Who to start · 2025-26
Nikita Kucherov vs William Nylander
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Kucherov projects to 3.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to William Nylander's 2.36.
Kucherov had 130 points in 77 games; Nylander had 79 in 65 games.
This week Kucherov has 1 game left; Nylander has 1 left. We project Kucherov for 2.8 ESPN points to Nylander's 2.1.
Nikita Kucherov has the better number in 25 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Kucherov's biggest edges: Plus/minus +43, Expected goals 57.2%, Sequence xG 57.2%.
Nylander's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.036, Faceoffs won 31, Top skating speed 23.5.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Nikita Kucherov
3.01
fantasy points per game
William Nylander
2.36
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Nikita Kucherov has the edge.
| Points per game from | Kucherov | Nylander |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 1.20 | 1.05 |
| Assists (+1) | 1.05 | 0.67 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.23 | 0.14 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.29 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.02 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.21 | 0.24 |
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: Kucherov vs Nylander
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.
Kucherov 18G 36A, 127 SOG · Nylander 16G 22A, 120 SOG
Kucherov blocked 2 of Nylander's shots; Nylander blocked 0 of Kucherov's.
On the ice against each other (Kucherov's side)
12:48 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Kucherov's side
- Shot attempts
- 13–14
- 48.1%
- Expected goals
- 1.1–0.6
- 65.3%
- Goals
- 2–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Kucherov | Nylander |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-07 | TBL 5–2 TOR | 0G 4A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2026-02-25 | TBL 4–2 TOR | 1G 2A 2S | 0G 2A 4S |
| 2025-12-08 | TBL 0–2 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-04-09 | TBL 3–4 TOR | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-01-20 | TBL 3–5 TOR | 0G 1A 5S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-10-21 | TBL 2–5 TOR | 0G 1A 4S | 2G 1A 5S |
| 2024-04-17 | TBL 6–4 TOR | 1G 1A 4S | 0G 1A 5S |
| 2024-04-03 | TBL 4–1 TOR | 0G 3A 2S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2023-11-06 | TBL 5–6 TOR | 2G 2A 5S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2023-10-21 | TBL 3–4 TOR | 2G 1A 6S | 1G 1A 6S |
| 2023-04-29 · PO | TBL 1–2 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-04-27 · PO | TBL 4–2 TOR | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 4S |
Latest 12 of 38 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.
Nikita Kucherov
2games (1 left)
2.8proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 @ NYROpp allows 12th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs WSH2.8 ptsOpp allows 13th-most FP to RWSchedule edge +13.4 win%vs Charlie Lindgren (.879)
William Nylander
3games (1 left)
2.1proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs MTLOpp allows 12th-most FP to RWLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
- Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2BOpp allows 14th-most FP to RWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT2.1 ptsLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Nikita Kucherov or William Nylander in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikita Kucherov projects to 3.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to William Nylander's 2.36. Kucherov had 130 points in 77 games; Nylander had 79 in 65 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, Nikita Kucherov or William Nylander?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nikita Kucherov leads in 25 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Kucherov and Nylander done against each other?
- In 38 games against each other in our data, Kucherov's team went 19–19. Kucherov had 54 points (18 goals) and Nylander had 38 (16 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 →