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Who to start · 2025-26

Ryan O'Reilly vs William Nylander

Ryan O'ReillyRyan O'ReillyPredators · CentrevsWilliam NylanderWilliam NylanderMaple Leafs · Right wing

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, William Nylander projects to 2.36 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan O'Reilly's 1.90.

O'Reilly had 74 points in 81 games; Nylander had 79 in 65 games.

This week O'Reilly has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Nylander has 1 left. We project Nylander for 2.1 ESPN points to O'Reilly's 2.0.

Ryan O'Reilly has the better number in 19 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.

O'Reilly's biggest edges: Plus/minus +8, Blocked shots 66, Scoring chances 53.3%.

Nylander's biggest edges: Top skating speed 23.5, Transition attempts /60 1.67, Hardest shot 92.6.

Head to head on the dot, O'Reilly leads Nylander 12–11.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
  • • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 2 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.

Fantasy value: your scoring

Ryan O'Reilly

1.90

fantasy points per game

William Nylander

2.36

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, William Nylander has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromO'ReillyNylander
Goals (+2)0.581.05
Assists (+1)0.570.67
Power-play points (+0.5)0.120.14
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.020.00
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.200.25
Hits (+0.1)0.030.02
Blocks (+0.5)0.380.24

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: O'Reilly 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.

O'ReillyNylander
8Team record in 16 meetings8
12Points in those games17

O'Reilly 8G 4A, 44 SOG · Nylander 9G 8A, 45 SOG

12Faceoffs against each other11

O'Reilly's offensive zone 2–2 · neutral 2–5 · O'Reilly's defensive zone 8–4 (2017-18 to 2019-20)

1Hits on each other0
2Goals set up by the other3

Goals each scored with the other picking up an assist (as teammates).

On the ice against each other (O'Reilly's side)

3:15 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from O'Reilly's side

Shot attempts
2–5
28.6%
Expected goals
0.1–0.5
14.0%
Goals
0–1

Games against each other

Games between Ryan O'Reilly and William Nylander
DateScoreO'ReillyNylander
2025-12-20NSH 5–3 TOR0G 1A 3S0G 0A 2S
2025-10-14NSH 4–7 TOR0G 0A 0S1G 2A 4S
2025-03-22NSH 5–2 TOR0G 0A 1S0G 0A 2S
2024-12-04NSH 2–3 TOR0G 0A 0S1G 0A 2S
2023-12-09NSH 0–4 TOR0G 0A 5S0G 2A 3S
2023-10-28NSH 3–2 TOR2G 0A 2S1G 0A 7S
2022-12-27STL 4–5 TOR1G 0A 5S1G 0A 3S
2022-01-15STL 5–6 TOR2G 0A 3S0G 0A 2S
2022-02-19STL 6–3 TOR1G 0A 4S2G 0A 2S
2019-12-07STL 2–5 TOR0G 1A 1S0G 1A 0S
2019-10-07STL 3–2 TOR0G 0A 1S1G 0A 4S
2019-02-19STL 3–2 TOR1G 0A 4S0G 0A 3S

Latest 12 of 16 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.

O'ReillyNylander

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.

Ryan O'Reilly

2games (1 left)

2.0proj. ESPN pts

  • Thu, Oct 1 vs MIN
    Opp allows 11th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs DAL2.0 pts
    Opp allows 3rd-most FP to CSchedule edge +13.0 win%Likely vs Casey DeSmith (.907)

William Nylander

3games (1 left)

2.1proj. ESPN pts

  • Tue, Sep 29 vs MTL
    Opp allows 12th-most FP to RWLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
  • Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2B
    Opp allows 14th-most FP to RWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT2.1 pts
    vs Linus Ullmark (.891)

Similar matchups

FAQ

Should I start Ryan O'Reilly 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 Ryan O'Reilly's 1.90. O'Reilly had 74 points in 81 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, Ryan O'Reilly or William Nylander?
On 2025-26 numbers, Ryan O'Reilly leads in 19 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have O'Reilly and Nylander done against each other?
In 16 games against each other in our data, O'Reilly's team went 8–8. O'Reilly had 12 points (8 goals) and Nylander had 17 (9 goals).
Who wins more faceoffs, O'Reilly or Nylander?
Against each other, O'Reilly has won 12 and Nylander 11 of their 23 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 →