Who to start · 2025-26
Leon Draisaitl vs William Nylander
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Leon Draisaitl projects to 2.96 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to William Nylander's 2.36.
Draisaitl had 97 points in 65 games; Nylander had 79 in 65 games.
This week Draisaitl has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Nylander has 1 left. We project Nylander for 2.1 ESPN points to Draisaitl's 2.0.
Leon Draisaitl has the better number in 23 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Draisaitl's biggest edges: Ascension score 69, Plus/minus +13, Expected goals 55.4%.
Nylander's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 1.67, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.036, Hardest shot 92.6.
Head to head on the dot, Draisaitl leads Nylander 12–12.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 2 PPP, 10 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Leon Draisaitl
2.96
fantasy points per game
William Nylander
2.36
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Leon Draisaitl has the edge.
| Points per game from | Draisaitl | Nylander |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 1.19 | 1.05 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.96 | 0.67 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.34 | 0.14 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.31 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.05 | 0.02 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.10 | 0.24 |
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: Draisaitl vs Nylander
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.
Draisaitl 12G 16A, 80 SOG · Nylander 11G 15A, 58 SOG
Draisaitl's offensive zone 4–5 · neutral 4–2 · Draisaitl's defensive zone 4–5 (2017-18 to 2025-26)
Draisaitl blocked 1 of Nylander's shots; Nylander blocked 0 of Draisaitl's.
On the ice against each other (Draisaitl's side)
16:16 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Draisaitl's side
- Shot attempts
- 19–10
- 65.5%
- Expected goals
- 1.1–0.4
- 70.0%
- Goals
- 2–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Draisaitl | Nylander |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-03 | EDM 2–5 TOR | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2025-12-13 | EDM 6–3 TOR | 0G 3A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-02-01 | EDM 3–4 TOR | 0G 1A 6S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2024-11-16 | EDM 3–4 TOR | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-03-23 | EDM 3–6 TOR | 1G 0A 5S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2024-01-16 | EDM 4–2 TOR | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 6S |
| 2023-03-11 | EDM 4–7 TOR | 1G 0A 4S | 1G 1A 2S |
| 2023-03-01 | EDM 5–2 TOR | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-01-05 | EDM 2–4 TOR | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2021-12-14 | EDM 1–5 TOR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2021-03-29 | EDM 3–2 TOR | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2021-03-27 | EDM 3–4 TOR | 1G 2A 2S | 1G 1A 2S |
Latest 12 of 25 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.
Leon Draisaitl
3games (1 left)
2.0proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs VANOpp allows 6th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ VANOpp allows 6th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA2.0 ptsOpp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Joey Daccord (.897)
William Nylander
3games (1 left)
2.1proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs MTLOpp allows 12th-most FP to RWLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
- Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2BOpp allows 14th-most FP to RWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT2.1 ptsvs Linus Ullmark (.891)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Leon Draisaitl or William Nylander in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Leon Draisaitl projects to 2.96 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to William Nylander's 2.36. Draisaitl had 97 points in 65 games; Nylander had 79 in 65 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, Leon Draisaitl or William Nylander?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Leon Draisaitl leads in 23 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Draisaitl and Nylander done against each other?
- In 25 games against each other in our data, Draisaitl's team went 7–18. Draisaitl had 28 points (12 goals) and Nylander had 26 (11 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Draisaitl or Nylander?
- Against each other, Draisaitl has won 12 and Nylander 12 of their 24 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 →