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Who to start · 2025-26

Quinton Byfield vs Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

Quinton ByfieldQuinton ByfieldKings · Right wingvsRyan Nugent-HopkinsRyan Nugent-HopkinsOilers · Centre

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins projects to 1.70 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Quinton Byfield's 1.57.

Byfield had 49 points in 79 games; Nugent-Hopkins had 56 in 72 games.

This week Byfield has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Nugent-Hopkins has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Byfield for 1.4 ESPN points to Nugent-Hopkins's 1.1.

Quinton Byfield has the better number in 21 of the 35 stats both are ranked on.

Byfield's biggest edges: 20+ mph bursts 297, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.42, Penalty minutes 46.

Nugent-Hopkins's biggest edges: Forecheck xG /60 0.34, Offensive-zone start % 60.5%, Offensive-zone time 46.0%.

Head to head on the dot, Nugent-Hopkins leads Byfield 21–16.

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

Fantasy value: your scoring

Quinton Byfield

1.59

fantasy points per game

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

1.70

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromByfieldNugent-Hopkins
Goals (+2)0.610.56
Assists (+1)0.320.50
Power-play points (+0.5)0.070.20
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.010.01
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.230.18
Hits (+0.1)0.080.03
Blocks (+0.5)0.280.22

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: Byfield vs Nugent-Hopkins

Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2021-22 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.

ByfieldNugent-Hopkins
13Team record in 36 meetings23
24Points in those games24

Byfield 10G 14A, 73 SOG · Nugent-Hopkins 8G 16A, 67 SOG

16Faceoffs against each other21

Byfield's offensive zone 4–5 · neutral 9–8 · Byfield's defensive zone 3–8 (2021-22 to 2025-26)

2Hits on each other3
0Shots blocked by the other2

Byfield blocked 0 of Nugent-Hopkins's shots; Nugent-Hopkins blocked 2 of Byfield's.

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

17:15 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Byfield's side

Shot attempts
11–15
42.3%
Expected goals
0.2–0.6
29.1%
Goals
0–1

Games against each other

Games between Quinton Byfield and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
DateScoreByfieldNugent-Hopkins
2026-04-11LAK 1–0 EDM0G 0A 1S0G 0A 1S
2026-02-26LAK 1–8 EDM0G 0A 2S0G 0A 3S
2026-01-10LAK 4–3 EDM0G 1A 2S0G 1A 2S
2025-05-01 · POLAK 4–6 EDM1G 0A 3S1G 1A 2S
2025-04-29 · POLAK 1–3 EDM0G 0A 2S1G 0A 3S
2025-04-27 · POLAK 3–4 EDM0G 0A 6S0G 1A 3S
2025-04-25 · POLAK 4–7 EDM0G 0A 1S1G 0A 2S
2025-04-23 · POLAK 6–2 EDM1G 0A 3S0G 0A 1S
2025-04-21 · POLAK 6–5 EDM1G 1A 3S0G 0A 1S
2025-04-14LAK 5–0 EDM1G 0A 4S0G 0A 2S
2025-04-05LAK 3–0 EDM0G 0A 4S0G 0A 0S
2025-01-13LAK 0–1 EDM0G 0A 2S0G 0A 2S

Latest 12 of 36 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.

ByfieldNugent-Hopkins

Fantasy box score

Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)

Transition, turnovers & faceoffs

Usage

Special teams & discipline

Luck & trend

NHL EDGE tracking

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.

Quinton Byfield

2games (1 left)

1.4proj. ESPN pts

  • Wed, Sep 30 @ COL
    Opp allows 10th-most FP to RWLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
  • Sat, Oct 3 @ SJS1.4 pts
    Opp allows 7th-fewest FP to RWSchedule edge −3.2 win%Likely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins

3games (1 left)

1.1proj. ESPN pts

  • Tue, Sep 29 vs VAN
    Opp allows 6th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
  • Thu, Oct 1 @ VAN
    Opp allows 6th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA1.1 pts
    Opp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Joey Daccord (.897)

Similar matchups

FAQ

Should I start Quinton Byfield or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins projects to 1.70 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Quinton Byfield's 1.57. Byfield had 49 points in 79 games; Nugent-Hopkins had 56 in 72 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, Quinton Byfield or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins?
On 2025-26 numbers, Quinton Byfield leads in 21 of 35 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have Byfield and Nugent-Hopkins done against each other?
In 36 games against each other in our data, Byfield's team went 13–23. Byfield had 24 points (10 goals) and Nugent-Hopkins had 24 (8 goals).
Who wins more faceoffs, Byfield or Nugent-Hopkins?
Against each other, Byfield has won 16 and Nugent-Hopkins 21 of their 37 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 →