Who to start · 2025-26
Dylan Cozens vs Elias Pettersson
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Elias Pettersson projects to 2.34 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Dylan Cozens's 1.90.
Cozens had 59 points in 82 games; Pettersson had 51 in 74 games.
This week Cozens has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Pettersson has 2 left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups. We project Pettersson for 3.8 ESPN points to Cozens's 1.4.
Dylan Cozens has the better number in 25 of the 35 stats both are ranked on.
Cozens's biggest edges: Scoring chances 60.8%, Sequence xG 59.7%, Expected goals 59.4%.
Pettersson's biggest edges: Blocked shots 108, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.60, Shorthanded points 1.
Head to head on the dot, Pettersson leads Cozens 16–11.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 2 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Dylan Cozens
1.90
fantasy points per game
Elias Pettersson
2.05
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Elias Pettersson has the edge.
| Points per game from | Cozens | Pettersson |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.68 | 0.41 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.38 | 0.49 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.18 | 0.15 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.25 | 0.18 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.26 | 0.09 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.15 | 0.73 |
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: Cozens vs Pettersson
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.
Cozens 1G 4A, 18 SOG · Pettersson 5G 3A, 25 SOG
Cozens's offensive zone 5–5 · neutral 3–5 · Cozens's defensive zone 3–6 (2022-23 to 2025-26)
Cozens blocked 0 of Pettersson's shots; Pettersson blocked 2 of Cozens's.
On the ice against each other (Cozens's side)
9:01 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Cozens's side
- Shot attempts
- 11–13
- 45.8%
- Expected goals
- 0.4–0.8
- 32.7%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Cozens | Pettersson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-09 | OTT 2–0 VAN | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-01-13 | OTT 2–1 VAN | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2025-01-21 | BUF 3–2 VAN | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-11-29 | BUF 3–4 VAN | 1G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2024-03-19 | BUF 2–3 VAN | 0G 0A 1S | 2G 1A 4S |
| 2024-01-13 | BUF 0–1 VAN | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-11-15 | BUF 4–5 VAN | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 1A 1S |
| 2022-10-22 | BUF 5–1 VAN | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2022-03-20 | BUF 3–2 VAN | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2021-10-19 | BUF 5–2 VAN | 0G 2A 0S | 0G 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.
Dylan Cozens
1games
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TOR1.4 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
Elias Pettersson
4games (2 left)
3.8proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ EDMOpp allows 9th-most FP to CLikely vs Tristan Jarry (.882)
- Thu, Oct 1 vs EDMOpp allows 9th-most FP to CLikely vs Devon Levi (.682)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs CGY2.3 ptsOpp allows 2nd-most FP to CSchedule edge −3.4 win%Likely vs Dustin Wolf (.899)
- Sun, Oct 4 vs VGKB2B1.5 ptsOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Carter Hart (.891)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Dylan Cozens or Elias Pettersson in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Elias Pettersson projects to 2.34 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Dylan Cozens's 1.90. Cozens had 59 points in 82 games; Pettersson had 51 in 74 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, Dylan Cozens or Elias Pettersson?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Dylan Cozens leads in 25 of 35 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Cozens and Pettersson done against each other?
- In 10 games against each other in our data, Cozens's team went 6–4. Cozens had 5 points (1 goals) and Pettersson had 8 (5 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Cozens or Pettersson?
- Against each other, Cozens has won 11 and Pettersson 16 of their 27 head-to-head draws.
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 →