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Who to start · 2025-26

Justin Faulk vs Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Justin FaulkJustin FaulkRed Wings · DefencevsRyan Nugent-HopkinsRyan Nugent-HopkinsOilers · Centre

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Justin Faulk projects to 1.81 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins's 1.70.

Faulk had 40 points in 78 games; Nugent-Hopkins had 56 in 72 games.

This week Faulk has 1 game left; Nugent-Hopkins has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Faulk for 1.5 ESPN points to Nugent-Hopkins's 1.1.

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has the better number in 19 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.

Faulk's biggest edges: Luck Meter +78, Turnover Ledger /60 −0.043, 20+ mph bursts 69.

Nugent-Hopkins's biggest edges: Forecheck xG /60 0.34, High-danger chances 54.8%, Sequence xG 51.1%.

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

Fantasy value: your scoring

Justin Faulk

1.91

fantasy points per game

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

1.70

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Justin Faulk has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromFaulkNugent-Hopkins
Goals (+2)0.410.56
Assists (+1)0.310.50
Power-play points (+0.5)0.060.20
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.010.01
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.190.18
Hits (+0.1)0.090.03
Blocks (+0.5)0.850.22

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: Faulk vs Nugent-Hopkins

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.

FaulkNugent-Hopkins
10Team record in 19 meetings9
10Points in those games13

Faulk 1G 9A, 40 SOG · Nugent-Hopkins 3G 10A, 54 SOG

3Shots blocked by the other4

Faulk blocked 3 of Nugent-Hopkins's shots; Nugent-Hopkins blocked 4 of Faulk's.

0Penalties drawn off the other1

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

7:14 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Faulk's side

Shot attempts
6–4
60.0%
Expected goals
0.3–0.0
90.8%
Goals
0–0

Games against each other

Games between Justin Faulk and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
DateScoreFaulkNugent-Hopkins
2026-01-18STL 0–5 EDM0G 0A 2S1G 0A 3S
2025-11-03STL 3–2 EDM0G 1A 1S0G 2A 0S
2025-02-04STL 2–3 EDM0G 0A 1S0G 0A 1S
2024-12-07STL 2–4 EDM0G 0A 1S0G 0A 0S
2024-04-01STL 3–2 EDM0G 1A 2S0G 0A 4S
2024-02-28STL 2–3 EDM0G 0A 3S0G 2A 2S
2022-12-15STL 4–3 EDM0G 0A 3S0G 1A 3S
2022-10-26STL 1–3 EDM0G 1A 6S1G 0A 5S
2022-10-22STL 2–0 EDM1G 0A 1S0G 0A 2S
2022-04-01STL 5–6 EDM0G 1A 1S0G 0A 0S
2021-12-29STL 4–2 EDM0G 1A 2S0G 0A 4S
2021-11-14STL 4–5 EDM0G 0A 1S1G 0A 8S

Latest 12 of 19 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.

FaulkNugent-Hopkins

Fantasy box score

Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)

Transition, turnovers & faceoffs

Usage

Special teams & discipline

Luck & trend

NHL EDGE tracking

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.

Justin Faulk

2games (1 left)

1.5proj. ESPN pts

  • Fri, Oct 2 vs NYR
    Opp allows 9th-fewest FP to DSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
  • Sun, Oct 4 vs WPG1.5 pts
    Likely vs Stuart Skinner (.888)

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

3games (1 left)

1.1proj. ESPN pts

  • Tue, Sep 29 vs VAN
    Opp allows 4th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
  • Thu, Oct 1 @ VAN
    Opp allows 4th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA1.1 pts
    Opp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Joey Daccord (.897)

Similar matchups

FAQ

Should I start Justin Faulk or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Justin Faulk projects to 1.81 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins's 1.70. Faulk had 40 points in 78 games; Nugent-Hopkins had 56 in 72 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, Justin Faulk or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins?
On 2025-26 numbers, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins leads in 19 of 33 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have Faulk and Nugent-Hopkins done against each other?
In 19 games against each other in our data, Faulk's team went 10–9. Faulk had 10 points (1 goals) and Nugent-Hopkins had 13 (3 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 →