Who to start · 2025-26
Quinn Hughes 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 Quinn Hughes's 2.16.
Hughes had 76 points in 74 games; Nylander had 79 in 65 games.
This week Hughes has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Nylander has 1 left. We project Nylander for 2.1 ESPN points to Hughes's 1.7.
Quinn Hughes has the better number in 21 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Hughes's biggest edges: Ascension score 57, Expected goals 54.3%, Scoring chances 53.6%.
Nylander's biggest edges: Goals above expected +5.0, Luck Meter +74, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.036.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Quinn Hughes
2.16
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 | Hughes | Nylander |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.18 | 1.05 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.94 | 0.67 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.22 | 0.14 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.27 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.01 | 0.02 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.55 | 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: Hughes vs Nylander
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2019-20 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Hughes 2G 16A, 27 SOG · Nylander 5G 10A, 51 SOG
Hughes blocked 1 of Nylander's shots; Nylander blocked 0 of Hughes's.
On the ice against each other (Hughes's side)
4:50 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Hughes's side
- Shot attempts
- 10–8
- 55.6%
- Expected goals
- 0.5–0.3
- 63.9%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Hughes | Nylander |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-15 | MIN 2–4 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-01-11 | VAN 3–0 TOR | 1G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-01-20 | VAN 6–4 TOR | 0G 3A 1S | 2G 0A 3S |
| 2023-11-11 | VAN 2–5 TOR | 0G 1A 0S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2023-03-04 | VAN 4–1 TOR | 0G 2A 2S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2022-11-12 | VAN 2–3 TOR | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2022-03-05 | VAN 6–4 TOR | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2021-05-01 | VAN 1–5 TOR | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2021-04-29 | VAN 1–4 TOR | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2021-04-20 | VAN 6–3 TOR | 1G 2A 3S | 0G 2A 6S |
| 2021-04-18 | VAN 3–2 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2021-03-06 | VAN 4–2 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 6S |
Latest 12 of 18 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.
Quinn Hughes
2games (1 left)
1.7proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 @ NSHOpp allows 14th-most FP to DLikely vs Juuse Saros (.893)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs BOS1.7 ptsOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to DSchedule edge +12.8 win%Likely vs Michael DiPietro (1.000)
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 Quinn Hughes 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 Quinn Hughes's 2.16. Hughes had 76 points in 74 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, Quinn Hughes or William Nylander?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Quinn Hughes leads in 21 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Hughes and Nylander done against each other?
- In 18 games against each other in our data, Hughes's team went 8–10. Hughes had 18 points (2 goals) and Nylander had 15 (5 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 →