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Who to start · 2025-26

Jared Spurgeon vs Nikolaj Ehlers

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikolaj Ehlers projects to 1.65 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Jared Spurgeon's 1.55.

Spurgeon had 22 points in 79 games; Ehlers had 71 in 82 games.

This week Spurgeon has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Ehlers has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Ehlers for 1.8 ESPN points to Spurgeon's 1.1.

Nikolaj Ehlers has the better number in 26 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.

Spurgeon's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 0, Hits 82, Blocked shots 137.

Ehlers's biggest edges: Offensive-zone start % 67.3%, Corsi 60.6%, Scoring chances 58.5%.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
  • • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.

Fantasy value: your scoring

Jared Spurgeon

1.55

fantasy points per game

Nikolaj Ehlers

1.65

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Nikolaj Ehlers has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromSpurgeonEhlers
Goals (+2)0.140.56
Assists (+1)0.250.48
Power-play points (+0.5)0.040.15
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.000.00
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.110.26
Hits (+0.1)0.100.03
Blocks (+0.5)0.910.16

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: Spurgeon vs Ehlers

Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.

SpurgeonEhlers
10Team record in 23 meetings13
6Points in those games10

Spurgeon 0G 6A, 32 SOG · Ehlers 6G 4A, 54 SOG

2Hits on each other2
9Shots blocked by the other2

Spurgeon blocked 9 of Ehlers's shots; Ehlers blocked 2 of Spurgeon's.

0Penalties drawn off the other2

On the ice against each other (Spurgeon's side)

10:11 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Spurgeon's side

Shot attempts
4–17
19.0%
Expected goals
0.2–0.6
27.9%
Goals
0–0

Games against each other

Games between Jared Spurgeon and Nikolaj Ehlers
DateScoreSpurgeonEhlers
2025-11-19MIN 4–3 CAR0G 0A 0S0G 1A 2S
2025-11-06MIN 3–4 CAR0G 1A 1S1G 0A 4S
2024-12-21MIN 0–5 WPG0G 0A 1S1G 0A 3S
2024-11-25MIN 1–4 WPG0G 0A 3S0G 0A 2S
2023-12-31MIN 2–3 WPG0G 1A 3S0G 0A 4S
2023-12-30MIN 2–4 WPG0G 0A 1S0G 0A 4S
2023-04-11MIN 1–3 WPG0G 0A 2S0G 0A 1S
2023-03-08MIN 4–2 WPG0G 0A 0S0G 1A 2S
2021-10-19MIN 6–5 WPG0G 1A 1S0G 0A 1S
2020-01-04MIN 3–2 WPG0G 0A 0S0G 0A 2S
2019-12-21MIN 0–6 WPG0G 0A 1S1G 0A 3S
2019-10-10MIN 2–5 WPG0G 0A 5S0G 0A 3S

Latest 12 of 23 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.

SpurgeonEhlers

Fantasy box score

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.

Jared Spurgeon

2games (1 left)

1.1proj. ESPN pts

  • Thu, Oct 1 @ NSH
    Opp allows 14th-most FP to DLikely vs Juuse Saros (.893)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs BOS1.1 pts
    Opp allows 8th-fewest FP to DSchedule edge +12.8 win%Likely vs Michael DiPietro (1.000)

Nikolaj Ehlers

3games (1 left)

1.8proj. ESPN pts

  • Tue, Sep 29 vs FLA
    Opp allows 13th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Jacob Markstrom (.883)
  • Fri, Oct 2 vs WSH
    Opp allows 10th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Logan Thompson (.912)
  • Sat, Oct 3 @ PHIB2B1.8 pts
    Opp allows 4th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −8.7 win%vs Joseph Woll (.899)

FAQ

Should I start Jared Spurgeon or Nikolaj Ehlers in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikolaj Ehlers projects to 1.65 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Jared Spurgeon's 1.55. Spurgeon had 22 points in 79 games; Ehlers had 71 in 82 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, Jared Spurgeon or Nikolaj Ehlers?
On 2025-26 numbers, Nikolaj Ehlers leads in 26 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have Spurgeon and Ehlers done against each other?
In 23 games against each other in our data, Spurgeon's team went 10–13. Spurgeon had 6 points (0 goals) and Ehlers had 10 (6 goals).

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 →