Who to start · 2025-26
Jack Hughes vs Nathan MacKinnon
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nathan MacKinnon projects to 3.32 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Jack Hughes's 2.55.
Hughes had 77 points in 61 games; MacKinnon had 127 in 80 games.
This week Hughes has 1 game left; MacKinnon has 1 left. We project MacKinnon for 2.8 ESPN points to Hughes's 2.4.
Nathan MacKinnon has the better number in 31 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Hughes's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 −0.016, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.55, Shorthanded points 2.
MacKinnon's biggest edges: On-ice PDO 1054, Draw Equity /100 +0.013, Penalty minutes 39.
Head to head on the dot, MacKinnon leads Hughes 13–9.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 1 PPP, 8 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Jack Hughes
2.55
fantasy points per game
Nathan MacKinnon
3.32
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Nathan MacKinnon has the edge.
| Points per game from | Hughes | MacKinnon |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.95 | 1.49 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.77 | 0.87 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.18 | 0.21 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.02 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.38 | 0.46 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.01 | 0.09 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.25 | 0.21 |
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 MacKinnon
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 5G 3A, 24 SOG · MacKinnon 9G 5A, 44 SOG
Hughes's offensive zone 4–3 · neutral 4–7 · Hughes's defensive zone 1–3 (2021-22 to 2025-26)
Hughes blocked 1 of MacKinnon's shots; MacKinnon blocked 0 of Hughes's.
On the ice against each other (Hughes's side)
5:59 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Hughes's side
- Shot attempts
- 7–3
- 70.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.2
- 31.9%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Hughes | MacKinnon |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-28 | NJD 4–8 COL | 1G 1A 2S | 2G 1A 5S |
| 2025-10-26 | NJD 4–3 COL | 2G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2025-02-26 | NJD 1–5 COL | 1G 0A 2S | 2G 1A 7S |
| 2024-12-08 | NJD 0–4 COL | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 6S |
| 2023-03-01 | NJD 7–5 COL | 0G 0A 1S | 2G 0A 6S |
| 2022-10-28 | NJD 1–0 COL | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 7S |
| 2022-03-08 | NJD 5–3 COL | 0G 2A 6S | 1G 2A 4S |
| 2019-12-13 | NJD 1–3 COL | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 1A 5S |
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)
2.4proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs PHIOpp allows 5th-most FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ NYI2.4 ptsOpp allows 13th-most FP to Cvs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
Nathan MacKinnon
2games (1 left)
2.8proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 vs LAKOpp allows the most FP to CLikely vs Darcy Kuemper (.891)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs STL2.8 ptsSchedule edge +13.4 win%vs Jordan Binnington (.873)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Jack Hughes or Nathan MacKinnon in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nathan MacKinnon projects to 3.32 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Jack Hughes's 2.55. Hughes had 77 points in 61 games; MacKinnon had 127 in 80 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 Nathan MacKinnon?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nathan MacKinnon leads in 31 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 MacKinnon done against each other?
- In 8 games against each other in our data, Hughes's team went 4–4. Hughes had 8 points (5 goals) and MacKinnon had 14 (9 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Hughes or MacKinnon?
- Against each other, Hughes has won 9 and MacKinnon 13 of their 22 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 →