Who to start · 2025-26
Noah Cates vs Sidney Crosby
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Sidney Crosby projects to 2.18 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33.
Cates had 47 points in 82 games; Crosby had 74 in 68 games.
This week Cates has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Crosby has 1 left. We project Crosby for 2.0 ESPN points to Cates's 1.5.
Sidney Crosby has the better number in 24 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Cates's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.031, Expected goals 53.9%, Blocked shots 51.
Crosby's biggest edges: Ascension score 57, Draw Equity /100 +0.063, Faceoff win % 55.2%.
Head to head on the dot, Crosby leads Cates 55–48.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Noah Cates
1.33
fantasy points per game
Sidney Crosby
2.18
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Sidney Crosby has the edge.
| Points per game from | Cates | Crosby |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.39 | 0.80 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.31 | 0.68 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.05 | 0.16 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.16 | 0.24 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.11 | 0.10 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.30 | 0.21 |
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: Cates vs Crosby
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2021-22 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Cates 7G 7A, 30 SOG · Crosby 10G 15A, 62 SOG
Cates's offensive zone 7–8 · neutral 19–25 · Cates's defensive zone 22–22 (2022-23 to 2026-27)
Cates blocked 1 of Crosby's shots; Crosby blocked 0 of Cates's.
On the ice against each other (Cates's side)
39:08 at 5-on-5 over 9 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Cates's side
- Shot attempts
- 35–43
- 44.9%
- Expected goals
- 2.0–1.5
- 57.5%
- Goals
- 1–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Cates | Crosby |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-30 | PHI 0–7 PIT | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2026-04-29 · PO | PHI 1–0 PIT | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2026-04-27 · PO | PHI 2–3 PIT | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 2A 0S |
| 2026-04-25 · PO | PHI 2–4 PIT | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 1A 4S |
| 2026-04-22 · PO | PHI 5–2 PIT | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2026-04-20 · PO | PHI 3–0 PIT | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2026-04-18 · PO | PHI 3–2 PIT | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2026-01-15 | PHI 3–6 PIT | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2025-12-01 | PHI 1–5 PIT | 0G 0A 0S | 2G 0A 5S |
| 2025-10-28 | PHI 3–2 PIT | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2025-02-27 | PHI 4–5 PIT | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2025-02-25 | PHI 6–1 PIT | 2G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
Latest 12 of 18 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.
Noah Cates
3games (1 left)
1.5proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 vs PITOpp allows the fewest FP to LWLikely vs Arturs Silovs (.888)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ NJDB2BOpp allows 9th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Jake Allen (.904)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs CAR1.5 ptsOpp allows 9th-most FP to LWSchedule edge +9.0 win%Likely vs Pyotr Kochetkov (.899)
Sidney Crosby
2games (1 left)
2.0proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ PHIOpp allows 7th-most FP to CLikely vs Dan Vladar (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs MTL2.0 ptsOpp allows 14th-most FP to Cvs Jakub Dobes (.901)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Noah Cates or Sidney Crosby in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Sidney Crosby projects to 2.18 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33. Cates had 47 points in 82 games; Crosby had 74 in 68 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, Noah Cates or Sidney Crosby?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Sidney Crosby leads in 24 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Cates and Crosby done against each other?
- In 18 games against each other in our data, Cates's team went 7–11. Cates had 14 points (7 goals) and Crosby had 25 (10 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Cates or Crosby?
- Against each other, Cates has won 48 and Crosby 55 of their 103 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 →