Who to start · 2025-26
Josh Norris vs Shane Pinto
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Shane Pinto projects to 1.68 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Josh Norris's 1.50.
Norris had 34 points in 44 games; Pinto had 46 in 72 games.
This week Norris has 2 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Pinto has 3 left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Pinto for 5.0 to Norris's 2.8 over the games left.
Shane Pinto has the better number in 21 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Norris's biggest edges: On-ice PDO 1054, Offensive-zone time 45.9%, Offensive-zone start % 50.9%.
Pinto's biggest edges: Forecheck xG /60 0.40, Hits 94, Shots on goal 157.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Shane Pinto rates ahead, +1.9 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); Pinto is cooling, ixG/60 0.74 (was 1.14).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 2 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 12 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 5 A, 2 PPP, 14 SOG.
Buffalo Sabres · Ottawa Senators · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Josh Norris
+0.3
category z-score total
Shane Pinto
+1.9
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Shane Pinto has the edge (Norris wins 3, Pinto wins 3 of 6 categories).
| Category | Norris | Pinto |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.27 | 0.24 |
| Assists / game | 0.34 | 0.41 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.01 | -0.03 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.13 | 0.13 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.48 | 1.95 |
| Hits / game | 0.76 | 1.61 |
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 Pinto
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2023-24 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Norris 0G 0A, 1 SOG · Pinto 1G 0A, 3 SOG
Norris blocked 0 of Pinto's shots; Pinto blocked 1 of Norris's.
Goals each scored with the other picking up an assist (as teammates).
On the ice against each other (Norris's side)
1:16 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Norris's side
- Shot attempts
- 1–1
- 50.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.2
- 9.0%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Norris | Pinto |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-02 | BUF 1–4 OTT | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 3S |
Faceoffs: Norris vs Pinto
Model: Josh Norris wins 50.6% of draws against Shane Pinto on average (L shot vs R shot). Opposite-handed, so they are both strong or both weak at every dot and the dot barely matters.
| Norris at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 49% | 51% | 51% | 52% | 51% | 51% | 52% | 52% | 53% |
| Road | 48% | 50% | 49% | 51% | 50% | 49% | 51% | 50% | 52% |
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
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)
Shane Pinto
3games
5.0proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs FLA1.6 ptsOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs NYR1.5 ptsOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Josh Norris or Shane Pinto in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Shane Pinto projects to 1.68 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Josh Norris's 1.50. Norris had 34 points in 44 games; Pinto had 46 in 72 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 Shane Pinto?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Shane Pinto leads in 21 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Norris and Pinto done against each other?
- In 1 games against each other in our data, Norris's team went 0–1. Norris had 0 points (0 goals) and Pinto had 1 (1 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 →