Who to start · 2025-26
Darnell Nurse vs Mike Matheson
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Darnell Nurse projects to 1.83 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mike Matheson's 1.80.
Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Matheson had 37 in 78 games.
This week Nurse has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Matheson has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Nurse for 2.1 ESPN points to Matheson's 1.3.
Darnell Nurse has the better number in 17 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Nurse's biggest edges: Offensive-zone start % 53.0%, Transition attempts /60 0.90, High-danger chances 50.7%.
Matheson's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 −0.06, Plus/minus +9, Turnover Ledger /60 −0.035.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Darnell Nurse
1.83
fantasy points per game
Mike Matheson
1.80
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Darnell Nurse has the edge.
| Points per game from | Nurse | Matheson |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.16 | 0.17 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.19 | 0.42 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.19 | 0.16 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.17 | 0.07 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 1.11 | 0.96 |
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 Matheson
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 3G 6A, 26 SOG · Matheson 0G 5A, 29 SOG
Nurse blocked 1 of Matheson's shots; Matheson blocked 2 of Nurse's.
On the ice against each other (Nurse's side)
11:12 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Nurse's side
- Shot attempts
- 12–11
- 52.2%
- Expected goals
- 0.5–1.2
- 31.6%
- Goals
- 1–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Nurse | Matheson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-14 | EDM 1–4 MTL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-10-23 | EDM 6–5 MTL | 0G 2A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-03-06 | EDM 3–2 MTL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-03-19 | EDM 3–2 MTL | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-01-13 | EDM 2–1 MTL | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2023-02-12 | EDM 2–6 MTL | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2022-12-03 | EDM 5–3 MTL | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 5S |
| 2020-02-15 | EDM 4–1 FLA | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2019-01-10 | EDM 4–3 FLA | 1G 1A 8S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2018-11-08 | EDM 1–4 FLA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2018-03-17 | EDM 4–2 FLA | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2018-02-12 | EDM 5–7 FLA | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 2A 2S |
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)
Mike Matheson
2games (1 left)
1.3proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ TOROpp allows 14th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ PIT1.3 ptsOpp allows the fewest FP to Dvs Arturs Silovs (.888)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Darnell Nurse or Mike Matheson 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 Mike Matheson's 1.80. Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Matheson had 37 in 78 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 Mike Matheson?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Darnell Nurse leads in 17 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 Matheson done against each other?
- In 12 games against each other in our data, Nurse's team went 8–4. Nurse had 9 points (3 goals) and Matheson had 5 (0 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 →