Who to start · 2025-26
Jack Hughes vs Mika Zibanejad
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jack Hughes projects to 2.55 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mika Zibanejad's 2.27.
Hughes had 77 points in 61 games; Zibanejad had 78 in 81 games.
This week Hughes has 1 game left; Zibanejad has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Hughes for 2.3 ESPN points to Zibanejad's 1.4.
Jack Hughes has the better number in 18 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Hughes's biggest edges: Plus/minus 0, Fenwick 55.3%, Corsi 55.9%.
Zibanejad's biggest edges: Hits 105, Hardest shot 96.4, Faceoff win % 52.5%.
Head to head on the dot, Zibanejad leads Hughes 50–35.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 3 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Jack Hughes
2.55
fantasy points per game
Mika Zibanejad
2.27
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Jack Hughes has the edge.
| Points per game from | Hughes | Zibanejad |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.95 | 0.81 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.77 | 0.51 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.18 | 0.21 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.02 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.38 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.01 | 0.14 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.25 | 0.34 |
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 Zibanejad
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 23G 17A, 140 SOG · Zibanejad 12G 16A, 86 SOG
Hughes's offensive zone 10–27 · neutral 20–16 · Hughes's defensive zone 5–7 (2019-20 to 2025-26)
Hughes blocked 0 of Zibanejad's shots; Zibanejad blocked 3 of Hughes's.
On the ice against each other (Hughes's side)
17:22 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Hughes's side
- Shot attempts
- 13–17
- 43.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–1.2
- 33.8%
- Goals
- 1–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Hughes | Zibanejad |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-31 | NJD 1–4 NYR | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2026-03-18 | NJD 6–3 NYR | 1G 2A 5S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2026-03-07 | NJD 6–3 NYR | 3G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-01-09 | NJD 2–3 NYR | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2024-12-23 | NJD 5–0 NYR | 2G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-12-02 | NJD 5–1 NYR | 2G 1A 8S | 0G 1A 5S |
| 2024-04-03 | NJD 3–4 NYR | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-03-11 | NJD 1–3 NYR | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 0A 7S |
| 2024-02-22 | NJD 1–5 NYR | 1G 0A 10S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2023-11-18 | NJD 3–5 NYR | 1G 1A 8S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-05-01 · PO | NJD 4–0 NYR | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-04-29 · PO | NJD 2–5 NYR | 0G 1A 9S | 1G 1A 2S |
Latest 12 of 33 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)
Mika Zibanejad
4games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ BOSOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)
- Thu, Oct 1 vs TBLOpp allows 11th-most FP to CLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Fri, Oct 2 @ DETB2BOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs John Gibson (.901)
- Sun, Oct 4 vs UTA1.4 ptsOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Jack Hughes or Mika Zibanejad 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 Mika Zibanejad's 2.27. Hughes had 77 points in 61 games; Zibanejad had 78 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 Mika Zibanejad?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Jack Hughes leads in 18 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 Zibanejad done against each other?
- In 33 games against each other in our data, Hughes's team went 16–17. Hughes had 40 points (23 goals) and Zibanejad had 28 (12 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Hughes or Zibanejad?
- Against each other, Hughes has won 35 and Zibanejad 50 of their 85 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 →