Who to start · 2025-26
Ivan Barbashev vs Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins projects to 1.70 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ivan Barbashev's 1.59.
Barbashev had 61 points in 82 games; Nugent-Hopkins had 56 in 72 games.
This week Barbashev has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Nugent-Hopkins has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Barbashev for 1.8 ESPN points to Nugent-Hopkins's 1.1.
Ivan Barbashev has the better number in 18 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.
Barbashev's biggest edges: Plus/minus +20, Hits 137, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.54.
Nugent-Hopkins's biggest edges: Power-play share 86.6%, Power-play time per game 3:30, Transition attempts /60 1.26.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 0 PPP, 2 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Ivan Barbashev
1.62
fantasy points per game
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
1.70
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has the edge.
| Points per game from | Barbashev | Nugent-Hopkins |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.56 | 0.56 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.46 | 0.50 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.04 | 0.20 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.16 | 0.18 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.17 | 0.03 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.23 | 0.22 |
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: Barbashev vs Nugent-Hopkins
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2018-19 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Barbashev 10G 14A, 54 SOG · Nugent-Hopkins 9G 23A, 75 SOG
Barbashev's offensive zone 3–1 · neutral 0–0 · Barbashev's defensive zone 2–2 (2018-19 to 2022-23)
Barbashev blocked 2 of Nugent-Hopkins's shots; Nugent-Hopkins blocked 0 of Barbashev's.
On the ice against each other (Barbashev's side)
19:14 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26, from Barbashev's side
- Shot attempts
- 26–14
- 65.0%
- Expected goals
- 1.4–0.2
- 85.8%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Barbashev | Nugent-Hopkins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-04 | VGK 5–1 EDM | 0G 2A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-03-26 | VGK 3–4 EDM | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2026-03-08 | VGK 2–4 EDM | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-12-21 | VGK 3–4 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 2G 1A 2S |
| 2025-05-14 · PO | VGK 0–1 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-05-12 · PO | VGK 0–3 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-05-10 · PO | VGK 4–3 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-05-08 · PO | VGK 4–5 EDM | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2025-05-06 · PO | VGK 2–4 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-04-01 | VGK 2–3 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2024-12-14 | VGK 3–6 EDM | 1G 0A 3S | 1G 1A 1S |
| 2024-12-03 | VGK 1–0 EDM | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
Latest 12 of 34 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.
Ivan Barbashev
3games (1 left)
1.8proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs CHIOpp allows 2nd-most FP to LWLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
- Fri, Oct 2 vs ANAOpp allows 8th-most FP to LWLikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)
- Sun, Oct 4 @ VAN1.8 ptsOpp allows 5th-most FP to LWSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
3games (1 left)
1.1proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs VANOpp allows 6th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ VANOpp allows 6th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA1.1 ptsOpp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Joey Daccord (.897)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Ivan Barbashev or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins projects to 1.70 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ivan Barbashev's 1.59. Barbashev had 61 points in 82 games; Nugent-Hopkins had 56 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, Ivan Barbashev or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Ivan Barbashev leads in 18 of 33 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Barbashev and Nugent-Hopkins done against each other?
- In 34 games against each other in our data, Barbashev's team went 15–19. Barbashev had 24 points (10 goals) and Nugent-Hopkins had 32 (9 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Barbashev or Nugent-Hopkins?
- Against each other, Barbashev has won 5 and Nugent-Hopkins 3 of their 8 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 →