Who to start · 2025-26
Darnell Nurse vs Mathew Barzal
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Darnell Nurse projects to 1.83 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mathew Barzal's 1.82.
Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Barzal had 72 in 81 games.
This week Nurse has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Barzal has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Nurse for 2.1 ESPN points to Barzal's 1.4.
Mathew Barzal has the better number in 21 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.
Nurse's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 0.90, Hits 137, Goals above expected +0.8.
Barzal's biggest edges: Plus/minus +10, Offensive-zone time 45.4%, Forecheck xG /60 0.36.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Darnell Nurse
1.78
fantasy points per game
Mathew Barzal
1.82
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Mathew Barzal has the edge.
| Points per game from | Nurse | Barzal |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.17 | 0.47 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.21 | 0.65 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.12 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.20 | 0.23 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.17 | 0.04 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 1.02 | 0.31 |
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 Barzal
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 1G 2A, 36 SOG · Barzal 4G 6A, 22 SOG
Nurse blocked 1 of Barzal's shots; Barzal blocked 1 of Nurse's.
On the ice against each other (Nurse's side)
16:18 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Nurse's side
- Shot attempts
- 19–10
- 65.5%
- Expected goals
- 1.4–0.5
- 74.2%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Nurse | Barzal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-15 | EDM 0–1 NYI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-10-16 | EDM 2–4 NYI | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 1A 1S |
| 2023-12-19 | EDM 1–3 NYI | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2023-11-13 | EDM 4–1 NYI | 0G 1A 3S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2023-01-05 | EDM 4–2 NYI | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2022-11-23 | EDM 0–3 NYI | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2022-02-11 | EDM 3–1 NYI | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2022-01-01 | EDM 2–3 NYI | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2019-10-08 | EDM 5–2 NYI | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2019-02-21 | EDM 4–3 NYI | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2019-02-16 | EDM 2–5 NYI | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2018-03-08 | EDM 2–1 NYI | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 2S |
Latest 12 of 13 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 13th-most FP to D
- Sat, Oct 3 vs LAK2.1 ptsOpp allows 3rd-most FP to D
Mathew Barzal
2games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ TOROpp allows 7th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%
- Sat, Oct 3 vs NJD1.4 ptsOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to C
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Darnell Nurse or Mathew Barzal 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 Mathew Barzal's 1.82. Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Barzal had 72 in 81 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 Mathew Barzal?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Mathew Barzal leads in 21 of 33 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Nurse and Barzal done against each other?
- In 13 games against each other in our data, Nurse's team went 7–6. Nurse had 3 points (1 goals) and Barzal had 10 (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 →