Who to start · 2025-26
Darnell Nurse vs Ryan Leonard
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Darnell Nurse projects to 1.83 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan Leonard's 1.59.
Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Leonard had 45 in 75 games.
This week Nurse has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Leonard has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Nurse for 2.1 ESPN points to Leonard's 1.8.
They split the 34 stats both are ranked on 17–17.
Nurse's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 0, Blocked shots 167, Offensive-zone start % 53.0%.
Leonard's biggest edges: On-ice PDO 1047, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.50, Luck Meter +41.
- • 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, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Darnell Nurse
1.83
fantasy points per game
Ryan Leonard
1.59
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Darnell Nurse has the edge.
| Points per game from | Nurse | Leonard |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.16 | 0.63 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.19 | 0.31 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.09 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.19 | 0.21 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.17 | 0.17 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 1.11 | 0.19 |
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 Leonard
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2025-26 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Nurse 2G 0A, 5 SOG · Leonard 2G 0A, 4 SOG
On the ice against each other (Nurse's side)
5:35 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Nurse's side
- Shot attempts
- 14–7
- 66.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.5–0.4
- 59.5%
- Goals
- 1–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Nurse | Leonard |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-24 | EDM 6–5 WSH | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-11-19 | EDM 4–7 WSH | 2G 0A 4S | 2G 0A 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)
Ryan Leonard
2games (1 left)
1.8proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 @ CAROpp allows 11th-most FP to RWLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.895)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TBLB2B1.8 ptsOpp allows the most FP to RWSchedule edge −13.3 win%vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Darnell Nurse or Ryan Leonard 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 Ryan Leonard's 1.59. Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Leonard had 45 in 75 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 Ryan Leonard?
- On 2025-26 numbers they split 17–17 across 34 stats where both qualify.
- How have Nurse and Leonard done against each other?
- In 2 games against each other in our data, Nurse's team went 1–1. Nurse had 2 points (2 goals) and Leonard had 2 (2 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 →