Who to start · 2025-26
Rickard Rakell vs Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Rickard Rakell projects to 2.10 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins's 1.70.
Rakell had 48 points in 60 games; Nugent-Hopkins had 56 in 72 games.
This week Rakell has 1 game left; Nugent-Hopkins has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Rakell for 2.0 ESPN points to Nugent-Hopkins's 1.1.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has the better number in 18 of the 35 stats both are ranked on.
Rakell's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 +0.42, On-ice PDO 1018, Hits 71.
Nugent-Hopkins's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 1.26, Draw Equity /100 −0.031, Faceoff win % 47.4%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 2 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Rickard Rakell
2.10
fantasy points per game
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
1.70
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Rickard Rakell has the edge.
| Points per game from | Rakell | Nugent-Hopkins |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.80 | 0.56 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.40 | 0.50 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.13 | 0.20 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.02 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.28 | 0.18 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.12 | 0.03 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.36 | 0.22 |
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: Rakell vs Nugent-Hopkins
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.
Rakell 8G 7A, 53 SOG · Nugent-Hopkins 7G 9A, 48 SOG
On the ice against each other (Rakell's side)
9:59 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Rakell's side
- Shot attempts
- 7–14
- 33.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–0.8
- 42.8%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Rakell | Nugent-Hopkins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-22 | PIT 6–2 EDM | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-12-16 | PIT 4–6 EDM | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-01-09 | PIT 5–3 EDM | 1G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2024-10-25 | PIT 0–4 EDM | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2024-03-10 | PIT 0–4 EDM | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2024-03-03 | PIT 1–6 EDM | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-02-23 | PIT 2–7 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2022-10-24 | PIT 3–6 EDM | 1G 1A 2S | 1G 1A 1S |
| 2022-04-26 | PIT 1–5 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2022-02-17 | ANA 3–7 EDM | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 1A 5S |
| 2021-10-19 | ANA 5–6 EDM | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 2A 4S |
| 2020-02-25 | ANA 4–3 EDM | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 4S |
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.
Rickard Rakell
2games (1 left)
2.0proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ PHIOpp allows 5th-most FP to RWLikely vs Dan Vladar (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs MTL2.0 ptsOpp allows 12th-most FP to RWvs Jakub Dobes (.901)
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
3games (1 left)
1.1proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs VANOpp allows 6th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ VANOpp allows 6th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA1.1 ptsOpp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Joey Daccord (.897)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Rickard Rakell or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Rickard Rakell projects to 2.10 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan Nugent-Hopkins's 1.70. Rakell had 48 points in 60 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, Rickard Rakell or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins leads in 18 of 35 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Rakell and Nugent-Hopkins done against each other?
- In 18 games against each other in our data, Rakell's team went 6–12. Rakell had 15 points (8 goals) and Nugent-Hopkins had 16 (7 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 →