Who to start · 2025-26
Eetu Luostarinen vs Nick Cousins
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Eetu Luostarinen projects to 1.28 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Nick Cousins's 0.93.
Luostarinen had 33 points in 73 games; Cousins had 23 in 81 games.
This week Luostarinen has 3 games left with 1 soft matchup; Cousins has 3 left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Luostarinen for 3.8 to Cousins's 2.7 over the games left.
They split the 34 stats both are ranked on 17–17.
Luostarinen's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 +0.50, Ice-time share 27.3%, Ice time per game 16:34.
Cousins's biggest edges: Offensive-zone start % 58.1%, Forecheck xG /60 0.54, Sequence xG 56.4%.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Eetu Luostarinen rates ahead, -1.1 to -3.0 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Luostarinen is cooling, 0 P in last 5 (0.55/GP before); Cousins is falling, On-ice xGF/60 1.08 (was 2.12).
- • Luostarinen, 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 1 PPP, 15 SOG.
- • Cousins, 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
Florida Panthers · Ottawa Senators · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Eetu Luostarinen
-1.1
category z-score total
Nick Cousins
-3.0
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Eetu Luostarinen has the edge (Luostarinen wins 5, Cousins wins 1 of 6 categories).
| Category | Luostarinen | Cousins |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.17 | 0.11 |
| Assists / game | 0.18 | 0.14 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.05 | -0.10 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.05 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.48 | 0.79 |
| Hits / game | 1.67 | 2.01 |
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: Luostarinen vs Cousins
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2020-21 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Luostarinen 0G 2A, 14 SOG · Cousins 0G 1A, 14 SOG
Luostarinen's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 0–1 · Luostarinen's defensive zone 1–1 (2020-21 to 2021-22)
Luostarinen blocked 1 of Cousins's shots; Cousins blocked 0 of Luostarinen's.
Goals each scored with the other picking up an assist (as teammates).
On the ice against each other (Luostarinen's side)
9:09 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Luostarinen's side
- Shot attempts
- 11–12
- 47.8%
- Expected goals
- 0.3–0.3
- 46.3%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Luostarinen | Cousins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-21 | FLA 1–5 OTT | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-04-09 | FLA 1–5 OTT | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2026-03-31 | FLA 6–3 OTT | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-01-10 | FLA 3–2 OTT | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-10-11 | FLA 6–2 OTT | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-10-10 | FLA 1–3 OTT | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2022-04-09 | FLA 4–1 NSH | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2021-03-20 | FLA 2–0 NSH | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2021-03-18 | FLA 1–2 NSH | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2021-03-06 | FLA 6–2 NSH | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2021-03-04 | FLA 5–4 NSH | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2021-02-05 | FLA 2–1 NSH | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
Latest 12 of 13 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
Chemistry as teammates
How their expected-goal share at 5v5 changed together vs apart (shrunk for sample size), and how closely their DraftKings points moved game to game (raw, that season only; for forward linemates the typical value is about .28).
| Season | 5v5 min together | xG% lift | xGF/60 lift | DK correlation (raw) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 FLA | 296 | −4.7 | −0.38 | −.02(−.32 to .29), 30 GP |
| 2022-23 FLA | 188 | +0.6 | +0.07 | .05(−.37 to .46), 17 GP |
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
Eetu Luostarinen
3games
3.8proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 @ OTT1.2 ptsOpp allows 14th-most FP to CLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
- Sun, Oct 25 @ CHI1.4 ptsOpp allows 7th-most FP to CLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
Nick Cousins
3games
2.7proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs FLA0.9 ptsOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs NYR0.8 ptsOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Eetu Luostarinen or Nick Cousins in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Eetu Luostarinen projects to 1.28 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Nick Cousins's 0.93. Luostarinen had 33 points in 73 games; Cousins had 23 in 81 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, Eetu Luostarinen or Nick Cousins?
- On 2025-26 numbers they split 17–17 across 34 stats where both qualify.
- How have Luostarinen and Cousins done against each other?
- In 13 games against each other in our data, Luostarinen's team went 8–5. Luostarinen had 2 points (0 goals) and Cousins had 1 (0 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Luostarinen or Cousins?
- Against each other, Luostarinen has won 1 and Cousins 2 of their 3 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 →