Who to start · 2025-26
Peyton Krebs vs Sean Couturier
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Peyton Krebs projects to 1.06 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Sean Couturier's 0.98.
Krebs had 39 points in 82 games; Couturier had 36 in 78 games.
This week Krebs has 2 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Couturier has 2 left. In ESPN default points scoring we project Krebs for 2.0 to Couturier's 1.9 over the games left.
Sean Couturier has the better number in 19 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Krebs's biggest edges: Top skating speed 23.3, 20+ mph bursts 168, On-ice PDO 1019.
Couturier's biggest edges: Draw Equity /100 +0.058, Faceoff win % 54.2%, High-danger chances 56.5%.
Head to head on the dot, Krebs leads Couturier 18–9.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Peyton Krebs rates ahead, -0.9 to -2.1 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Krebs is falling, On-ice xGF/60 1.55 (was 3.15); Couturier is steady, On-ice xGF/60 1.21 (was 2.38).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 0 G, 4 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 11 GP, 0 G, 3 A, 0 PPP, 13 SOG.
- • Last 10 games (Oct 1–Oct 19): 0 G, 3 A, 0 PPP, 13 SOG.
Buffalo Sabres · Philadelphia Flyers · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Peyton Krebs
-0.9
category z-score total
Sean Couturier
-2.1
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Peyton Krebs has the edge (Krebs wins 5, Couturier wins 1 of 6 categories).
| Category | Krebs | Couturier |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.09 | 0.09 |
| Assists / game | 0.37 | 0.29 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.02 | -0.11 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal / game | 0.96 | 1.38 |
| Hits / game | 2.12 | 1.51 |
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: Krebs vs Couturier
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.
Krebs 1G 2A, 9 SOG · Couturier 0G 4A, 7 SOG
Krebs's offensive zone 5–5 · neutral 7–1 · Krebs's defensive zone 6–3 (2023-24 to 2025-26)
On the ice against each other (Krebs's side)
6:53 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Krebs's side
- Shot attempts
- 5–9
- 35.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.3–0.8
- 30.5%
- Goals
- 1–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Krebs | Couturier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-14 | BUF 5–2 PHI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-12-18 | BUF 5–3 PHI | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-12-03 | BUF 2–5 PHI | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-04-17 | BUF 5–4 PHI | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2025-03-29 | BUF 4–7 PHI | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-11-16 | BUF 2–5 PHI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2023-11-01 | BUF 5–2 PHI | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
Faceoffs: Krebs vs Couturier
Model: Peyton Krebs wins 40.6% of draws against Sean Couturier on average (L shot vs L shot). Same-handed, so the dot decides who is on his strong side; the gap between the left and right dots is the real matchup.
| Krebs at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 47% | 33% | 49% | 34% | 41% | 49% | 34% | 50% | 35% |
| Road | 46% | 32% | 47% | 33% | 40% | 47% | 33% | 48% | 34% |
Head-to-head 2023-24 to 2025-26: Krebs 18–9 (66.7%). Blended with the model: 41.9%. The record is unusual for this matchup (z 2.8); pair-specific edges are about ±2 points, so the model carries most of the weight.
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
Peyton Krebs
2games
2.0proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs PHI1.1 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ WSH0.9 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Logan Thompson (.912)
Sean Couturier
3games (2 left)
1.9proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 vs COLOpp allows 15th-most FP to CLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
- Wed, Oct 21 @ BUF1.0 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 vs ANA1.0 pts
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Peyton Krebs or Sean Couturier in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Peyton Krebs projects to 1.06 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Sean Couturier's 0.98. Krebs had 39 points in 82 games; Couturier had 36 in 78 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, Peyton Krebs or Sean Couturier?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Sean Couturier leads in 19 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Krebs and Couturier done against each other?
- In 7 games against each other in our data, Krebs's team went 4–3. Krebs had 3 points (1 goals) and Couturier had 4 (0 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Krebs or Couturier?
- Against each other, Krebs has won 18 and Couturier 9 of their 27 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 →