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Who to start · 2025-26

Nikolaj Ehlers vs Zach Werenski

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Zach Werenski projects to 2.59 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Nikolaj Ehlers's 1.65.

Ehlers had 71 points in 82 games; Werenski had 81 in 75 games.

This week Ehlers has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Werenski has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Werenski for 1.9 ESPN points to Ehlers's 1.8.

Nikolaj Ehlers has the better number in 18 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.

Ehlers's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.024, Hardest shot 93.6, Fenwick 61.3%.

Werenski's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 0, On-ice PDO 1006, Ice-time share 43.6%.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
  • • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 2 A, 1 PPP, 3 SOG.

Fantasy value: your scoring

Nikolaj Ehlers

1.65

fantasy points per game

Zach Werenski

2.59

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Zach Werenski has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromEhlersWerenski
Goals (+2)0.560.55
Assists (+1)0.480.86
Power-play points (+0.5)0.150.16
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.000.01
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.260.34
Hits (+0.1)0.030.04
Blocks (+0.5)0.160.62

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 Werenski

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.

EhlersWerenski
8Team record in 13 meetings5
12Points in those games9

Ehlers 7G 5A, 42 SOG · Werenski 2G 7A, 37 SOG

1Hits on each other0
0Shots blocked by the other2

Ehlers blocked 0 of Werenski's shots; Werenski blocked 2 of Ehlers's.

On the ice against each other (Ehlers's side)

24:15 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26, from Ehlers's side

Shot attempts
31–26
54.4%
Expected goals
0.6–1.7
24.0%
Goals
2–1

Games against each other

Games between Nikolaj Ehlers and Zach Werenski
DateScoreEhlersWerenski
2026-04-02CAR 5–1 CBJ0G 0A 0S0G 0A 0S
2026-03-31CAR 5–2 CBJ1G 2A 3S0G 1A 3S
2026-03-17CAR 1–5 CBJ0G 1A 2S0G 1A 3S
2025-12-09CAR 4–1 CBJ0G 0A 4S0G 0A 5S
2024-11-01WPG 6–2 CBJ3G 1A 5S0G 1A 4S
2024-03-17WPG 6–1 CBJ1G 1A 3S0G 0A 3S
2022-03-25WPG 4–3 CBJ1G 0A 2S0G 1A 3S
2021-11-24WPG 0–3 CBJ0G 0A 5S1G 0A 1S
2020-01-22WPG 3–4 CBJ0G 0A 4S0G 1A 2S
2019-11-23WPG 4–3 CBJ1G 0A 3S0G 1A 1S
2019-03-03WPG 5–2 CBJ0G 0A 5S0G 1A 4S
2017-10-27WPG 1–2 CBJ0G 0A 2S0G 0A 5S

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.

EhlersWerenski

Fantasy box score

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 FLA
    Opp allows 13th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Jacob Markstrom (.883)
  • Fri, Oct 2 vs WSH
    Opp allows 10th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Logan Thompson (.912)
  • Sat, Oct 3 @ PHIB2B1.8 pts
    Opp allows 4th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −8.7 win%vs Joseph Woll (.899)

Zach Werenski

2games (1 left)

1.9proj. ESPN pts

  • Thu, Oct 1 vs BUF
    Opp allows 11th-most FP to DLikely vs Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (.910)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs UTA1.9 pts
    Opp allows 2nd-fewest FP to DLikely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)

FAQ

Should I start Nikolaj Ehlers or Zach Werenski in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Zach Werenski projects to 2.59 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Nikolaj Ehlers's 1.65. Ehlers had 71 points in 82 games; Werenski had 81 in 75 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 Zach Werenski?
On 2025-26 numbers, Nikolaj Ehlers 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 Ehlers and Werenski done against each other?
In 13 games against each other in our data, Ehlers's team went 8–5. Ehlers had 12 points (7 goals) and Werenski had 9 (2 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 →