Who to start · 2025-26
Pavel Zacha vs William Nylander
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, William Nylander projects to 2.36 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Pavel Zacha's 1.70.
Zacha had 65 points in 78 games; Nylander had 79 in 65 games.
This week Zacha has 1 game left; Nylander has 1 left. We project Nylander for 2.1 ESPN points to Zacha's 1.0.
William Nylander has the better number in 18 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Zacha's biggest edges: Plus/minus +4, Hits 64, Faceoffs won 524.
Nylander's biggest edges: Offensive-zone start % 66.1%, Transition attempts /60 1.67, Forecheck xG /60 0.33.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Pavel Zacha
1.70
fantasy points per game
William Nylander
2.36
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, William Nylander has the edge.
| Points per game from | Zacha | Nylander |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.68 | 1.05 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.40 | 0.67 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.12 | 0.14 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.18 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.08 | 0.02 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.24 | 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: Zacha 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.
Zacha 10G 7A, 42 SOG · Nylander 7G 9A, 92 SOG
Zacha's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 2–2 · Zacha's defensive zone 3–2 (2018-19 to 2025-26)
Zacha blocked 1 of Nylander's shots; Nylander blocked 0 of Zacha's.
On the ice against each other (Zacha's side)
14:25 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Zacha's side
- Shot attempts
- 14–26
- 35.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.7–1.3
- 34.8%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Zacha | Nylander |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-24 | BOS 2–4 TOR | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 1A 6S |
| 2025-11-11 | BOS 5–3 TOR | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 8S |
| 2025-11-08 | BOS 5–3 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-02-25 | BOS 4–5 TOR | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-01-04 | BOS 4–6 TOR | 0G 2A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-11-05 | BOS 0–4 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2024-10-26 | BOS 4–3 TOR | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-05-04 · PO | BOS 2–1 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2024-05-02 · PO | BOS 1–2 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 2G 0A 5S |
| 2024-04-30 · PO | BOS 1–2 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2024-04-27 · PO | BOS 3–1 TOR | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-03-07 | BOS 4–1 TOR | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
Latest 12 of 26 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.
Pavel Zacha
3games (1 left)
1.0proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs NYROpp allows 15th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
- Fri, Oct 2 @ WPGOpp allows 4th-most FP to CLikely vs Stuart Skinner (.888)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ MINB2B1.0 ptsOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −12.7 win%vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
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 ptsvs Linus Ullmark (.891)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Pavel Zacha or William Nylander in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, William Nylander projects to 2.36 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Pavel Zacha's 1.70. Zacha had 65 points in 78 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, Pavel Zacha or William Nylander?
- On 2025-26 numbers, William Nylander 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 Zacha and Nylander done against each other?
- In 26 games against each other in our data, Zacha's team went 14–12. Zacha had 17 points (10 goals) and Nylander had 16 (7 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Zacha or Nylander?
- Against each other, Zacha has won 5 and Nylander 4 of their 9 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 →