Who to start · 2026-27

Kris Letang vs Shea Theodore

Kris LetangPenguins · Defence
vs
Shea TheodoreGolden Knights · Defence
Rising4 P in last 5 (0.45/GP before)
CoolingOn-ice xGF/60 2.45 (was 3.39)

In 2026-27, Shea Theodore scored 1.40 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Kris Letang's 1.39.

Letang had 10 points in 20 games; Theodore had 7 in 21 games.

This week Letang has no games left; Theodore has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Theodore for 1.6 to Letang's 0.0 over the games left.

Shea Theodore has the better number in 17 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.

Letang's biggest edges: Hits 26, Penalty minutes 10, Hardest shot 94.1.

Theodore's biggest edges: Forecheck xG /60 0.43, On-ice PDO 1053, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.26.

In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Kris Letang rates ahead, +1.6 to +0.6 in summed category z-scores.

Role trend over the last 5 games: Letang is rising, 4 P in last 5 (0.45/GP before); Theodore is cooling, On-ice xGF/60 2.45 (was 3.39).

  • • Letang, last 10 games (Oct 22–Nov 14): 1 G, 5 A, 1 PPP, 15 SOG.
  • • Theodore, last 10 games (Oct 22–Nov 13): 0 G, 3 A, 1 PPP, 14 SOG.

Pittsburgh Penguins · Vegas Golden Knights · Who should I start? · Compare other players

Fantasy value: your scoring

Kris Letang

+1.6

category z-score total

Shea Theodore

+0.6

category z-score total

Under Standard (6 categories), Kris Letang has the edge (Letang wins 4, Theodore wins 2 of 6 categories).

Per-stat breakdown under Standard (6 categories)
CategoryLetangTheodore
Goals / game0.050.10
Assists / game0.450.24
Plus/minus / game0.100.57
Power-play points / game0.100.10
Shots on goal / game1.801.76
Hits / game1.300.05

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: Letang vs Theodore

Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.

LetangTheodore
7Team record in 13 meetings6
8Points in those games5

Letang 0G 8A, 23 SOG · Theodore 2G 3A, 26 SOG

5Shots blocked by the other1

Letang blocked 5 of Theodore's shots; Theodore blocked 1 of Letang's.

On the ice against each other (Letang's side)

22:06 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Letang's side

Shot attempts
19–19
50.0%
Expected goals
0.7–0.6
53.5%
Goals
1–1

Games against each other

Games between Kris Letang and Shea Theodore
DateScoreLetangTheodore
2026-11-03PIT 2–3 VGK0G 0A 2S0G 0A 0S
2026-10-17PIT 2–6 VGK0G 1A 2S1G 0A 1S
2026-03-12PIT 2–6 VGK0G 0A 1S0G 1A 0S
2026-03-01PIT 5–0 VGK0G 1A 3S0G 0A 2S
2023-11-19PIT 3–0 VGK0G 1A 1S0G 0A 5S
2022-03-11PIT 5–2 VGK0G 1A 4S0G 0A 2S
2022-01-17PIT 5–3 VGK0G 1A 3S0G 1A 4S
2020-01-07PIT 4–3 VGK0G 2A 0S0G 1A 3S
2019-10-19PIT 0–3 VGK0G 0A 1S0G 0A 1S
2019-01-19PIT 3–7 VGK0G 1A 0S1G 0A 3S
2018-10-11PIT 4–2 VGK0G 0A 2S0G 0A 5S
2018-02-06PIT 5–4 VGK0G 0A 3S0G 0A 0S

Latest 12 of 13 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.

LetangTheodore

Fantasy box score

Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)

Transition, turnovers & faceoffs, Usage, Special teams & discipline, Luck & trend, NHL EDGE tracking continue below

Every stat, side by side (continued)

LetangTheodore

Transition, turnovers & faceoffs

Usage

Special teams & discipline

Luck & trend

NHL EDGE tracking

This week's schedule

Nov 9 to Nov 15. 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

Pittsburgh Penguins logo

Kris Letang

2games (0 left)

0.0proj. ESPN default pts

Vegas Golden Knights logo

Shea Theodore

3games (1 left)

1.6proj. ESPN default pts

  • Wed, Nov 11 vs UTA
    Opp allows 10th-most FP to DLikely vs Sebastian Cossa (.862)
  • Fri, Nov 13 vs NSH
    Opp allows 16th-most FP to DLikely vs Juuse Saros (.922)
  • Sun, Nov 15 vs VAN1.6 pts
    Opp allows 2nd-most FP to DSchedule edge −3.1 win%Likely vs Leevi Meriläinen (.885)

Player data stories

How the game changed, told through the numbers.

All NHL data stories

Similar matchups

FAQ

Should I start Kris Letang or Shea Theodore in fantasy hockey?
In 2026-27, Shea Theodore scored 1.40 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Kris Letang's 1.39. Letang had 10 points in 20 games; Theodore had 7 in 21 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, Kris Letang or Shea Theodore?
On 2026-27 numbers, Shea Theodore leads in 17 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have Letang and Theodore done against each other?
In 13 games against each other in our data, Letang's team went 7–6. Letang had 8 points (0 goals) and Theodore had 5 (2 goals).

2026-27 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 →