Who to start · 2025-26
Darnell Nurse vs Vasily Podkolzin
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Vasily Podkolzin projects to 1.91 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Darnell Nurse's 1.83.
Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Podkolzin had 37 in 82 games.
This week Nurse has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Podkolzin has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Nurse for 2.1 ESPN points to Podkolzin's 1.3.
Vasily Podkolzin has the better number in 25 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Nurse's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 0.90, Faceoffs won 0, Shorthanded points 2.
Podkolzin's biggest edges: Plus/minus +16, Ascension score 78, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.006.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 3 G, 1 A, 3 PPP, 11 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Darnell Nurse
1.83
fantasy points per game
Vasily Podkolzin
1.91
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Vasily Podkolzin has the edge.
| Points per game from | Nurse | Podkolzin |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.16 | 0.76 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.19 | 0.25 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.10 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.19 | 0.21 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.17 | 0.30 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 1.11 | 0.28 |
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 Podkolzin
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2021-22 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Nurse 1G 5A, 20 SOG · Podkolzin 0G 0A, 4 SOG
Nurse blocked 0 of Podkolzin's shots; Podkolzin blocked 8 of Nurse's.
Goals each scored with the other picking up an assist (as teammates).
On the ice together
515:20 at 5-on-5 over 88 games, 2025-26
- Shot attempts
- 507–463
- 52.3%
- Expected goals
- 20.9–20.9
- 50.0%
- Goals
- 21–16
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Nurse | Podkolzin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-05-18 · PO | EDM 5–1 VAN | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-05-16 · PO | EDM 2–3 VAN | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-04-13 | EDM 1–3 VAN | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2022-10-12 | EDM 5–3 VAN | 1G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-01-25 | EDM 3–2 VAN | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2021-10-30 | EDM 2–1 VAN | 0G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2021-10-13 | EDM 3–2 VAN | 0G 1A 6S | 0G 0A 0S |
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
Vasily Podkolzin
3games (1 left)
1.3proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs VANOpp allows 9th-most FP to RW
- Thu, Oct 1 @ VANOpp allows 9th-most FP to RW
- Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA1.3 ptsOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to RW
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Darnell Nurse or Vasily Podkolzin in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Vasily Podkolzin projects to 1.91 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Darnell Nurse's 1.83. Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Podkolzin had 37 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 Vasily Podkolzin?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Vasily Podkolzin leads in 25 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 Podkolzin done against each other?
- In 7 games against each other in our data, Nurse's team went 5–2. Nurse had 6 points (1 goals) and Podkolzin had 0 (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 →