Who to start · 2025-26
Bokondji Imama vs Noah Cates
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Noah Cates projects to 1.05 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Bokondji Imama's 0.34.
Imama had 0 points in 2 games; Cates had 47 in 82 games.
This week Imama has 3 games left with 1 soft matchup; Cates has 2 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Cates for 2.2 to Imama's 2.1 over the games left.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Noah Cates rates ahead, -1.3 to -4.3 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Imama has no recent trend; Cates is falling, ixG/60 0.70 (was 1.03).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 11 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 10 SOG.
- • Last 10 games (Oct 1–Oct 19): 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 9 SOG.
Florida Panthers · Philadelphia Flyers · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Bokondji Imama
-4.3
category z-score total
Noah Cates
-1.3
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Noah Cates has the edge (Imama wins 1, Cates wins 5 of 6 categories).
| Category | Imama | Cates |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.00 | 0.13 |
| Assists / game | 0.00 | 0.24 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.08 | 0.07 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.00 | 0.06 |
| Shots on goal / game | 0.88 | 1.31 |
| Hits / game | 2.10 | 1.06 |
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: Imama vs Cates
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2024-25 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Imama 0G 0A, 3 SOG · Cates 1G 0A, 3 SOG
On the ice against each other (Imama's side)
2:09 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Imama's side
- Shot attempts
- 4–2
- 66.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.1
- 5.3%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Imama | Cates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-01 | PIT 5–1 PHI | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-02-27 | PIT 5–4 PHI | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 3S |
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
Bokondji Imama
3games
2.1proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 @ OTT0.7 ptsOpp allows 14th-most FP to LWLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
- Sun, Oct 25 @ CHI0.7 ptsOpp allows 9th-most FP to LWLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
Noah Cates
3games (2 left)
2.2proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 vs COLOpp allows 9th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
- Wed, Oct 21 @ BUF1.1 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 vs ANA1.1 ptsOpp allows 10th-most FP to LWLikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Bokondji Imama or Noah Cates in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Noah Cates projects to 1.05 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Bokondji Imama's 0.34. Imama had 0 points in 2 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.
- How have Imama and Cates done against each other?
- In 2 games against each other in our data, Imama's team went 2–0. Imama had 0 points (0 goals) and Cates had 1 (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 →