Who to start · 2025-26
Nikolaj Ehlers vs Will Cuylle
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikolaj Ehlers projects to 1.65 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Will Cuylle's 1.63.
Ehlers had 71 points in 82 games; Cuylle had 38 in 82 games.
This week Ehlers has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Cuylle has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Ehlers for 1.8 ESPN points to Cuylle's 1.4.
Nikolaj Ehlers has the better number in 25 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Ehlers's biggest edges: Goals above expected +3.6, Fenwick 61.3%, Plus/minus +8.
Cuylle's biggest edges: Hits 302, Penalty minutes 65, Blocked shots 68.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 3 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 8 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Nikolaj Ehlers
1.65
fantasy points per game
Will Cuylle
1.63
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Nikolaj Ehlers has the edge.
| Points per game from | Ehlers | Cuylle |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.56 | 0.41 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.48 | 0.24 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.15 | 0.07 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.26 | 0.20 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.03 | 0.37 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.16 | 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 custom weights are saved in this browser only.
Head-to-head: Ehlers vs Cuylle
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2023-24 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Ehlers 2G 7A, 25 SOG · Cuylle 2G 1A, 22 SOG
Ehlers's offensive zone 1–0 · neutral 0–0 · Ehlers's defensive zone 0–0 (2025-26)
On the ice against each other (Ehlers's side)
18:46 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Ehlers's side
- Shot attempts
- 27–16
- 62.8%
- Expected goals
- 1.0–0.2
- 80.8%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Ehlers | Cuylle |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-05 | CAR 2–0 NYR | 0G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2025-12-29 | CAR 3–2 NYR | 0G 2A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-11-26 | CAR 2–4 NYR | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2025-11-04 | CAR 3–0 NYR | 1G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-03-11 | WPG 2–1 NYR | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-11-12 | WPG 6–3 NYR | 0G 2A 1S | 1G 1A 4S |
| 2024-03-19 | WPG 4–2 NYR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2023-10-30 | WPG 2–3 NYR | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 2S |
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.
Nikolaj Ehlers
3games (1 left)
1.8proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs FLAOpp allows 13th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Jacob Markstrom (.883)
- Fri, Oct 2 vs WSHOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Logan Thompson (.912)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ PHIB2B1.8 ptsOpp allows 4th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −8.7 win%vs Joseph Woll (.899)
Will Cuylle
4games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ BOSOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)
- Thu, Oct 1 vs TBLOpp allows 6th-most FP to LWLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Fri, Oct 2 @ DETB2BOpp allows 13th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs John Gibson (.901)
- Sun, Oct 4 vs UTA1.4 ptsOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Nikolaj Ehlers or Will Cuylle in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nikolaj Ehlers projects to 1.65 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Will Cuylle's 1.63. Ehlers had 71 points in 82 games; Cuylle had 38 in 82 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, Nikolaj Ehlers or Will Cuylle?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nikolaj Ehlers 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 Ehlers and Cuylle done against each other?
- In 8 games against each other in our data, Ehlers's team went 6–2. Ehlers had 9 points (2 goals) and Cuylle had 3 (2 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Ehlers or Cuylle?
- Against each other, Ehlers has won 1 and Cuylle 0 of their 1 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 →