Who to start · 2025-26
Easton Cowan vs Valeri Nichushkin
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Easton Cowan projects to 1.46 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Valeri Nichushkin's 1.41.
Cowan had 29 points in 66 games; Nichushkin had 49 in 72 games.
This week Cowan has 2 games left with 2 tough matchups; Nichushkin has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Cowan for 2.3 to Nichushkin's 1.3 over the games left.
Valeri Nichushkin has the better number in 23 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Cowan's biggest edges: Goals above expected +0.5, On-ice PDO 1032, Luck Meter +16.
Nichushkin's biggest edges: Fenwick 56.8%, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.024, Corsi 57.6%.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Valeri Nichushkin rates ahead, +0.8 to +0.7 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Cowan is steady, PP1 in 0 of last 5 (was 9 of 20); Nichushkin is steady, −1:46 5v5 TOI.
- • 2026-27 so far: 11 GP, 4 G, 6 A, 1 PPP, 23 SOG.
- • Last 10 games (Sep 30–Oct 20): 4 G, 5 A, 1 PPP, 22 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 8 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 1 PPP, 10 SOG.
Toronto Maple Leafs · Columbus Blue Jackets · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Easton Cowan
+0.7
category z-score total
Valeri Nichushkin
+0.8
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Valeri Nichushkin has the edge (Cowan wins 3, Nichushkin wins 3 of 6 categories).
| Category | Cowan | Nichushkin |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.25 | 0.20 |
| Assists / game | 0.39 | 0.42 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.01 | -0.01 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.09 | 0.08 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.69 | 1.88 |
| Hits / game | 1.01 | 1.11 |
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: Cowan vs Nichushkin
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2025-26 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Cowan 2G 3A, 5 SOG · Nichushkin 0G 2A, 5 SOG
On the ice against each other (Cowan's side)
5:53 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Cowan's side
- Shot attempts
- 6–7
- 46.2%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.3
- 38.7%
- Goals
- 2–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Cowan | Nichushkin |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-20 | TOR 6–2 CBJ | 1G 2A 2S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2026-01-25 | TOR 1–4 COL | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2026-01-12 | TOR 4–3 COL | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
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
Easton Cowan
4games (2 left)
2.3proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 vs SJSOpp allows 15th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)
- Tue, Oct 20 @ CBJB2B
- Thu, Oct 22 vs NYR1.1 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
- Sat, Oct 24 @ EDM1.1 pts
Valeri Nichushkin
2games (1 left)
1.3proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs TOR
- Sat, Oct 24 vs VGK1.3 ptsOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Carter Hart (.891)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Easton Cowan or Valeri Nichushkin in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Easton Cowan projects to 1.46 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Valeri Nichushkin's 1.41. Cowan had 29 points in 66 games; Nichushkin had 49 in 72 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, Easton Cowan or Valeri Nichushkin?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Valeri Nichushkin 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 Cowan and Nichushkin done against each other?
- In 3 games against each other in our data, Cowan's team went 2–1. Cowan had 5 points (2 goals) and Nichushkin had 2 (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 →