Who to start · 2025-26
Neal Pionk vs Rasmus Andersson
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Rasmus Andersson projects to 1.80 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Neal Pionk's 1.66.
Pionk had 12 points in 51 games; Andersson had 47 in 81 games.
This week Pionk has 2 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Andersson has 2 left. In ESPN default points scoring we project Pionk for 3.5 to Andersson's 3.4 over the games left.
Rasmus Andersson has the better number in 29 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Pionk's biggest edges: Ascension score 85, Hits 111, Forecheck xG /60 0.30.
Andersson's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 −0.018, Luck Meter +51, Goals above expected +3.4.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Neal Pionk rates ahead, +3.7 to +3.5 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Pionk is surging, 5 P in last 5 (0.30/GP before); Andersson is steady, −1:52 TOI a game.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 1 PPP, 17 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 2 G, 3 A, 0 PPP, 21 SOG.
Winnipeg Jets · Vegas Golden Knights · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Neal Pionk
+3.7
category z-score total
Rasmus Andersson
+3.5
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Neal Pionk has the edge (Pionk wins 2, Andersson wins 4 of 6 categories).
| Category | Pionk | Andersson |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.08 | 0.21 |
| Assists / game | 0.32 | 0.34 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.05 | -0.05 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.07 | 0.10 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.90 | 2.16 |
| Hits / game | 2.11 | 0.35 |
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: Pionk vs Andersson
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2018-19 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Pionk 2G 16A, 55 SOG · Andersson 4G 7A, 55 SOG
Pionk blocked 2 of Andersson's shots; Andersson blocked 0 of Pionk's.
On the ice against each other (Pionk's side)
24:13 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26, from Pionk's side
- Shot attempts
- 16–27
- 37.2%
- Expected goals
- 0.4–0.7
- 33.7%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Pionk | Andersson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-24 | WPG 4–1 VGK | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2025-11-15 | WPG 4–3 CGY | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2025-10-24 | WPG 5–3 CGY | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-10-20 | WPG 2–1 CGY | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 0A 6S |
| 2025-01-26 | WPG 5–2 CGY | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-01-18 | WPG 1–3 CGY | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-10-26 | WPG 5–3 CGY | 0G 2A 3S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-04-04 | WPG 5–2 CGY | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-02-19 | WPG 3–6 CGY | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2023-10-11 | WPG 3–5 CGY | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2023-04-05 | WPG 1–3 CGY | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-01-03 | WPG 3–2 CGY | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
Latest 12 of 28 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
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
Neal Pionk
3games (2 left)
3.5proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 @ STLOpp allows 11th-most FP to DLikely vs Joel Hofer (.910)
- Thu, Oct 22 @ DAL1.6 ptsOpp allows the fewest FP to DLikely vs Jake Oettinger (.899)
- Sun, Oct 25 vs MTL1.9 ptsOpp allows 6th-most FP to DLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
Rasmus Andersson
3games (2 left)
3.4proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs TBLOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to Dvs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Thu, Oct 22 @ STL1.8 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ CBJ1.6 ptsOpp allows 13th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Jet Greaves (.908)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Neal Pionk or Rasmus Andersson in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Rasmus Andersson projects to 1.80 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Neal Pionk's 1.66. Pionk had 12 points in 51 games; Andersson had 47 in 81 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, Neal Pionk or Rasmus Andersson?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Rasmus Andersson leads in 29 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Pionk and Andersson done against each other?
- In 28 games against each other in our data, Pionk's team went 17–11. Pionk had 18 points (2 goals) and Andersson had 11 (4 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 →