Who to start · 2025-26
Brad Marchand vs Noah Cates
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Brad Marchand projects to 2.26 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33.
Marchand had 54 points in 52 games; Cates had 47 in 82 games.
This week Marchand has 1 game left; Cates has 1 left. We project Marchand for 1.5 ESPN points to Cates's 1.0.
They split the 33 stats both are ranked on 16–16.
Marchand's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 1.94, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.33, Goals above expected +4.5.
Cates's biggest edges: Plus/minus +26, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.031, Faceoffs won 467.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Brad Marchand
2.26
fantasy points per game
Noah Cates
1.45
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Brad Marchand has the edge.
| Points per game from | Marchand | Cates |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 1.04 | 0.44 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.52 | 0.35 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.20 | 0.05 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.27 | 0.16 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.12 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.15 | 0.31 |
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: Marchand 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.
Marchand 5G 5A, 26 SOG · Cates 1G 2A, 17 SOG
Marchand blocked 0 of Cates's shots; Cates blocked 2 of Marchand's.
On the ice against each other (Marchand's side)
8:50 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Marchand's side
- Shot attempts
- 12–6
- 66.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–0.8
- 41.8%
- Goals
- 0–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Marchand | Cates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-26 | FLA 2–4 PHI | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-10-13 | FLA 2–5 PHI | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-10-09 | FLA 2–1 PHI | 1G 0A 6S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-12-07 | BOS 4–3 PHI | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-11-02 | BOS 3–0 PHI | 1G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-10-29 | BOS 0–2 PHI | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-03-23 | BOS 2–3 PHI | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-03-16 | BOS 6–5 PHI | 0G 2A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-01-27 | BOS 6–2 PHI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-04-09 | BOS 5–3 PHI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2023-01-16 | BOS 6–0 PHI | 1G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-11-17 | BOS 4–1 PHI | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 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.
Brad Marchand
3games (1 left)
1.5proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ CAROpp allows 12th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.895)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ SJSOpp allows 12th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −1.0 win%Likely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)
- Sun, Oct 4 @ ANA1.5 ptsLikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)
Noah Cates
3games (1 left)
1.0proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 vs PITOpp allows the fewest FP to LWLikely vs Arturs Silovs (.888)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ NJDB2BOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Jake Allen (.904)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs CAR1.0 ptsOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge +12.2 win%Likely vs Pyotr Kochetkov (.899)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Brad Marchand or Noah Cates in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Brad Marchand projects to 2.26 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33. Marchand had 54 points in 52 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, Brad Marchand or Noah Cates?
- On 2025-26 numbers they split 16–16 across 33 stats where both qualify.
- How have Marchand and Cates done against each other?
- In 12 games against each other in our data, Marchand's team went 8–4. Marchand had 10 points (5 goals) and Cates had 3 (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 →