Who to start · 2025-26
Dougie Hamilton vs Neal Pionk
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Dougie Hamilton projects to 1.75 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Neal Pionk's 1.66.
Hamilton had 39 points in 77 games; Pionk had 12 in 51 games.
This week Hamilton has 2 games left with 1 soft matchup; Pionk has 2 left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Hamilton for 3.6 to Pionk's 3.5 over the games left.
Dougie Hamilton has the better number in 22 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Hamilton's biggest edges: High-danger chances 54.4%, Transition attempts /60 1.42, Scoring chances 53.0%.
Pionk's biggest edges: On-ice PDO 1017, Ascension score 85, Net penalties drawn /60 −0.41.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Dougie Hamilton rates ahead, +5.4 to +3.7 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Hamilton is steady, On-ice xGF/60 4.83 (was 3.03); Pionk is surging, 5 P in last 5 (0.30/GP before).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 0 PPP, 26 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 1 PPP, 17 SOG.
New Jersey Devils · Winnipeg Jets · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Dougie Hamilton
+5.4
category z-score total
Neal Pionk
+3.7
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Dougie Hamilton has the edge (Hamilton wins 4, Pionk wins 2 of 6 categories).
| Category | Hamilton | Pionk |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.14 | 0.08 |
| Assists / game | 0.39 | 0.32 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.03 | 0.05 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.11 | 0.07 |
| Shots on goal / game | 2.73 | 1.90 |
| Hits / game | 1.12 | 2.11 |
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 scoring choice is shared with Who Should I Start: saved on this device, and on your account when you are signed in.
Head-to-head: Hamilton vs Pionk
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2023-24: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Hamilton 0G 7A, 30 SOG · Pionk 1G 6A, 16 SOG
Hamilton blocked 0 of Pionk's shots; Pionk blocked 2 of Hamilton's.
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Hamilton | Pionk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-11-14 | NJD 3–6 WPG | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2023-04-02 | NJD 1–6 WPG | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-02-19 | NJD 4–2 WPG | 0G 1A 3S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2022-03-10 | NJD 1–2 WPG | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2021-12-03 | NJD 4–8 WPG | 0G 1A 5S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2019-12-17 | CAR 6–3 WPG | 0G 3A 2S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2018-10-07 | CAR 8–5 NYR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2018-03-02 | CGY 1–3 NYR | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2018-02-09 | CGY 3–4 NYR | 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
Oct 19 to Oct 25. 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 cover the games left: Edgehalla's rest-of-season rates per game, adjusted for each opponent's scoring allowed, in ESPN default points.
Scored in ESPN default points (G 2, A 1, PPP 0.5, SHP 0.5, SOG 0.1, HIT 0.1, BLK 0.5). Use your league's scoring
Dougie Hamilton
3games (2 left)
3.6proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs COL
- Thu, Oct 22 vs ANA1.7 ptsOpp allows 16th-most FP to DLikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs LAK1.9 ptsOpp allows 7th-most FP to DLikely vs Darcy Kuemper (.891)
Neal Pionk
3games (2 left)
3.5proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 @ STLOpp allows 11th-most FP to DLikely vs Joel Hofer (.910)
- Thu, Oct 22 @ DAL1.6 ptsOpp allows the fewest FP to DLikely vs Jake Oettinger (.899)
- Sun, Oct 25 vs MTL1.9 ptsOpp allows 6th-most FP to DLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Dougie Hamilton or Neal Pionk in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Dougie Hamilton projects to 1.75 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Neal Pionk's 1.66. Hamilton had 39 points in 77 games; Pionk had 12 in 51 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, Dougie Hamilton or Neal Pionk?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Dougie Hamilton leads in 22 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Hamilton and Pionk done against each other?
- In 9 games against each other in our data, Hamilton's team went 3–6. Hamilton had 7 points (0 goals) and Pionk had 7 (1 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 →