Who to start · 2025-26
Darnell Nurse vs Wyatt Johnston
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Wyatt Johnston projects to 2.41 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Darnell Nurse's 1.83.
Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Johnston had 86 in 82 games.
This week Nurse has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Johnston has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Johnston for 2.5 ESPN points to Nurse's 2.1.
Wyatt Johnston has the better number in 23 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Nurse's biggest edges: Top skating speed 23.2, Hits 137, 20+ mph bursts 101.
Johnston's biggest edges: On-ice PDO 1026, Offensive-zone time 44.2%, Luck Meter +27.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Darnell Nurse
1.83
fantasy points per game
Wyatt Johnston
2.41
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Wyatt Johnston has the edge.
| Points per game from | Nurse | Johnston |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.16 | 1.03 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.19 | 0.47 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.24 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.19 | 0.26 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.17 | 0.07 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 1.11 | 0.35 |
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 Johnston
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2022-23 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Nurse 1G 3A, 33 SOG · Johnston 10G 14A, 51 SOG
Nurse blocked 6 of Johnston's shots; Johnston blocked 0 of Nurse's.
On the ice against each other (Nurse's side)
17:38 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Nurse's side
- Shot attempts
- 21–28
- 42.9%
- Expected goals
- 0.9–2.5
- 25.6%
- Goals
- 0–3
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Nurse | Johnston |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-12 | EDM 2–7 DAL | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 2A 2S |
| 2025-11-25 | EDM 3–8 DAL | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 3A 3S |
| 2025-11-04 | EDM 3–4 DAL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 3A 3S |
| 2025-05-29 · PO | EDM 6–3 DAL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2025-05-27 · PO | EDM 4–1 DAL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-05-25 · PO | EDM 6–1 DAL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-05-23 · PO | EDM 3–0 DAL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-05-21 · PO | EDM 3–6 DAL | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-03-26 | EDM 3–4 DAL | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2025-03-08 | EDM 5–4 DAL | 0G 1A 2S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2024-10-19 | EDM 1–4 DAL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-06-02 · PO | EDM 2–1 DAL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
Latest 12 of 23 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)
Wyatt Johnston
2games (1 left)
2.5proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 vs STLOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to CLikely vs Joel Hofer (.910)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ NSHB2B2.5 ptsOpp allows 10th-most FP to CSchedule edge −13.3 win%Likely vs Juuse Saros (.893)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Darnell Nurse or Wyatt Johnston in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Wyatt Johnston projects to 2.41 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Darnell Nurse's 1.83. Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Johnston had 86 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 Wyatt Johnston?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Wyatt Johnston leads in 23 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 Johnston done against each other?
- In 23 games against each other in our data, Nurse's team went 12–11. Nurse had 4 points (1 goals) and Johnston had 24 (10 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 →