Who to start · 2025-26
Nick Cousins vs Teddy Blueger
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Teddy Blueger projects to 0.94 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Nick Cousins's 0.93.
Cousins had 23 points in 81 games; Blueger had 17 in 35 games.
This week Cousins has 2 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Blueger has 2 left with 2 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Cousins for 1.8 to Blueger's 1.3 over the games left.
Nick Cousins has the better number in 20 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Cousins's biggest edges: Sequence xG 56.4%, Expected goals 56.2%, Scoring chances 55.0%.
Blueger's biggest edges: Ice time per game 16:31, Ice-time share 27.1%, Faceoffs won 199.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Nick Cousins rates ahead, -3.0 to -3.8 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Cousins is falling, On-ice xGF/60 0.93 (was 2.05); Blueger is cooling, On-ice xGF/60 1.41 (was 2.16).
- • Cousins, 2026-27 so far: 10 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
- • Blueger, 2026-27 so far: 11 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 11 SOG.
- • Blueger, last 10 games (Sep 30–Oct 20): 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 10 SOG.
Ottawa Senators · Toronto Maple Leafs · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Nick Cousins
-3.0
category z-score total
Teddy Blueger
-3.8
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Nick Cousins has the edge (Cousins wins 3, Blueger wins 3 of 6 categories).
| Category | Cousins | Blueger |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.11 | 0.15 |
| Assists / game | 0.14 | 0.13 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.10 | -0.31 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.00 | 0.02 |
| Shots on goal / game | 0.83 | 1.26 |
| Hits / game | 2.01 | 1.41 |
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: Cousins vs Blueger
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2019-20 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Cousins 1G 3A, 19 SOG · Blueger 1G 4A, 15 SOG
Cousins's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 0–0 · Cousins's defensive zone 1–1 (2022-23)
On the ice against each other (Cousins's side)
4:35 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Cousins's side
- Shot attempts
- 2–3
- 40.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.0
- 72.4%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Cousins | Blueger |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-03 | OTT 3–2 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2026-03-09 | OTT 2–0 VAN | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-12-21 | OTT 5–4 VAN | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-11-23 | OTT 3–4 VAN | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2023-12-14 | FLA 0–4 VAN | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2023-03-07 | FLA 2–1 VGK | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-01-24 | FLA 6–7 PIT | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-12-15 | FLA 2–4 PIT | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-04-10 | NSH 2–3 PIT | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-03-15 | NSH 4–1 PIT | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2020-02-14 | MTL 1–4 PIT | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2020-01-04 | MTL 2–3 PIT | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 2A 2S |
Latest 12 of 13 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, 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
Nick Cousins
3games (2 left)
1.8proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs FLAOpp allows 10th-most FP to CLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs NYR0.8 ptsOpp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
Teddy Blueger
4games (2 left)
1.3proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 vs SJSOpp allows 4th-most FP to CLikely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)
- Tue, Oct 20 @ CBJB2B
- Thu, Oct 22 vs NYR0.7 ptsOpp allows 6th-fewest FP to Cvs Dylan Garand (.948)
- Sat, Oct 24 @ EDM0.7 pts
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Nick Cousins or Teddy Blueger in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Teddy Blueger projects to 0.94 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Nick Cousins's 0.93. Cousins had 23 points in 81 games; Blueger had 17 in 35 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, Nick Cousins or Teddy Blueger?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nick Cousins leads in 20 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Cousins and Blueger done against each other?
- In 13 games against each other in our data, Cousins's team went 6–7. Cousins had 4 points (1 goals) and Blueger had 5 (1 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Cousins or Blueger?
- Against each other, Cousins has won 1 and Blueger 1 of their 2 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 →