Who to start · 2025-26
Lawson Crouse vs Mika Zibanejad
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mika Zibanejad projects to 2.27 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Lawson Crouse's 1.65.
Crouse had 44 points in 81 games; Zibanejad had 78 in 81 games.
This week Crouse has 2 games left with 2 tough matchups; Zibanejad has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Crouse for 2.4 ESPN points to Zibanejad's 1.4.
Mika Zibanejad has the better number in 18 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Crouse's biggest edges: Plus/minus +20, Penalty minutes 46, Transition attempts /60 1.80.
Zibanejad's biggest edges: Power-play points 35, Power-play share 77.5%, Offensive-zone time 43.4%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 1 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 3 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Lawson Crouse
1.65
fantasy points per game
Mika Zibanejad
2.27
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Mika Zibanejad has the edge.
| Points per game from | Crouse | Zibanejad |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.56 | 0.81 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.29 | 0.51 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.04 | 0.21 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.17 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.28 | 0.14 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.30 | 0.34 |
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: Crouse vs Zibanejad
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2018-19 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Crouse 3G 2A, 20 SOG · Zibanejad 3G 10A, 27 SOG
Crouse's offensive zone 0–2 · neutral 0–0 · Crouse's defensive zone 1–1 (2021-22 to 2024-25)
Crouse blocked 1 of Zibanejad's shots; Zibanejad blocked 0 of Crouse's.
On the ice against each other (Crouse's side)
13:38 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Crouse's side
- Shot attempts
- 9–13
- 40.9%
- Expected goals
- 0.5–0.4
- 55.9%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Crouse | Zibanejad |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-05 | UTA 3–2 NYR | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2025-11-22 | UTA 3–2 NYR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2025-01-16 | UTA 3–5 NYR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-10-12 | UTA 6–5 NYR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-03-30 | ARI 5–8 NYR | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-10-16 | ARI 1–2 NYR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2022-11-13 | ARI 1–4 NYR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2022-10-30 | ARI 2–3 NYR | 1G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2022-01-22 | ARI 3–7 NYR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 3A 1S |
| 2021-12-15 | ARI 2–3 NYR | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 1A 4S |
| 2019-10-22 | ARI 3–2 NYR | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2019-01-06 | ARI 5–0 NYR | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
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.
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.
Lawson Crouse
3games (2 left)
2.4proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs CHIOpp allows 2nd-most FP to LWLikely vs Arvid Soderblom (.880)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ CBJ1.2 ptsOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge −1.0 win%Likely vs Jet Greaves (.908)
- Sun, Oct 4 @ NYRB2B1.2 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
Mika Zibanejad
4games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ BOSOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)
- Thu, Oct 1 vs TBLOpp allows 11th-most FP to CLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Fri, Oct 2 @ DETB2BOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs John Gibson (.901)
- Sun, Oct 4 vs UTA1.4 ptsOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Lawson Crouse or Mika Zibanejad in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mika Zibanejad projects to 2.27 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Lawson Crouse's 1.65. Crouse had 44 points in 81 games; Zibanejad had 78 in 81 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, Lawson Crouse or Mika Zibanejad?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Mika Zibanejad leads in 18 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Crouse and Zibanejad done against each other?
- In 13 games against each other in our data, Crouse's team went 6–7. Crouse had 5 points (3 goals) and Zibanejad had 13 (3 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Crouse or Zibanejad?
- Against each other, Crouse has won 1 and Zibanejad 3 of their 4 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 →