Who to start · 2026-27
Adam Klapka vs Lawson Crouse
In 2026-27, Adam Klapka scored 1.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Lawson Crouse's 1.25.
Klapka had 7 points in 20 games; Crouse had 7 in 21 games.
This week Klapka has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Crouse has no games left. In ESPN default points scoring we project Klapka for 1.4 to Crouse's 0.0 over the games left.
Lawson Crouse has the better number in 17 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Klapka's biggest edges: Goals above expected +1.1, Ascension score 78, Top skating speed 22.8.
Crouse's biggest edges: Forecheck xG /60 0.50, Sequence xG 58.6%, Expected goals 58.6%.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Adam Klapka rates ahead, -0.4 to -0.9 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Klapka is surging, +0:54 PP TOI; Crouse is steady, On-ice xGF/60 3.07 (was 2.67).
- • Klapka, last 10 games (Oct 26–Nov 14): 2 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 16 SOG.
- • Crouse, last 10 games (Oct 24–Nov 14): 1 G, 2 A, 0 PPP, 15 SOG.
Calgary Flames · Utah Mammoth · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Under Standard (6 categories), Adam Klapka has the edge (Klapka wins 3, Crouse wins 3 of 6 categories).
| Category | Klapka | Crouse |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.20 | 0.10 |
| Assists / game | 0.15 | 0.24 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.20 | 0.14 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.10 | 0.05 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.55 | 1.62 |
| Hits / game | 3.60 | 2.52 |
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 scoring choice is shared with Who Should I Start: saved on this device, and on your account when you are signed in.
Head-to-head: Klapka vs Crouse
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2024-25 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Klapka 0G 0A, 3 SOG · Crouse 1G 0A, 8 SOG
On the ice against each other (Klapka's side)
5:53 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Klapka's side
- Shot attempts
- 7–2
- 77.8%
- Expected goals
- 0.5–0.1
- 83.5%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Klapka | Crouse |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-12 | CGY 4–1 UTA | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2025-12-06 | CGY 2–0 UTA | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-10-15 | CGY 1–3 UTA | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-04-01 | CGY 1–3 UTA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
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, Luck & trend, NHL EDGE tracking continue below
Every stat, side by side (continued)
Transition, turnovers & faceoffs
Usage
Special teams & discipline
This week's schedule
Nov 9 to Nov 15. 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 cover the games left: Edgehalla's rest-of-season rates per game, adjusted for each opponent's scoring allowed, in ESPN default points.
Scored in ESPN default points (G 2, A 1, PPP 0.5, SHP 0.5, SOG 0.1, HIT 0.1, BLK 0.5). Use your league's scoring
Adam Klapka
3games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Nov 11 vs NYROpp allows 14th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Joonas Korpisalo (.931)
- Sat, Nov 14 @ LAKOpp allows 10th-most FP to RWLikely vs Anton Forsberg (.908)
- Opp allows 4th-most FP to RWLikely vs Ville Husso (.868)
Lawson Crouse
3games (0 left)
0.0proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Nov 11 @ VGKOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Carter Hart (.895)
- Thu, Nov 12 vs STLB2B
- Sat, Nov 14 vs SJSOpp allows 3rd-most FP to LWLikely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.890)
Player data stories
How the game changed, told through the numbers.
- In 2022-23, Four NHL Players Wore a Number in the 90s for Every One in No. 9 The count was 53 to 13, and the incomplete 2025-26 rosters show the same split, 51 to 12.
- The 1,000-Game Club Had Its Biggest Year. Getting In Is No Easier. Seventeen players reached 1,000 NHL games in 2025-26, more than in any season before, in the biggest league the NHL has had.
- Only 14 NHL Defencemen Still Score Like Ken Daneyko A stay-at-home defenceman stays back to defend and leaves the scoring to others.
- How Much Lighter Did the NHL Really Get? Teams write down NHL weights.
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Adam Klapka or Lawson Crouse in fantasy hockey?
- In 2026-27, Adam Klapka scored 1.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Lawson Crouse's 1.25. Klapka had 7 points in 20 games; Crouse had 7 in 21 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, Adam Klapka or Lawson Crouse?
- On 2026-27 numbers, Lawson Crouse leads in 17 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Klapka and Crouse done against each other?
- In 4 games against each other in our data, Klapka's team went 2–2. Klapka had 0 points (0 goals) and Crouse had 1 (1 goals).
2026-27 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 →