Who to start · 2026-27
Casey DeSmith vs Ville Husso
In 2026-27, Casey DeSmith posted a .894 save percentage to Ville Husso's .868.
Against our expected-goals model, DeSmith saved −1.3 goals and Husso −1.9.
This week DeSmith has 1 game left (about 0.8 expected starts); Husso has 1 left (about 0.7 expected starts) with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project DeSmith for 1.2 to Husso's 0.4 over the games left.
They split the 1 stats both are ranked on 0–0.
In standard categories (W, GAA, SV%), the default in Who Should I Start, Casey DeSmith rates ahead, -1.2 to -3.1 in summed category z-scores.
- • DeSmith has played 5 of the Stars' 17 games since Oct 3 (in and out of the lineup).
- • Husso has played 6 of the Ducks' 15 games since Oct 7 (in and out of the lineup).
Dallas Stars · Anaheim Ducks · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Under Standard (3 categories), Casey DeSmith has the edge (DeSmith wins 2, Husso wins 1 of 3 categories).
| Category | DeSmith | Husso |
|---|---|---|
| Wins / game | 0.20 | 0.33 |
| GAA (lower wins) | 2.70 | 3.55 |
| Save % | 0.894 | 0.868 |
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: DeSmith vs Husso
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2021-22 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Games against each other
| Date | Score | DeSmith | Husso |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-13 | DAL 1–3 ANA | 22/24 SV | 0/0 SV |
| 2025-03-18 | DAL 4–3 ANA | 0/0 SV | 0/0 SV |
| 2024-02-10 | VAN 3–4 DET | 24/28 SV | 0/0 SV |
| 2023-04-08 | PIT 5–1 DET | 0/0 SV | 23/28 SV |
| 2022-12-28 | PIT 4–5 DET | 41/46 SV | 8/12 SV |
| 2022-03-17 | PIT 3–2 STL | 0/0 SV | 43/45 SV |
| 2022-01-05 | PIT 5–3 STL | 13/16 SV | 0/0 SV |
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
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)
Ville Husso
3games (1 left)
0.4proj. ESPN default pts
About 0.7 expected starts
- Wed, Nov 11 vs NSH
- Sat, Nov 14 vs NYIOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to GLikely vs Semyon Varlamov (.899)
- Opp allows 3rd-most FP to Gvs Devin Cooley (.914)
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 Casey DeSmith or Ville Husso?
- In 2026-27, Casey DeSmith posted a .894 save percentage to Ville Husso's .868. Against our expected-goals model, DeSmith saved −1.3 goals and Husso −1.9. Confirm the starter on game day; workload and back-to-backs decide most goalie starts.
- Who is better, Casey DeSmith or Ville Husso?
- On 2026-27 numbers they split 0–0 across 1 stats where both qualify.
- How have DeSmith and Husso done against each other?
- In 7 games against each other in our data, DeSmith's team went 4–3.
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 →