Who to start · 2025-26
Jack Hughes vs William Eklund
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jack Hughes projects to 2.55 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to William Eklund's 1.62.
Hughes had 77 points in 61 games; Eklund had 53 in 78 games.
This week Hughes has 1 game left; Eklund has 1 left. We project Hughes for 2.3 ESPN points to Eklund's 1.2.
Jack Hughes has the better number in 26 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.
Hughes's biggest edges: Offensive-zone start % 79.3%, Forecheck xG /60 0.33, Plus/minus 0.
Eklund's biggest edges: Hits 72, Penalty minutes 32, Hardest shot 89.3.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Jack Hughes
2.55
fantasy points per game
William Eklund
1.62
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Jack Hughes has the edge.
| Points per game from | Hughes | Eklund |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.89 | 0.38 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.82 | 0.49 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.19 | 0.10 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.02 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.37 | 0.23 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.01 | 0.09 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.26 | 0.33 |
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 Eklund
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2023-24 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Hughes 2G 5A, 31 SOG · Eklund 3G 1A, 13 SOG
Hughes's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 1–0 · Hughes's defensive zone 0–0 (2024-25)
Hughes blocked 0 of Eklund's shots; Eklund blocked 5 of Hughes's.
On the ice against each other (Hughes's side)
9:51 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Hughes's side
- Shot attempts
- 9–8
- 52.9%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–0.3
- 65.2%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Hughes | Eklund |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-10-30 | NJD 2–5 SJS | 0G 1A 0S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2025-10-24 | NJD 3–1 SJS | 0G 1A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2025-01-04 | NJD 2–3 SJS | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2024-11-10 | NJD 0–1 SJS | 0G 0A 8S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-02-27 | NJD 7–2 SJS | 1G 2A 11S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-12-01 | NJD 3–6 SJS | 1G 0A 6S | 1G 0A 2S |
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)
William Eklund
1games
1.2proj. ESPN pts
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TOR1.2 ptsOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Jack Hughes or William Eklund 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 William Eklund's 1.62. Hughes had 77 points in 61 games; Eklund had 53 in 78 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 William Eklund?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Jack Hughes leads in 26 of 33 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Hughes and Eklund done against each other?
- In 6 games against each other in our data, Hughes's team went 2–4. Hughes had 7 points (2 goals) and Eklund had 4 (3 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Hughes or Eklund?
- Against each other, Hughes has won 1 and Eklund 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 →