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Who to start · 2025-26

Cole Caufield vs Mika Zibanejad

Cole CaufieldCole CaufieldCanadiens · Right wingvsMika ZibanejadMika ZibanejadRangers · Centre

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Cole Caufield projects to 2.29 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mika Zibanejad's 2.27.

Caufield had 88 points in 81 games; Zibanejad had 78 in 81 games.

This week Caufield has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Zibanejad has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Caufield for 1.6 ESPN points to Zibanejad's 1.4.

Cole Caufield has the better number in 19 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.

Caufield's biggest edges: Plus/minus +29, Fenwick 54.9%, Transition attempts /60 1.65.

Zibanejad's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 574, Blocked shots 50, Hardest shot 96.4.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
  • • 2026-27 so far: 3 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 6 SOG.

Fantasy value: your scoring

Cole Caufield

2.29

fantasy points per game

Mika Zibanejad

2.27

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Cole Caufield has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromCaufieldZibanejad
Goals (+2)1.180.81
Assists (+1)0.430.51
Power-play points (+0.5)0.170.21
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.000.01
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.320.25
Hits (+0.1)0.080.14
Blocks (+0.5)0.120.34

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: Caufield vs Zibanejad

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.

CaufieldZibanejad
4Team record in 12 meetings8
13Points in those games16

Caufield 7G 6A, 42 SOG · Zibanejad 7G 9A, 42 SOG

0Hits on each other1

On the ice against each other (Caufield's side)

20:12 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Caufield's side

Shot attempts
14–16
46.7%
Expected goals
1.0–1.0
49.7%
Goals
2–1

Games against each other

Games between Cole Caufield and Mika Zibanejad
DateScoreCaufieldZibanejad
2026-04-02MTL 3–2 NYR2G 0A 7S0G 1A 0S
2025-12-13MTL 4–5 NYR0G 1A 1S0G 1A 2S
2025-10-18MTL 3–4 NYR0G 1A 1S1G 1A 3S
2025-01-19MTL 5–4 NYR0G 1A 2S1G 0A 1S
2024-11-30MTL 3–4 NYR1G 1A 3S1G 1A 3S
2024-10-22MTL 2–7 NYR0G 0A 1S1G 0A 5S
2024-04-07MTL 2–5 NYR1G 0A 6S2G 1A 7S
2024-02-15MTL 4–7 NYR2G 1A 6S1G 2A 4S
2024-01-06MTL 4–3 NYR0G 0A 6S0G 0A 6S
2023-01-15MTL 2–1 NYR1G 1A 6S0G 0A 5S
2023-01-05MTL 1–4 NYR0G 0A 1S0G 0A 2S
2021-10-16MTL 1–3 NYR0G 0A 2S0G 2A 4S

Every stat, side by side

Season values; bars are percentiles at each player's position (longer is better). Click a stat for its explainer.

CaufieldZibanejad

Fantasy box score

Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)

Transition, turnovers & faceoffs

Usage

Special teams & discipline

Luck & trend

NHL EDGE tracking

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.

Cole Caufield

2games (1 left)

1.6proj. ESPN pts

  • Tue, Sep 29 @ TOR
    Opp allows 16th-most FP to RWLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
  • Sat, Oct 3 @ PIT1.6 pts
    Opp allows the fewest FP to RWLikely vs Arturs Silovs (.888)

Mika Zibanejad

4games (1 left)

1.4proj. ESPN pts

  • Tue, Sep 29 @ BOS
    Opp allows 5th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)
  • Thu, Oct 1 vs TBL
    Opp allows 11th-most FP to CLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
  • Fri, Oct 2 @ DETB2B
    Opp allows 4th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs John Gibson (.901)
  • Sun, Oct 4 vs UTA1.4 pts
    Opp allows 2nd-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)

Similar matchups

FAQ

Should I start Cole Caufield or Mika Zibanejad in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Cole Caufield projects to 2.29 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mika Zibanejad's 2.27. Caufield had 88 points in 81 games; Zibanejad had 78 in 81 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, Cole Caufield or Mika Zibanejad?
On 2025-26 numbers, Cole Caufield 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 Caufield and Zibanejad done against each other?
In 12 games against each other in our data, Caufield's team went 4–8. Caufield had 13 points (7 goals) and Zibanejad had 16 (7 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 →