Who to start · 2025-26
Alex Ovechkin vs Noah Cates
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Alex Ovechkin projects to 1.84 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33.
Ovechkin had 64 points in 82 games; Cates had 47 in 82 games.
This week Ovechkin has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Cates has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Ovechkin for 1.9 ESPN points to Cates's 1.5.
Alex Ovechkin has the better number in 19 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Ovechkin's biggest edges: Hardest shot 97.3, Power-play share 91.6%, Offensive-zone time 44.6%.
Cates's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.031, Faceoffs won 467, Blocked shots 51.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Alex Ovechkin
1.84
fantasy points per game
Noah Cates
1.33
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Alex Ovechkin has the edge.
| Points per game from | Ovechkin | Cates |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.73 | 0.39 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.43 | 0.31 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.11 | 0.05 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.29 | 0.16 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.16 | 0.11 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.12 | 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: Ovechkin vs Cates
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2021-22 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Ovechkin 12G 3A, 56 SOG · Cates 1G 3A, 13 SOG
On the ice against each other (Ovechkin's side)
13:16 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26, from Ovechkin's side
- Shot attempts
- 8–12
- 40.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.3–1.0
- 24.4%
- Goals
- 0–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Ovechkin | Cates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-31 | WSH 6–4 PHI | 2G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2026-03-11 | WSH 1–4 PHI | 0G 1A 5S | 0G 2A 0S |
| 2026-02-25 | WSH 3–1 PHI | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2026-02-03 | WSH 2–4 PHI | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-03-20 | WSH 3–2 PHI | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-02-06 | WSH 4–3 PHI | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-10-23 | WSH 6–3 PHI | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-10-22 | WSH 4–1 PHI | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-04-16 | WSH 2–1 PHI | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-03-01 | WSH 5–2 PHI | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-01-14 | WSH 1–3 PHI | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-01-11 | WSH 3–5 PHI | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 2S |
Latest 12 of 15 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.
Alex Ovechkin
2games (1 left)
1.9proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 @ CAROpp allows 9th-most FP to LWLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.895)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TBLB2B1.9 ptsOpp allows 6th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −13.3 win%vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
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 Alex Ovechkin or Noah Cates in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Alex Ovechkin projects to 1.84 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33. Ovechkin had 64 points in 82 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, Alex Ovechkin or Noah Cates?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Alex Ovechkin leads in 19 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Ovechkin and Cates done against each other?
- In 15 games against each other in our data, Ovechkin's team went 11–4. Ovechkin had 15 points (12 goals) and Cates had 4 (1 goals).
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 →