Who to start · 2025-26
Nic Dowd vs Nikita Nesterenko
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Nesterenko projects to 0.90 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Nic Dowd's 0.84.
Dowd had 21 points in 75 games; Nesterenko had 9 in 29 games.
This week Dowd has 2 games left with 1 soft matchup; Nesterenko has 2 left. In ESPN default points scoring we project Nesterenko for 2.2 to Dowd's 1.8 over the games left.
Nic Dowd has the better number in 18 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Dowd's biggest edges: Penalty minutes 73, Blocked shots 50, Faceoffs won 476.
Nesterenko's biggest edges: Forecheck xG /60 0.36, Expected goals 54.9%, Sequence xG 54.5%.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Nikita Nesterenko rates ahead, -1.0 to -3.9 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Dowd is steady, ixG/60 0.05 (was 0.46); Nesterenko is rising, ixG/60 1.98 (was 0.44).
- • Dowd, 2026-27 so far: 11 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
- • Dowd, last 10 games (Oct 2–Oct 20): 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
- • Nesterenko has played 8 of the Ducks' 9 games since Oct 2 (in and out of the lineup).
- • Nesterenko, 2026-27 so far: 8 GP, 2 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 11 SOG.
Vegas Golden Knights · Anaheim Ducks · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Nic Dowd
-3.9
category z-score total
Nikita Nesterenko
-1.0
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Nikita Nesterenko has the edge (Dowd wins 0, Nesterenko wins 5 of 6 categories).
| Category | Dowd | Nesterenko |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.04 | 0.11 |
| Assists / game | 0.20 | 0.22 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.15 | 0.04 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal / game | 0.66 | 1.18 |
| Hits / game | 1.81 | 2.28 |
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: Dowd vs Nesterenko
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2025-26 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Dowd 0G 1A, 1 SOG · Nesterenko 0G 0A, 3 SOG
On the ice against each other (Dowd's side)
1:55 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Dowd's side
- Shot attempts
- 1–3
- 25.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.0
- 48.8%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Dowd | Nesterenko |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-02 | VGK 3–4 ANA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2026-01-05 | WSH 7–4 ANA | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 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, Luck & trend, NHL EDGE tracking continue below
Every stat, side by side (continued)
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
Nic Dowd
3games (2 left)
1.8proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs TBLOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Thu, Oct 22 @ STL0.9 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ CBJ0.9 ptsOpp allows 3rd-most FP to CLikely vs Jet Greaves (.908)
Nikita Nesterenko
4games (2 left)
2.2proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 @ NYROpp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
- Tue, Oct 20 @ NYIB2B
- Thu, Oct 22 @ NJD1.1 ptsOpp allows 16th-fewest FP to Cvs Nico Daws (.908)
- Sat, Oct 24 @ PHI1.1 ptsOpp allows 12th-most FP to CLikely vs Dan Vladar (.906)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Nic Dowd or Nikita Nesterenko in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Nesterenko projects to 0.90 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Nic Dowd's 0.84. Dowd had 21 points in 75 games; Nesterenko had 9 in 29 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, Nic Dowd or Nikita Nesterenko?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nic Dowd leads in 18 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Dowd and Nesterenko done against each other?
- In 2 games against each other in our data, Dowd's team went 1–1. Dowd had 1 points (0 goals) and Nesterenko had 0 (0 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 →