Who to start · 2025-26
Ian Cole vs Matty Beniers
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Matty Beniers projects to 1.73 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ian Cole's 1.30.
Cole had 23 points in 82 games; Beniers had 50 in 82 games.
This week Cole has 1 game left; Beniers has 2 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Beniers for 3.8 ESPN points to Cole's 1.5.
Matty Beniers has the better number in 19 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Cole's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 −0.019, High-danger chances 56.7%, Plus/minus +16.
Beniers's biggest edges: Ascension score 53, Hardest shot 90.4, Power-play time per game 2:37.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Ian Cole
1.30
fantasy points per game
Matty Beniers
1.73
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Matty Beniers has the edge.
| Points per game from | Cole | Beniers |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.06 | 0.58 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.22 | 0.41 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.06 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.18 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.08 | 0.05 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.87 | 0.46 |
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: Cole vs Beniers
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.
Cole 1G 3A, 8 SOG · Beniers 3G 2A, 24 SOG
Cole blocked 3 of Beniers's shots; Beniers blocked 0 of Cole's.
On the ice against each other (Cole's side)
10:46 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Cole's side
- Shot attempts
- 7–17
- 29.2%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.4
- 29.6%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Cole | Beniers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-02 | UTA 6–2 SEA | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2026-01-17 | UTA 6–3 SEA | 0G 1A 0S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2025-12-12 | UTA 5–3 SEA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2025-04-08 | UTA 7–1 SEA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-03-14 | UTA 2–4 SEA | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-12-30 | UTA 2–5 SEA | 0G 1A 0S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2024-02-22 | VAN 2–5 SEA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-11-24 | VAN 5–1 SEA | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-11-18 | VAN 3–4 SEA | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2023-01-16 | TBL 4–1 SEA | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-12-13 | TBL 6–2 SEA | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 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.
Ian Cole
3games (1 left)
1.5proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ VGKOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Carter Hart (.891)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ UTAOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to DLikely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ BUF1.5 ptsOpp allows 11th-most FP to DSchedule edge −1.0 win%Likely vs Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (.910)
Matty Beniers
3games (2 left)
3.8proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 @ CGYOpp allows 2nd-most FP to CLikely vs Dustin Wolf (.899)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ EDM1.9 ptsOpp allows 12th-most FP to CLikely vs Tristan Jarry (.882)
- Sun, Oct 4 vs CGYB2B1.9 ptsOpp allows 2nd-most FP to CLikely vs Dustin Wolf (.899)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Ian Cole or Matty Beniers in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Matty Beniers projects to 1.73 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Ian Cole's 1.30. Cole had 23 points in 82 games; Beniers had 50 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, Ian Cole or Matty Beniers?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Matty Beniers 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 Cole and Beniers done against each other?
- In 11 games against each other in our data, Cole's team went 7–4. Cole had 4 points (1 goals) and Beniers had 5 (3 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 →