Who to start · 2025-26
Mathew Barzal vs Nico Hischier
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nico Hischier projects to 1.93 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mathew Barzal's 1.82.
Barzal had 72 points in 81 games; Hischier had 66 in 82 games.
This week Barzal has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Hischier has 1 left. We project Hischier for 1.9 ESPN points to Barzal's 1.4.
Nico Hischier has the better number in 23 of the 35 stats both are ranked on.
Barzal's biggest edges: Offensive-zone start % 62.4%, Plus/minus +10, On-ice PDO 1006.
Hischier's biggest edges: Draw Equity /100 +0.070, Faceoff win % 55.8%, Transition attempts /60 1.30.
Head to head on the dot, Hischier leads Barzal 37–15.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 2 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Mathew Barzal
1.82
fantasy points per game
Nico Hischier
2.00
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Nico Hischier has the edge.
| Points per game from | Barzal | Hischier |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.47 | 0.68 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.65 | 0.46 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.12 | 0.14 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.23 | 0.26 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.07 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.31 | 0.38 |
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: Barzal vs Hischier
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.
Barzal 8G 15A, 66 SOG · Hischier 8G 9A, 74 SOG
Barzal's offensive zone 4–9 · neutral 6–19 · Barzal's defensive zone 5–9 (2017-18 to 2025-26)
Barzal blocked 1 of Hischier's shots; Hischier blocked 0 of Barzal's.
On the ice against each other (Barzal's side)
21:24 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26, from Barzal's side
- Shot attempts
- 14–20
- 41.2%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–1.1
- 36.5%
- Goals
- 2–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Barzal | Hischier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-05 | NYI 3–1 NJD | 1G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2026-01-06 | NYI 9–0 NJD | 1G 2A 4S | 0G 0A 6S |
| 2025-12-23 | NYI 2–1 NJD | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2025-11-10 | NYI 3–2 NJD | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-10-25 | NYI 4–3 NJD | 0G 1A 4S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-04-15 | NYI 4–1 NJD | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2024-03-24 | NYI 0–4 NJD | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2023-11-28 | NYI 4–5 NJD | 1G 2A 3S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2023-10-20 | NYI 4–5 NJD | 0G 1A 6S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2022-12-09 | NYI 6–4 NJD | 0G 2A 1S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2022-10-20 | NYI 1–4 NJD | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 2A 5S |
| 2022-04-03 | NYI 4–3 NJD | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 5S |
Latest 12 of 26 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.
Mathew Barzal
2games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ TOROpp allows 7th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Anthony Stolarz (.893)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs NJD1.4 ptsOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jake Allen (.904)
Nico Hischier
2games (1 left)
1.9proj. 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 @ NYI1.9 ptsOpp allows 15th-most FP to Cvs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Mathew Barzal or Nico Hischier in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nico Hischier projects to 1.93 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mathew Barzal's 1.82. Barzal had 72 points in 81 games; Hischier had 66 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, Mathew Barzal or Nico Hischier?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nico Hischier leads in 23 of 35 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Barzal and Hischier done against each other?
- In 26 games against each other in our data, Barzal's team went 16–10. Barzal had 23 points (8 goals) and Hischier had 17 (8 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Barzal or Hischier?
- Against each other, Barzal has won 15 and Hischier 37 of their 52 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 →