Who to start · 2025-26
Darnell Nurse vs Zach Hyman
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Zach Hyman projects to 1.99 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Darnell Nurse's 1.83.
Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Hyman had 52 in 58 games.
This week Nurse has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Hyman has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Nurse for 2.1 ESPN points to Hyman's 1.5.
Zach Hyman has the better number in 24 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Nurse's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 0, Blocked shots 167, Hardest shot 94.5.
Hyman's biggest edges: Plus/minus +13, Offensive-zone time 48.5%, Sequence xG 55.6%.
- • 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, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Darnell Nurse
1.83
fantasy points per game
Zach Hyman
1.99
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Zach Hyman has the edge.
| Points per game from | Nurse | Hyman |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.16 | 1.00 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.19 | 0.34 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.12 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.19 | 0.28 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.17 | 0.10 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 1.11 | 0.15 |
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 Hyman
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, 42 SOG · Hyman 5G 6A, 37 SOG
Nurse blocked 1 of Hyman's shots; Hyman blocked 8 of Nurse's.
Goals each scored with the other picking up an assist (as teammates).
On the ice together
262:53 at 5-on-5 over 64 games, 2025-26
- Shot attempts
- 271–302
- 47.3%
- Expected goals
- 14.7–13.0
- 53.1%
- Goals
- 14–12
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Nurse | Hyman |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021-03-29 | EDM 3–2 TOR | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2021-03-27 | EDM 3–4 TOR | 1G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2021-03-03 | EDM 1–6 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 1A 5S |
| 2021-03-01 | EDM 0–3 TOR | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2021-02-27 | EDM 0–4 TOR | 0G 0A 7S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2021-01-30 | EDM 4–3 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2021-01-28 | EDM 3–4 TOR | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2021-01-22 | EDM 2–4 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2021-01-20 | EDM 3–1 TOR | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2020-01-06 | EDM 6–4 TOR | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2019-12-14 | EDM 1–4 TOR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2019-03-09 | EDM 2–3 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 1S |
Latest 12 of 15 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 +3.4 win%Likely vs Anton Forsberg (.910)
Zach Hyman
3games (1 left)
1.5proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs VANOpp allows 5th-most FP to LWLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ VANOpp allows 5th-most FP to LWLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA1.5 ptsOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Joey Daccord (.897)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Darnell Nurse or Zach Hyman in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Zach Hyman projects to 1.99 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Darnell Nurse's 1.83. Nurse had 24 points in 82 games; Hyman had 52 in 58 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 Zach Hyman?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Zach Hyman leads in 24 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 Hyman done against each other?
- In 15 games against each other in our data, Nurse's team went 4–11. Nurse had 9 points (3 goals) and Hyman had 11 (5 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 →