Who to start · 2025-26
Adrian Kempe vs Noah Cates
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Adrian Kempe projects to 2.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33.
Kempe had 73 points in 81 games; Cates had 47 in 82 games.
This week Kempe has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Cates has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Kempe for 1.6 ESPN points to Cates's 1.5.
Adrian Kempe has the better number in 24 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Kempe's biggest edges: Hardest shot 95.3, 20+ mph bursts 224, Transition attempts /60 1.93.
Cates's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.031, High-danger chances 52.6%, Forecheck xG /60 0.28.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Adrian Kempe
2.01
fantasy points per game
Noah Cates
1.33
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Adrian Kempe has the edge.
| Points per game from | Kempe | Cates |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.83 | 0.39 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.43 | 0.31 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.07 | 0.05 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.28 | 0.16 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.16 | 0.11 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.23 | 0.30 |
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: Kempe vs Cates
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.
Kempe 6G 3A, 25 SOG · Cates 3G 2A, 11 SOG
Kempe's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 0–2 · Kempe's defensive zone 0–0 (2025-26)
Kempe blocked 0 of Cates's shots; Cates blocked 1 of Kempe's.
On the ice against each other (Kempe's side)
6:41 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Kempe's side
- Shot attempts
- 8–1
- 88.9%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.0
- 100.0%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Kempe | Cates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-19 | LAK 3–4 PHI | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 1A 2S |
| 2026-01-31 | LAK 3–2 PHI | 2G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-12-29 | LAK 5–4 PHI | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-12-19 | LAK 7–3 PHI | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2023-11-11 | LAK 2–4 PHI | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-11-04 | LAK 5–0 PHI | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-01-24 | LAK 4–3 PHI | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-12-31 | LAK 2–4 PHI | 1G 0A 5S | 1G 1A 1S |
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.
Adrian Kempe
2games (1 left)
1.6proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ COLOpp allows 10th-most FP to RWLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ SJS1.6 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to RWSchedule edge −3.2 win%Likely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)
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)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Adrian Kempe or Noah Cates in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Adrian Kempe projects to 2.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33. Kempe had 73 points in 81 games; Cates had 47 in 82 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, Adrian Kempe or Noah Cates?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Adrian Kempe 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 Kempe and Cates done against each other?
- In 8 games against each other in our data, Kempe's team went 5–3. Kempe had 9 points (6 goals) and Cates had 5 (3 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Kempe or Cates?
- Against each other, Kempe has won 0 and Cates 2 of their 2 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 →