Who to start · 2026-27
Carter Hart vs Casey DeSmith
In 2026-27, Carter Hart posted a .895 save percentage to Casey DeSmith's .894.
Against our expected-goals model, Hart saved −0.2 goals and DeSmith −1.3.
This week Hart has 1 game left (about 0.7 expected starts); DeSmith has 1 left (about 0.8 expected starts). In ESPN default points scoring we project DeSmith for 1.2 to Hart's 1.1 over the games left.
Carter Hart has the better number in 1 of the 1 stats both are ranked on.
Hart's biggest edges: Games started 11.
In standard categories (W, GAA, SV%), the default in Who Should I Start, Carter Hart rates ahead, +0.9 to -1.2 in summed category z-scores.
- • Hart has played 10 of the Golden Knights' 19 games since Oct 2 (in and out of the lineup).
- • DeSmith has played 5 of the Stars' 17 games since Oct 3 (in and out of the lineup).
Vegas Golden Knights · Dallas Stars · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Under Standard (3 categories), Carter Hart has the edge (Hart wins 3, DeSmith wins 0 of 3 categories).
| Category | Hart | DeSmith |
|---|---|---|
| Wins / game | 0.55 | 0.20 |
| GAA (lower wins) | 2.53 | 2.70 |
| Save % | 0.895 | 0.894 |
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: Hart vs DeSmith
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2018-19 to 2023-24: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Hart | DeSmith |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-12-28 | PHI 4–1 VAN | 8/8 SV | 21/25 SV |
| 2023-10-17 | PHI 2–0 VAN | 26/26 SV | 0/0 SV |
| 2023-03-11 | PHI 1–5 PIT | 27/31 SV | 31/32 SV |
| 2022-11-25 | PHI 1–4 PIT | 17/21 SV | 0/0 SV |
| 2022-01-06 | PHI 2–6 PIT | 26/32 SV | 0/0 SV |
| 2022-02-15 | PHI 4–5 PIT | 29/34 SV | 23/27 SV |
| 2021-11-04 | PHI 2–3 PIT | 33/36 SV | 0/0 SV |
| 2021-04-15 | PHI 2–1 PIT | 31/32 SV | 0/0 SV |
| 2021-03-06 | PHI 3–4 PIT | 0/0 SV | 0/0 SV |
| 2021-03-04 | PHI 4–3 PIT | 0/0 SV | 0/0 SV |
| 2021-03-02 | PHI 2–5 PIT | 22/27 SV | 0/0 SV |
| 2021-01-15 | PHI 5–2 PIT | 31/33 SV | 12/13 SV |
Latest 12 of 15 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.
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 and, for goalies, weighted by the chance he starts, in ESPN default points.
Scored in ESPN default points (W 4, GA -2, SV 0.2, SO 3, OTL 1). Use your league's scoring
Carter Hart
3games (1 left)
1.1proj. ESPN default pts
About 0.7 expected starts
- Wed, Nov 11 vs UTAOpp allows 13th-most FP to GLikely vs Sebastian Cossa (.862)
- Fri, Nov 13 vs NSHOpp allows 16th-fewest FP to GLikely vs Juuse Saros (.922)
Casey DeSmith
3games (1 left)
1.2proj. ESPN default pts
About 0.8 expected starts
- Thu, Nov 12 vs WPGOpp allows 16th-most FP to GLikely vs Stuart Skinner (.880)
- Sat, Nov 14 vs BUFOpp allows 6th-most FP to GLikely vs Alex Lyon (.909)
- Opp allows 14th-most FP to GLikely vs Akira Schmid (.883)
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 Carter Hart or Casey DeSmith?
- In 2026-27, Carter Hart posted a .895 save percentage to Casey DeSmith's .894. Against our expected-goals model, Hart saved −0.2 goals and DeSmith −1.3. Confirm the starter on game day; workload and back-to-backs decide most goalie starts.
- Who is better, Carter Hart or Casey DeSmith?
- On 2026-27 numbers, Carter Hart leads in 1 of 1 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Hart and DeSmith done against each other?
- In 15 games against each other in our data, Hart's team went 7–8.
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 →