to LWLikely vs John Gibson (.901)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Darnell Nurse or Kyle Connor in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Kyle Connor projects to 2.43 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Darnell Nurse's 1.83. Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Connor had 92 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 Kyle Connor?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Kyle Connor leads in 24 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 Connor done against each other?
- In 36 games against each other in our data, Nurse's team went 18–18. Nurse had 22 points (7 goals) and Connor had 28 (14 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 →