Who to start · 2025-26
Ryan O'Reilly vs Wyatt Johnston
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Wyatt Johnston projects to 2.41 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan O'Reilly's 1.90.
O'Reilly had 74 points in 81 games; Johnston had 86 in 82 games.
This week O'Reilly has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Johnston has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Johnston for 2.5 ESPN points to O'Reilly's 2.0.
Wyatt Johnston has the better number in 18 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
O'Reilly's biggest edges: Corsi 52.6%, Faceoff win % 55.1%, Plus/minus +8.
Johnston's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 1.34, Hits 56, Offensive-zone start % 59.3%.
Head to head on the dot, O'Reilly leads Johnston 36–23.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Ryan O'Reilly
1.90
fantasy points per game
Wyatt Johnston
2.41
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Wyatt Johnston has the edge.
| Points per game from | O'Reilly | Johnston |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.58 | 1.03 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.57 | 0.47 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.12 | 0.24 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.02 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.20 | 0.26 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.03 | 0.07 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.38 | 0.35 |
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 Johnston
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2022-23 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
O'Reilly 5G 11A, 23 SOG · Johnston 7G 7A, 38 SOG
O'Reilly's offensive zone 13–15 · neutral 11–6 · O'Reilly's defensive zone 12–2 (2023-24 to 2025-26)
O'Reilly blocked 0 of Johnston's shots; Johnston blocked 1 of O'Reilly's.
On the ice against each other (O'Reilly's side)
27:20 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from O'Reilly's side
- Shot attempts
- 34–25
- 57.6%
- Expected goals
- 0.9–1.6
- 36.2%
- Goals
- 2–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | O'Reilly | Johnston |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-28 | NSH 2–3 DAL | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 1A 5S |
| 2025-11-08 | NSH 4–5 DAL | 0G 2A 1S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2025-10-26 | NSH 2–3 DAL | 0G 1A 4S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2025-04-16 | NSH 5–1 DAL | 1G 2A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-04-03 | NSH 1–5 DAL | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2024-12-12 | NSH 4–1 DAL | 2G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2024-10-10 | NSH 3–4 DAL | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2024-02-15 | NSH 2–9 DAL | 0G 0A 0S | 2G 2A 4S |
| 2024-01-12 | NSH 6–3 DAL | 1G 2A 5S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2024-01-06 | NSH 4–3 DAL | 0G 2A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-12-23 | NSH 2–3 DAL | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2022-11-28 | STL 1–4 DAL | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 1A 5S |
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.
Ryan O'Reilly
2games (1 left)
2.0proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs MINOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs DAL2.0 ptsOpp allows 3rd-most FP to CSchedule edge +13.0 win%Likely vs Casey DeSmith (.907)
Wyatt Johnston
2games (1 left)
2.5proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 vs STLOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to CLikely vs Joel Hofer (.910)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ NSHB2B2.5 ptsOpp allows 10th-most FP to CSchedule edge −12.9 win%Likely vs Juuse Saros (.893)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Ryan O'Reilly or Wyatt Johnston in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Wyatt Johnston projects to 2.41 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ryan O'Reilly's 1.90. O'Reilly had 74 points in 81 games; Johnston had 86 in 82 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 Wyatt Johnston?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Wyatt Johnston leads in 18 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have O'Reilly and Johnston done against each other?
- In 12 games against each other in our data, O'Reilly's team went 4–8. O'Reilly had 16 points (5 goals) and Johnston had 14 (7 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, O'Reilly or Johnston?
- Against each other, O'Reilly has won 36 and Johnston 23 of their 59 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 →