Who to start · 2025-26
Elias Lindholm vs Noah Cates
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Elias Lindholm projects to 1.78 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33.
Lindholm had 48 points in 69 games; Cates had 47 in 82 games.
This week Lindholm has 1 game left; Cates has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Cates for 1.5 ESPN points to Lindholm's 1.2.
Noah Cates has the better number in 20 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Lindholm's biggest edges: Draw Equity /100 +0.081, Faceoff win % 56.1%, Hardest shot 88.3.
Cates's biggest edges: Plus/minus +26, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.031, Expected goals 53.9%.
Head to head on the dot, Lindholm leads Cates 11–3.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Elias Lindholm
1.78
fantasy points per game
Noah Cates
1.33
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Elias Lindholm has the edge.
| Points per game from | Lindholm | Cates |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.55 | 0.39 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.46 | 0.31 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.13 | 0.05 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.18 | 0.16 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.06 | 0.11 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.41 | 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: Lindholm 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.
Lindholm 0G 1A, 10 SOG · Cates 0G 3A, 10 SOG
Lindholm's offensive zone 9–2 · neutral 1–0 · Lindholm's defensive zone 1–1 (2022-23 to 2025-26)
Lindholm blocked 0 of Cates's shots; Cates blocked 1 of Lindholm's.
On the ice against each other (Lindholm's side)
2:23 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Lindholm's side
- Shot attempts
- 0–2
- 0.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.0
- —
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Lindholm | Cates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-05 | BOS 1–2 PHI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2026-02-28 | BOS 1–3 PHI | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2024-12-07 | BOS 4–3 PHI | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-11-02 | BOS 3–0 PHI | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-10-29 | BOS 0–2 PHI | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-02-20 | CGY 3–4 PHI | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2022-11-21 | CGY 5–2 PHI | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 2S |
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.
Elias Lindholm
3games (1 left)
1.2proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs NYROpp allows 15th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
- Fri, Oct 2 @ WPGOpp allows 4th-most FP to CLikely vs Stuart Skinner (.888)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ MINB2B1.2 ptsOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −12.7 win%vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
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 Elias Lindholm or Noah Cates in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Elias Lindholm projects to 1.78 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33. Lindholm had 48 points in 69 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, Elias Lindholm or Noah Cates?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Noah Cates leads in 20 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Lindholm and Cates done against each other?
- In 7 games against each other in our data, Lindholm's team went 3–4. Lindholm had 1 points (0 goals) and Cates had 3 (0 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Lindholm or Cates?
- Against each other, Lindholm has won 11 and Cates 3 of their 14 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 →