Who to start · 2025-26
Dougie Hamilton vs Noah Cates
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Dougie Hamilton projects to 1.74 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33.
Hamilton had 39 points in 77 games; Cates had 47 in 82 games.
This week Hamilton has 1 game left; Cates has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Hamilton for 1.6 ESPN points to Cates's 1.5.
They split the 34 stats both are ranked on 17–17.
Hamilton's biggest edges: Ascension score 54, Hardest shot 96.5, Transition attempts /60 1.42.
Cates's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.031, On-ice PDO 1026, Plus/minus +26.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Dougie Hamilton
1.74
fantasy points per game
Noah Cates
1.33
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Dougie Hamilton has the edge.
| Points per game from | Hamilton | Cates |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.42 | 0.39 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.33 | 0.31 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.09 | 0.05 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.28 | 0.16 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.12 | 0.11 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.50 | 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: Hamilton vs Cates
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2022-23 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Hamilton 4G 1A, 34 SOG · Cates 1G 7A, 18 SOG
Hamilton blocked 0 of Cates's shots; Cates blocked 1 of Hamilton's.
On the ice against each other (Hamilton's side)
18:59 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Hamilton's side
- Shot attempts
- 38–13
- 74.5%
- Expected goals
- 1.4–0.6
- 68.8%
- Goals
- 2–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Hamilton | Cates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-01 | NJD 3–2 PHI | 1G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2026-04-07 | NJD 1–5 PHI | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-11-29 | NJD 3–5 PHI | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-11-22 | NJD 3–6 PHI | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 2A 4S |
| 2025-01-29 | NJD 5–0 PHI | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-01-27 | NJD 2–4 PHI | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-01-18 | NJD 1–3 PHI | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2023-02-25 | NJD 7–0 PHI | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-12-15 | NJD 1–2 PHI | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2022-12-03 | NJD 3–2 PHI | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2022-10-13 | NJD 2–5 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.
Dougie Hamilton
2games (1 left)
1.6proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs PHIOpp allows 2nd-most FP to DSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ NYI1.6 ptsOpp allows 16th-most FP to DSchedule edge −4.0 win%vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
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 Dougie Hamilton or Noah Cates in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Dougie Hamilton projects to 1.74 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33. Hamilton had 39 points in 77 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, Dougie Hamilton or Noah Cates?
- On 2025-26 numbers they split 17–17 across 34 stats where both qualify.
- How have Hamilton and Cates done against each other?
- In 11 games against each other in our data, Hamilton's team went 4–7. Hamilton had 5 points (4 goals) and Cates had 8 (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 →