Who to start · 2025-26
Jack Hughes vs Sidney Crosby
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jack Hughes projects to 2.55 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Sidney Crosby's 2.18.
Hughes had 77 points in 61 games; Crosby had 74 in 68 games.
This week Hughes has 1 game left; Crosby has 1 left. We project Hughes for 2.3 ESPN points to Crosby's 2.0.
Jack Hughes has the better number in 18 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Hughes's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 +0.55, Scoring chances 56.0%, Sequence xG 53.7%.
Crosby's biggest edges: Draw Equity /100 +0.063, Faceoff win % 55.2%, Penalty minutes 44.
Head to head on the dot, Crosby leads Hughes 33–18.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Jack Hughes
2.55
fantasy points per game
Sidney Crosby
2.18
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Jack Hughes has the edge.
| Points per game from | Hughes | Crosby |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.95 | 0.80 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.77 | 0.68 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.18 | 0.16 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.02 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.38 | 0.24 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.01 | 0.10 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.25 | 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: Hughes vs Crosby
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2019-20 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Hughes 11G 11A, 77 SOG · Crosby 8G 17A, 74 SOG
Hughes's offensive zone 10–9 · neutral 5–11 · Hughes's defensive zone 3–13 (2020-21 to 2025-26)
Hughes blocked 0 of Crosby's shots; Crosby blocked 2 of Hughes's.
On the ice against each other (Hughes's side)
12:00 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Hughes's side
- Shot attempts
- 16–12
- 57.1%
- Expected goals
- 0.4–0.2
- 66.2%
- Goals
- 1–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Hughes | Crosby |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-09 | NJD 2–5 PIT | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 2A 4S |
| 2026-01-08 | NJD 1–4 PIT | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2025-11-08 | NJD 2–1 PIT | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2025-02-04 | NJD 3–2 PIT | 2G 0A 5S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2024-12-21 | NJD 3–0 PIT | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-04-02 | NJD 3–6 PIT | 0G 0A 4S | 2G 0A 2S |
| 2024-03-19 | NJD 5–2 PIT | 0G 2A 4S | 0G 1A 5S |
| 2023-04-04 | NJD 5–1 PIT | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-02-18 | NJD 5–2 PIT | 0G 2A 3S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2023-01-22 | NJD 2–1 PIT | 1G 1A 3S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2022-12-30 | NJD 4–2 PIT | 2G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-02-13 | NJD 2–4 PIT | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 2A 4S |
Latest 12 of 23 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.
Jack Hughes
2games (1 left)
2.3proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs PHIOpp allows 7th-most FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ NYI2.3 ptsOpp allows 15th-most FP to Cvs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
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 CLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Jack Hughes or Sidney Crosby in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jack Hughes projects to 2.55 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Sidney Crosby's 2.18. Hughes had 77 points in 61 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, Jack Hughes or Sidney Crosby?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Jack Hughes leads in 18 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Hughes and Crosby done against each other?
- In 23 games against each other in our data, Hughes's team went 11–12. Hughes had 22 points (11 goals) and Crosby had 25 (8 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Hughes or Crosby?
- Against each other, Hughes has won 18 and Crosby 33 of their 51 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 →