Who to start · 2025-26
Ian Cole vs Timo Meier
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Timo Meier projects to 1.74 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ian Cole's 1.30.
Cole had 23 points in 82 games; Meier had 44 in 77 games.
This week Cole has 1 game left; Meier has 1 left. We project Meier for 1.9 ESPN points to Cole's 1.5.
Timo Meier has the better number in 21 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Cole's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 −0.019, Plus/minus +16, Luck Meter +23.
Meier's biggest edges: Hardest shot 94.3, Shots on goal 269, Power-play time per game 1:56.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Ian Cole
1.30
fantasy points per game
Timo Meier
1.74
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Timo Meier has the edge.
| Points per game from | Cole | Meier |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.06 | 0.58 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.22 | 0.24 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.06 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.35 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.08 | 0.17 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.87 | 0.32 |
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: Cole vs Meier
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.
Cole 1G 8A, 30 SOG · Meier 9G 13A, 115 SOG
Cole blocked 7 of Meier's shots; Meier blocked 0 of Cole's.
On the ice against each other (Cole's side)
3:31 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Cole's side
- Shot attempts
- 3–3
- 50.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.0
- 41.1%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Cole | Meier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-03 | UTA 1–4 NJD | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 7S |
| 2025-03-01 | UTA 1–3 NJD | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-10-14 | UTA 0–3 NJD | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-12-05 | VAN 5–6 NJD | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-03-19 | TBL 2–5 NJD | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2023-03-16 | TBL 4–3 NJD | 0G 0A 0S | 2G 0A 4S |
| 2023-03-14 | TBL 4–1 NJD | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2023-02-07 | TBL 3–4 SJS | 0G 0A 3S | 2G 1A 5S |
| 2022-10-29 | TBL 4–3 SJS | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 5S |
| 2022-01-30 | CAR 2–1 SJS | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2021-11-22 | CAR 1–2 SJS | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 6S |
| 2021-04-24 | MIN 6–3 SJS | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 1A 3S |
Latest 12 of 32 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.
Ian Cole
3games (1 left)
1.5proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ VGKOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Carter Hart (.891)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ UTAOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to DLikely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ BUF1.5 ptsOpp allows 11th-most FP to DSchedule edge −1.0 win%Likely vs Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (.910)
Timo Meier
2games (1 left)
1.9proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs PHIOpp allows 5th-most FP to RWSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ NYI1.9 ptsOpp allows 14th-most FP to RWSchedule edge −4.0 win%vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Ian Cole or Timo Meier in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Timo Meier projects to 1.74 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ian Cole's 1.30. Cole had 23 points in 82 games; Meier had 44 in 77 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, Ian Cole or Timo Meier?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Timo Meier leads in 21 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Cole and Meier done against each other?
- In 32 games against each other in our data, Cole's team went 16–16. Cole had 9 points (1 goals) and Meier had 22 (9 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 →