Who to start · 2025-26
Lawson Crouse vs Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins projects to 1.70 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Lawson Crouse's 1.65.
Crouse had 44 points in 81 games; Nugent-Hopkins had 56 in 72 games.
This week Crouse has 2 games left; Nugent-Hopkins has 1 left. We project Crouse for 3.0 ESPN points to Nugent-Hopkins's 1.4.
Lawson Crouse has the better number in 20 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.
Crouse's biggest edges: Hits 212, Plus/minus +20, On-ice PDO 1019.
Nugent-Hopkins's biggest edges: Offensive-zone time 46.0%, Power-play points 29, Power-play share 86.6%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 1 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Lawson Crouse
1.61
fantasy points per game
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
1.70
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has the edge.
| Points per game from | Crouse | Nugent-Hopkins |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.59 | 0.56 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.25 | 0.50 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.20 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.17 | 0.18 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.26 | 0.03 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.32 | 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: Crouse vs Nugent-Hopkins
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 4G 8A, 28 SOG · Nugent-Hopkins 10G 12A, 60 SOG
Crouse's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 0–0 · Crouse's defensive zone 1–0 (2019-20)
Crouse blocked 1 of Nugent-Hopkins's shots; Nugent-Hopkins blocked 0 of Crouse's.
On the ice against each other (Crouse's side)
6:03 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Crouse's side
- Shot attempts
- 7–10
- 41.2%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.2
- 43.0%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Crouse | Nugent-Hopkins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-07 | UTA 6–5 EDM | 0G 1A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2026-03-24 | UTA 2–5 EDM | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-10-28 | UTA 3–6 EDM | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-03-18 | UTA 1–7 EDM | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 2A 4S |
| 2024-12-31 | UTA 1–4 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-11-29 | UTA 3–4 EDM | 1G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-04-17 | ARI 5–2 EDM | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-04-12 | ARI 3–2 EDM | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 6S |
| 2024-02-19 | ARI 3–6 EDM | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-03-27 | ARI 4–5 EDM | 0G 3A 1S | 1G 1A 1S |
| 2023-03-22 | ARI 3–4 EDM | 0G 1A 1S | 2G 0A 4S |
| 2022-12-07 | ARI 2–8 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 2G 1A 4S |
Latest 12 of 22 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)
3.0proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs CHI
- Sat, Oct 3 @ CBJ1.5 ptsSchedule edge −1.0 win%
- Sun, Oct 4 @ NYRB2B1.5 ptsSchedule edge −9.3 win%
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
3games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs VAN
- Thu, Oct 1 @ VAN
- Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA1.4 pts
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Lawson Crouse or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins projects to 1.70 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Lawson Crouse's 1.65. Crouse had 44 points in 81 games; Nugent-Hopkins had 56 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, Lawson Crouse or Ryan Nugent-Hopkins?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Lawson Crouse leads in 20 of 33 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Crouse and Nugent-Hopkins done against each other?
- In 22 games against each other in our data, Crouse's team went 7–15. Crouse had 12 points (4 goals) and Nugent-Hopkins had 22 (10 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Crouse or Nugent-Hopkins?
- Against each other, Crouse has won 1 and Nugent-Hopkins 0 of their 1 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 →