Who to start · 2025-26
Claude Giroux vs Drake Batherson
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Drake Batherson projects to 1.92 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Claude Giroux's 1.23.
Giroux had 49 points in 82 games; Batherson had 71 in 79 games.
This week Giroux has 3 games left with 2 tough matchups; Batherson has 3 left with 2 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Batherson for 4.8 to Giroux's 3.1 over the games left.
Drake Batherson has the better number in 22 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Giroux's biggest edges: Plus/minus +20, Faceoffs won 504, On-ice PDO 1009.
Batherson's biggest edges: Goals above expected +5.3, Offensive-zone start % 76.7%, Luck Meter +39.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Drake Batherson rates ahead, +5.2 to +2.0 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Giroux is steady, +1:09 PP TOI; Batherson is steady, +1:09 PP TOI.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 1 PPP, 13 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 4 G, 2 A, 1 PPP, 21 SOG.
Ottawa Senators · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Claude Giroux
+2.0
category z-score total
Drake Batherson
+5.2
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Drake Batherson has the edge (Giroux wins 2, Batherson wins 4 of 6 categories).
| Category | Giroux | Batherson |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.15 | 0.43 |
| Assists / game | 0.48 | 0.38 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.24 | 0.03 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.14 | 0.28 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.59 | 2.20 |
| Hits / game | 1.08 | 1.72 |
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: Giroux vs Batherson
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2018-19 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Giroux 1G 3A, 12 SOG · Batherson 0G 1A, 6 SOG
Giroux blocked 1 of Batherson's shots; Batherson blocked 2 of Giroux's.
Goals each scored with the other picking up an assist (as teammates).
On the ice together
320:43 at 5-on-5 over 44 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27
- Shot attempts
- 339–248
- 57.8%
- Expected goals
- 16.9–10.0
- 62.8%
- Goals
- 12–10
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Giroux | Batherson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-03-26 | FLA 4–3 OTT | 0G 2A 5S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2021-12-18 | PHI 4–3 OTT | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2018-11-27 | PHI 3–4 OTT | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
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
Chemistry as teammates
How their expected-goal share at 5v5 changed together vs apart (shrunk for sample size), and how closely their DraftKings points moved game to game (raw, that season only; for forward linemates the typical value is about .28).
| Season | 5v5 min together | xG% lift | xGF/60 lift | DK correlation (raw) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 OTT | 305 | +5.8 | +0.28 | .10(−.22 to .40), 29 GP |
| 2024-25 OTT | 265 | −1.2 | +0.03 | .36(−.01 to .65), 21 GP |
| 2023-24 OTT | 60 | −0.9 | −0.28 | .29(−.70 to .90), 5 GP |
This week's schedule
Oct 19 to Oct 25. 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
Claude Giroux
3games
3.1proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs FLA1.0 ptsOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs NYR1.0 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
Drake Batherson
3games
4.8proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs FLA1.5 ptsOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs NYR1.5 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Claude Giroux or Drake Batherson in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Drake Batherson projects to 1.92 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Claude Giroux's 1.23. Giroux had 49 points in 82 games; Batherson had 71 in 79 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, Claude Giroux or Drake Batherson?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Drake Batherson leads in 22 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Giroux and Batherson done against each other?
- In 3 games against each other in our data, Giroux's team went 2–1. Giroux had 4 points (1 goals) and Batherson had 1 (0 goals).
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 →