Who to start · 2025-26
Claude Giroux vs Josh Doan
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Josh Doan projects to 1.34 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Claude Giroux's 1.23.
Giroux had 49 points in 82 games; Doan had 52 in 82 games.
This week Giroux has 3 games left with 2 tough matchups; Doan has 2 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Doan for 3.3 to Giroux's 3.1 over the games left.
Josh Doan has the better number in 19 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Giroux's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 504, Plus/minus +20, Ascension score 53.
Doan's biggest edges: Goals above expected +1.9, 20+ mph bursts 155, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.51.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Claude Giroux rates ahead, +2.0 to +0.6 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Giroux is steady, +1:09 PP TOI; Doan is cooling, On-ice xGF/60 2.31 (was 3.23).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 1 PPP, 13 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 13 SOG.
Ottawa Senators · Buffalo Sabres · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Claude Giroux
+2.0
category z-score total
Josh Doan
+0.6
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Claude Giroux has the edge (Giroux wins 3, Doan wins 3 of 6 categories).
| Category | Giroux | Doan |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.15 | 0.23 |
| Assists / game | 0.48 | 0.25 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.24 | 0.01 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.14 | 0.13 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.59 | 1.84 |
| Hits / game | 1.08 | 1.18 |
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 Doan
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.
Giroux 2G 2A, 8 SOG · Doan 0G 3A, 9 SOG
Giroux's offensive zone 0–1 · neutral 0–0 · Giroux's defensive zone 0–1 (2024-25 to 2025-26)
Giroux blocked 1 of Doan's shots; Doan blocked 0 of Giroux's.
On the ice against each other (Giroux's side)
14:08 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Giroux's side
- Shot attempts
- 13–6
- 68.4%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–0.1
- 89.2%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Giroux | Doan |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-02 | OTT 4–1 BUF | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-12-23 | OTT 2–3 BUF | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-10-15 | OTT 4–8 BUF | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 3A 3S |
| 2025-01-26 | OTT 3–1 UTA | 1G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-10-22 | OTT 4–0 UTA | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
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
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)
Josh Doan
2games
3.3proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs PHI1.6 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ WSH1.7 ptsOpp allows 5th-most FP to RWLikely vs Logan Thompson (.912)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Claude Giroux or Josh Doan in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Josh Doan projects to 1.34 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Claude Giroux's 1.23. Giroux had 49 points in 82 games; Doan had 52 in 82 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 Josh Doan?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Josh Doan 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 Giroux and Doan done against each other?
- In 5 games against each other in our data, Giroux's team went 3–2. Giroux had 4 points (2 goals) and Doan had 3 (0 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Giroux or Doan?
- Against each other, Giroux has won 0 and Doan 2 of their 2 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 →