Who to start · 2025-26
Matty Beniers vs Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Matty Beniers projects to 1.73 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins's 1.70.
Beniers had 50 points in 82 games; Nugent-Hopkins had 56 in 72 games.
This week Beniers has 2 games left; Nugent-Hopkins has 1 left. We project Beniers for 3.2 ESPN points to Nugent-Hopkins's 1.4.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has the better number in 19 of the 35 stats both are ranked on.
Beniers's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 +0.38, On-ice PDO 1016, Blocked shots 69.
Nugent-Hopkins's biggest edges: Goals above expected +2.6, High-danger chances 54.8%, Top skating speed 22.8.
Head to head on the dot, Nugent-Hopkins leads Beniers 26–20.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Matty Beniers
1.56
fantasy points per game
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
1.70
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has the edge.
| Points per game from | Beniers | Nugent-Hopkins |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.49 | 0.56 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.37 | 0.50 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.07 | 0.20 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.18 | 0.18 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.03 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.42 | 0.22 |
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: Beniers vs Nugent-Hopkins
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2022-23 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Beniers 2G 7A, 25 SOG · Nugent-Hopkins 6G 15A, 25 SOG
Beniers's offensive zone 9–10 · neutral 5–6 · Beniers's defensive zone 6–10 (2022-23 to 2025-26)
On the ice against each other (Beniers's side)
16:41 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26, from Beniers's side
- Shot attempts
- 24–15
- 61.5%
- Expected goals
- 1.7–0.5
- 77.0%
- Goals
- 1–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Beniers | Nugent-Hopkins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-31 | SEA 0–3 EDM | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-12-04 | SEA 4–9 EDM | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 3A 0S |
| 2025-11-29 | SEA 0–4 EDM | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 1A 2S |
| 2025-10-25 | SEA 3–2 EDM | 0G 2A 2S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-03-27 | SEA 6–1 EDM | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2025-03-22 | SEA 4–5 EDM | 0G 1A 2S | 3G 0A 5S |
| 2025-01-27 | SEA 2–4 EDM | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-01-04 | SEA 2–4 EDM | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2024-03-02 | SEA 1–2 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2023-11-15 | SEA 3–4 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2023-11-11 | SEA 1–4 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2023-03-18 | SEA 4–6 EDM | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 1S |
Latest 12 of 15 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.
Matty Beniers
3games (2 left)
3.2proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 @ CGY
- Sat, Oct 3 @ EDM1.6 pts
- Sun, Oct 4 vs CGYB2B1.6 pts
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
3games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs VAN
- Thu, Oct 1 @ VAN
- Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA1.4 pts
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Matty Beniers or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Matty Beniers projects to 1.73 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins's 1.70. Beniers had 50 points in 82 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, Matty Beniers or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins leads in 19 of 35 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Beniers and Nugent-Hopkins done against each other?
- In 15 games against each other in our data, Beniers's team went 3–12. Beniers had 9 points (2 goals) and Nugent-Hopkins had 21 (6 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Beniers or Nugent-Hopkins?
- Against each other, Beniers has won 20 and Nugent-Hopkins 26 of their 46 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 →