Who to start · 2025-26
Jake Sanderson vs Sidney Crosby
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jake Sanderson projects to 2.40 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Sidney Crosby's 2.18.
Sanderson had 54 points in 67 games; Crosby had 74 in 68 games.
This week Sanderson has 1 game left; Crosby has 1 left. We project Crosby for 2.0 ESPN points to Sanderson's 1.7.
Sidney Crosby has the better number in 17 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.
Sanderson's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 +0.22, Expected goals 57.0%, Sequence xG 57.4%.
Crosby's biggest edges: Penalty minutes 44, Forecheck xG /60 0.34, Offensive-zone start % 66.5%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Jake Sanderson
2.40
fantasy points per game
Sidney Crosby
2.23
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Jake Sanderson has the edge.
| Points per game from | Sanderson | Crosby |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.42 | 0.85 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.60 | 0.66 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.16 | 0.17 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.22 | 0.24 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.09 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.96 | 0.22 |
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: Sanderson vs Crosby
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2022-23 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Sanderson 1G 5A, 19 SOG · Crosby 2G 6A, 27 SOG
Sanderson blocked 2 of Crosby's shots; Crosby blocked 0 of Sanderson's.
On the ice against each other (Sanderson's side)
19:55 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Sanderson's side
- Shot attempts
- 21–16
- 56.8%
- Expected goals
- 2.1–0.7
- 74.7%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Sanderson | Crosby |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-02 | OTT 3–2 PIT | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-12-18 | OTT 4–0 PIT | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-03-30 | OTT 0–1 PIT | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 6S |
| 2025-01-11 | OTT 5–0 PIT | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-12-14 | OTT 3–2 PIT | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-03-12 | OTT 2–1 PIT | 1G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-12-23 | OTT 5–4 PIT | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2023-10-28 | OTT 5–2 PIT | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2023-03-20 | OTT 2–1 PIT | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-01-20 | OTT 1–4 PIT | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2023-01-18 | OTT 5–4 PIT | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 3A 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
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.
Jake Sanderson
1games
1.7proj. ESPN pts
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TOR1.7 ptsOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
Sidney Crosby
2games (1 left)
2.0proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ PHIOpp allows 5th-most FP to CLikely vs Dan Vladar (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs MTL2.0 ptsOpp allows 12th-most FP to CLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Jake Sanderson or Sidney Crosby in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jake Sanderson projects to 2.40 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Sidney Crosby's 2.18. Sanderson had 54 points in 67 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, Jake Sanderson or Sidney Crosby?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Sidney Crosby leads in 17 of 33 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Sanderson and Crosby done against each other?
- In 11 games against each other in our data, Sanderson's team went 9–2. Sanderson had 6 points (1 goals) and Crosby had 8 (2 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 →