Who to start · 2025-26
Josh Norris vs Noah Ostlund
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Josh Norris projects to 1.50 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Ostlund's 1.13.
Norris had 34 points in 44 games; Ostlund had 27 in 60 games.
This week Norris has 2 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Ostlund has 2 left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Norris for 2.8 to Ostlund's 2.2 over the games left.
Josh Norris has the better number in 27 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Norris's biggest edges: Top skating speed 23.0, Transition attempts /60 1.40, Draw Equity /100 +0.000.
Ostlund's biggest edges: Ascension score 92, Goals above expected +3.2, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.07.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Noah Ostlund rates ahead, +0.6 to +0.3 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Norris is falling, PP1 in 0 of last 5 (was 14 of 20); Ostlund is surging, ixG/60 0.99 (was 0.61).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 2 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 12 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 2 G, 4 A, 1 PPP, 20 SOG.
Buffalo Sabres · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Josh Norris
+0.3
category z-score total
Noah Ostlund
+0.6
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Noah Ostlund has the edge (Norris wins 5, Ostlund wins 1 of 6 categories).
| Category | Norris | Ostlund |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.27 | 0.20 |
| Assists / game | 0.34 | 0.33 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.01 | 0.32 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.13 | 0.10 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.48 | 1.46 |
| Hits / game | 0.76 | 0.09 |
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: Norris vs Ostlund
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2025-26 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Goals each scored with the other picking up an assist (as teammates).
On the ice together
235:29 at 5-on-5 over 24 games, 2025-26
- Shot attempts
- 234–204
- 53.4%
- Expected goals
- 9.8–8.3
- 54.0%
- Goals
- 15–5
Faceoffs: Norris vs Ostlund
Model: Josh Norris wins 63.2% of draws against Noah Ostlund on average (L shot vs L shot). Same-handed, so the dot decides who is on his strong side; the gap between the left and right dots is the real matchup.
| Norris at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 69% | 56% | 70% | 57% | 64% | 70% | 57% | 71% | 58% |
| Road | 68% | 55% | 69% | 56% | 63% | 69% | 56% | 70% | 57% |
They have not faced each other on a draw in the seasons we track.
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 BUF | 235 | −0.3 | −0.21 | −.22(−.53 to .15), 23 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
Josh Norris
2games
2.8proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs PHI1.6 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ WSH1.2 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Logan Thompson (.912)
Noah Ostlund
2games
2.2proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs PHI1.3 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ WSH1.0 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Logan Thompson (.912)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Josh Norris or Noah Ostlund in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Josh Norris projects to 1.50 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Ostlund's 1.13. Norris had 34 points in 44 games; Ostlund had 27 in 60 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, Josh Norris or Noah Ostlund?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Josh Norris leads in 27 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
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 →