Who to start · 2025-26
Luke Hughes vs Nikita Kucherov
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Kucherov projects to 2.87 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Luke Hughes's 1.37.
Hughes had 35 points in 68 games; Kucherov had 130 in 76 games.
This week Hughes has 2 games left with 1 soft matchup; Kucherov has 2 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Kucherov for 5.4 to Hughes's 3.3 over the games left.
Nikita Kucherov has the better number in 26 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Hughes's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 0, Ascension score 76, Top skating speed 23.4.
Kucherov's biggest edges: Goals above expected +3.9, Luck Meter +54, On-ice PDO 1046.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Nikita Kucherov rates ahead, +13.3 to +4.1 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Hughes is steady, PP1 in 5 of last 5 (was 10 of 20); Kucherov is steady, 63% of team PP time (was 72%).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 3 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 28 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 4 G, 9 A, 4 PPP, 26 SOG.
New Jersey Devils · Tampa Bay Lightning · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Luke Hughes
+4.1
category z-score total
Nikita Kucherov
+13.3
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Nikita Kucherov has the edge (Hughes wins 1, Kucherov wins 5 of 6 categories).
| Category | Hughes | Kucherov |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.18 | 0.53 |
| Assists / game | 0.31 | 1.08 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.04 | 0.52 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.16 | 0.47 |
| Shots on goal / game | 2.55 | 2.98 |
| Hits / game | 0.26 | 0.34 |
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 scoring choice is shared with Who Should I Start: saved on this device, and on your account when you are signed in.
Head-to-head: Hughes vs Kucherov
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 1G 4A, 10 SOG · Kucherov 3G 14A, 28 SOG
Hughes blocked 1 of Kucherov's shots; Kucherov blocked 0 of Hughes's.
On the ice against each other (Hughes's side)
17:44 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Hughes's side
- Shot attempts
- 19–20
- 48.7%
- Expected goals
- 1.7–1.2
- 57.9%
- Goals
- 2–3
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Hughes | Kucherov |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-11 | NJD 4–8 TBL | 1G 1A 1S | 0G 4A 4S |
| 2025-11-18 | NJD 1–5 TBL | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 1A 4S |
| 2025-10-11 | NJD 5–3 TBL | 0G 2A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-01-11 | NJD 3–2 TBL | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2024-11-16 | NJD 0–4 TBL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2024-02-25 | NJD 1–4 TBL | 0G 1A 0S | 1G 3A 5S |
| 2024-01-27 | NJD 3–6 TBL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 2A 5S |
| 2024-01-11 | NJD 3–4 TBL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 2A 3S |
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
Oct 19 to Oct 25. 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 cover the games left: Edgehalla's rest-of-season rates per game, adjusted for each opponent's scoring allowed, in ESPN default points.
Scored in ESPN default points (G 2, A 1, PPP 0.5, SHP 0.5, SOG 0.1, HIT 0.1, BLK 0.5). Use your league's scoring
Luke Hughes
3games (2 left)
3.3proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs COL
- Thu, Oct 22 vs ANA1.5 ptsOpp allows 16th-most FP to DLikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs LAK1.8 ptsOpp allows 7th-most FP to DLikely vs Darcy Kuemper (.891)
Nikita Kucherov
3games (2 left)
5.4proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 @ VGKOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Carter Hart (.891)
- Fri, Oct 23 @ COL2.3 ptsOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Luke Hughes or Nikita Kucherov in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Kucherov projects to 2.87 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Luke Hughes's 1.37. Hughes had 35 points in 68 games; Kucherov had 130 in 76 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, Luke Hughes or Nikita Kucherov?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nikita Kucherov 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 Hughes and Kucherov done against each other?
- In 8 games against each other in our data, Hughes's team went 2–6. Hughes had 5 points (1 goals) and Kucherov had 17 (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 →