Who to start · 2025-26
Shane Pinto 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 Shane Pinto's 1.72.
Pinto had 46 points in 72 games; Crosby had 74 in 68 games.
This week Pinto has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Crosby has 1 left. We project Crosby for 2.0 ESPN points to Pinto's 1.3.
Sidney Crosby has the better number in 21 of the 35 stats both are ranked on.
Pinto's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.014, Expected goals 54.6%, Sequence xG 54.4%.
Crosby's biggest edges: Offensive-zone start % 66.5%, Offensive-zone time 46.2%, Power-play share 70.9%.
Head to head on the dot, Crosby leads Pinto 17–9.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Shane Pinto
1.72
fantasy points per game
Sidney Crosby
2.23
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Sidney Crosby has the edge.
| Points per game from | Pinto | Crosby |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.64 | 0.85 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.32 | 0.66 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.03 | 0.17 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.03 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.22 | 0.24 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.13 | 0.09 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.35 | 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: Pinto vs Crosby
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2022-23 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Pinto 3G 1A, 23 SOG · Crosby 1G 4A, 22 SOG
Pinto's offensive zone 3–2 · neutral 3–4 · Pinto's defensive zone 3–11 (2022-23 to 2025-26)
Pinto blocked 1 of Crosby's shots; Crosby blocked 1 of Pinto's.
On the ice against each other (Pinto's side)
9:22 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Pinto's side
- Shot attempts
- 8–12
- 40.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.4–0.3
- 61.0%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Pinto | Crosby |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-26 | OTT 3–4 PIT | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-02-02 | OTT 3–2 PIT | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-03-30 | OTT 0–1 PIT | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 6S |
| 2025-01-11 | OTT 5–0 PIT | 2G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-12-14 | OTT 3–2 PIT | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-03-12 | OTT 2–1 PIT | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-03-20 | OTT 2–1 PIT | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-01-20 | OTT 1–4 PIT | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2023-01-18 | OTT 5–4 PIT | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 3A 0S |
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.
Shane Pinto
1games
1.3proj. ESPN pts
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TOR1.3 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
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 Shane Pinto 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 Shane Pinto's 1.72. Pinto had 46 points in 72 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, Shane Pinto or Sidney Crosby?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Sidney Crosby leads in 21 of 35 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Pinto and Crosby done against each other?
- In 9 games against each other in our data, Pinto's team went 6–3. Pinto had 4 points (3 goals) and Crosby had 5 (1 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Pinto or Crosby?
- Against each other, Pinto has won 9 and Crosby 17 of their 26 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 →