Who to start · 2025-26
Jack Hughes vs Jake Guentzel
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jack Hughes projects to 2.55 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Jake Guentzel's 2.20.
Hughes had 77 points in 61 games; Guentzel had 88 in 81 games.
This week Hughes has 1 game left; Guentzel has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Hughes for 2.3 ESPN points to Guentzel's 1.5.
Jake Guentzel has the better number in 21 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Hughes's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 +0.55, Transition attempts /60 1.60, Offensive-zone start % 79.3%.
Guentzel's biggest edges: Penalty minutes 61, On-ice PDO 1023, Goals above expected +1.6.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Jack Hughes
2.55
fantasy points per game
Jake Guentzel
2.20
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Jack Hughes has the edge.
| Points per game from | Hughes | Guentzel |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.95 | 0.88 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.77 | 0.58 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.18 | 0.17 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.02 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.38 | 0.27 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.01 | 0.05 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.25 | 0.24 |
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: Hughes vs Guentzel
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2019-20 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Hughes 10G 11A, 73 SOG · Guentzel 8G 13A, 51 SOG
Hughes's offensive zone 1–0 · neutral 0–0 · Hughes's defensive zone 0–0 (2024-25)
Hughes blocked 0 of Guentzel's shots; Guentzel blocked 1 of Hughes's.
On the ice against each other (Hughes's side)
5:50 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Hughes's side
- Shot attempts
- 7–3
- 70.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–0.1
- 80.7%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Hughes | Guentzel |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-11 | NJD 5–3 TBL | 0G 0A 7S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2025-01-11 | NJD 3–2 TBL | 1G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-11-16 | NJD 0–4 TBL | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 2A 4S |
| 2024-10-22 | NJD 5–8 TBL | 1G 2A 2S | 1G 1A 9S |
| 2023-04-04 | NJD 5–1 PIT | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-02-18 | NJD 5–2 PIT | 0G 2A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-01-22 | NJD 2–1 PIT | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2022-12-30 | NJD 4–2 PIT | 2G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-02-13 | NJD 2–4 PIT | 1G 0A 5S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2022-02-24 | NJD 6–1 PIT | 0G 3A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2021-04-24 | NJD 2–4 PIT | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2021-04-22 | NJD 1–5 PIT | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 2S |
Latest 12 of 20 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.
Jack Hughes
2games (1 left)
2.3proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs PHIOpp allows 7th-most FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ NYI2.3 ptsOpp allows 15th-most FP to CSchedule edge −4.0 win%vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
Jake Guentzel
2games (1 left)
1.5proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 @ NYROpp allows 15th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs WSH1.5 ptsOpp allows 9th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +13.4 win%vs Charlie Lindgren (.879)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Jack Hughes or Jake Guentzel in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jack Hughes projects to 2.55 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Jake Guentzel's 2.20. Hughes had 77 points in 61 games; Guentzel had 88 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, Jack Hughes or Jake Guentzel?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Jake Guentzel leads in 21 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Hughes and Guentzel done against each other?
- In 20 games against each other in our data, Hughes's team went 10–10. Hughes had 21 points (10 goals) and Guentzel had 21 (8 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Hughes or Guentzel?
- Against each other, Hughes has won 1 and Guentzel 0 of their 1 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 →