Who to start · 2025-26
Alex Ovechkin vs Sidney Crosby
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Sidney Crosby projects to 2.18 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Alex Ovechkin's 1.84.
Ovechkin had 64 points in 82 games; Crosby had 74 in 68 games.
This week Ovechkin has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Crosby has 1 left. We project Crosby for 2.0 ESPN points to Ovechkin's 1.9.
Sidney Crosby has the better number in 19 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Ovechkin's biggest edges: Hits 134, Transition attempts /60 1.45, Hardest shot 97.3.
Crosby's biggest edges: Goals above expected +6.6, Faceoffs won 773, 20+ mph bursts 138.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Alex Ovechkin
1.84
fantasy points per game
Sidney Crosby
2.18
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Sidney Crosby has the edge.
| Points per game from | Ovechkin | Crosby |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.73 | 0.80 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.43 | 0.68 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.11 | 0.16 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.29 | 0.24 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.16 | 0.10 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.12 | 0.21 |
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: Ovechkin vs Crosby
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.
Ovechkin 16G 19A, 136 SOG · Crosby 18G 27A, 124 SOG
Ovechkin's offensive zone 0–1 · neutral 0–2 · Ovechkin's defensive zone 0–0 (2021-22 to 2025-26)
Ovechkin blocked 0 of Crosby's shots; Crosby blocked 2 of Ovechkin's.
On the ice against each other (Ovechkin's side)
7:19 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Ovechkin's side
- Shot attempts
- 7–7
- 50.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.8–0.4
- 66.1%
- Goals
- 2–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Ovechkin | Crosby |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-12 | WSH 3–0 PIT | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-11-06 | WSH 3–5 PIT | 0G 2A 2S | 2G 0A 6S |
| 2025-04-17 | WSH 2–5 PIT | 1G 0A 2S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2025-02-22 | WSH 8–3 PIT | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2025-01-18 | WSH 4–1 PIT | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2024-11-08 | WSH 2–4 PIT | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2024-04-04 | WSH 1–4 PIT | 1G 0A 8S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-03-07 | WSH 6–0 PIT | 1G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 8S |
| 2024-01-02 | WSH 4–3 PIT | 1G 0A 4S | 1G 1A 1S |
| 2023-10-13 | WSH 0–4 PIT | 0G 0A 4S | 2G 0A 5S |
| 2023-03-25 | WSH 3–4 PIT | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2023-01-26 | WSH 3–2 PIT | 1G 0A 7S | 0G 1A 5S |
Latest 12 of 40 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.
Alex Ovechkin
2games (1 left)
1.9proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 @ CAROpp allows 9th-most FP to LWLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.895)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TBLB2B1.9 ptsOpp allows 6th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −13.3 win%vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
Sidney Crosby
2games (1 left)
2.0proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ PHIOpp allows 7th-most FP to CLikely vs Dan Vladar (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs MTL2.0 ptsOpp allows 14th-most FP to Cvs Jakub Dobes (.901)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Alex Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Sidney Crosby projects to 2.18 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Alex Ovechkin's 1.84. Ovechkin had 64 points in 82 games; Crosby had 74 in 68 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, Alex Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Sidney Crosby 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 Ovechkin and Crosby done against each other?
- In 40 games against each other in our data, Ovechkin's team went 20–20. Ovechkin had 35 points (16 goals) and Crosby had 45 (18 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Ovechkin or Crosby?
- Against each other, Ovechkin has won 0 and Crosby 3 of their 3 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 →