Who to start · 2025-26
Anthony Mantha vs Sam Bennett
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Sam Bennett projects to 1.74 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Anthony Mantha's 1.67.
Mantha had 64 points in 81 games; Bennett had 58 in 76 games.
This week Mantha has 1 game left; Bennett has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Bennett for 1.9 ESPN points to Mantha's 1.4.
Sam Bennett has the better number in 21 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Mantha's biggest edges: Plus/minus +10, Goals above expected +9.1, Net penalties drawn /60 −0.05.
Bennett's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.018, Faceoffs won 517, Corsi 53.1%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 2 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Anthony Mantha
1.67
fantasy points per game
Sam Bennett
1.74
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Sam Bennett has the edge.
| Points per game from | Mantha | Bennett |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.76 | 0.60 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.36 | 0.43 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.08 | 0.09 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.18 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.06 | 0.19 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.23 | 0.19 |
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: Mantha vs Bennett
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Mantha 6G 11A, 38 SOG · Bennett 4G 6A, 40 SOG
Mantha's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 0–0 · Mantha's defensive zone 1–0 (2022-23)
Mantha blocked 0 of Bennett's shots; Bennett blocked 1 of Mantha's.
On the ice against each other (Mantha's side)
8:42 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Mantha's side
- Shot attempts
- 5–8
- 38.5%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.3
- 26.9%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Mantha | Bennett |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-05 | PIT 5–2 FLA | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2026-04-04 | PIT 9–4 FLA | 1G 1A 1S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-10-23 | PIT 5–3 FLA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-02-24 | WSH 2–3 FLA | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 5S |
| 2024-02-08 | WSH 2–4 FLA | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-11-15 | WSH 2–5 FLA | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-05-13 · PO | WSH 3–4 FLA | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2022-05-11 · PO | WSH 3–5 FLA | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 5S |
| 2022-05-09 · PO | WSH 2–3 FLA | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 6S |
| 2022-05-07 · PO | WSH 6–1 FLA | 0G 2A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-05-05 · PO | WSH 1–5 FLA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-05-03 · PO | WSH 4–2 FLA | 0G 1A 5S | 1G 0A 2S |
Latest 12 of 17 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.
Anthony Mantha
2games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs PHIOpp allows 5th-most FP to RWSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ NYI1.4 ptsOpp allows 14th-most FP to RWSchedule edge −4.0 win%vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
Sam Bennett
3games (1 left)
1.9proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ CAROpp allows 13th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.895)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ SJSOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −1.0 win%Likely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)
- Sun, Oct 4 @ ANA1.9 ptsOpp allows 9th-most FP to CLikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Anthony Mantha or Sam Bennett in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Sam Bennett projects to 1.74 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Anthony Mantha's 1.67. Mantha had 64 points in 81 games; Bennett had 58 in 76 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, Anthony Mantha or Sam Bennett?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Sam Bennett leads in 21 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Mantha and Bennett done against each other?
- In 17 games against each other in our data, Mantha's team went 6–11. Mantha had 17 points (6 goals) and Bennett had 10 (4 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Mantha or Bennett?
- Against each other, Mantha has won 1 and Bennett 0 of their 1 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 →