Who to start · 2025-26
Jiri Kulich vs Sam Bennett
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Sam Bennett projects to 1.74 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Jiri Kulich's 1.26.
Kulich had 5 points in 12 games; Bennett had 58 in 76 games.
This week Kulich has 2 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Bennett has 3 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Bennett for 5.4 to Kulich's 2.5 over the games left.
Sam Bennett has the better number in 3 of the 3 stats both are ranked on.
Bennett's biggest edges: Draw Equity /100 −0.018, Faceoff win % 47.6%, Luck Meter +20.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Sam Bennett rates ahead, +4.5 to -2.2 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Kulich has no recent trend; Bennett is cooling, PP1 in 0 of last 5 (was 17 of 20).
- • Kulich has played 7 of the Sabres' 9 games since Oct 1 (in and out of the lineup).
- • 2026-27 so far: 7 GP, 1 G, 2 A, 0 PPP, 8 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 3 G, 3 A, 0 PPP, 21 SOG.
Buffalo Sabres · Florida Panthers · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Jiri Kulich
-2.2
category z-score total
Sam Bennett
+4.5
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Sam Bennett has the edge (Kulich wins 0, Bennett wins 6 of 6 categories).
| Category | Kulich | Bennett |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.22 | 0.34 |
| Assists / game | 0.20 | 0.39 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.09 | 0.13 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.00 | 0.12 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.50 | 2.53 |
| Hits / game | 0.83 | 1.90 |
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 scoring choice is shared with Who Should I Start: saved on this device, and on your account when you are signed in.
Head-to-head: Kulich vs Bennett
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2024-25 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Kulich 0G 0A, 7 SOG · Bennett 1G 0A, 5 SOG
Kulich's offensive zone 1–1 · neutral 1–0 · Kulich's defensive zone 2–3 (2024-25 to 2026-27)
On the ice against each other (Kulich's side)
8:17 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Kulich's side
- Shot attempts
- 11–14
- 44.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.3–0.3
- 47.5%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Kulich | Bennett |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-12 | BUF 5–3 FLA | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-10-18 | BUF 3–0 FLA | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-10-12 | BUF 5–2 FLA | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
Faceoffs: Kulich vs Bennett
Model: Jiri Kulich wins 49.6% of draws against Sam Bennett on average (L shot vs L shot). Same-handed, so the dot decides who is on his strong side; the gap between the left and right dots is the real matchup.
| Kulich at | OZ left | OZ right | NZ left (att.) | NZ right (att.) | Centre | NZ left (def.) | NZ right (def.) | DZ left | DZ right |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 55% | 43% | 56% | 44% | 50% | 56% | 44% | 57% | 45% |
| Road | 54% | 42% | 55% | 43% | 49% | 55% | 43% | 56% | 44% |
Head-to-head 2024-25 to 2026-27: Kulich 4–4 (50.0%). Blended with the model: 49.7%. The record is normal luck for this matchup (z 0.0); pair-specific edges are about ±2 points, so the model carries most of the weight.
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
Oct 19 to Oct 25. 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 cover the games left: Edgehalla's rest-of-season rates per game, adjusted for each opponent's scoring allowed, in ESPN default points.
Scored in ESPN default points (G 2, A 1, PPP 0.5, SHP 0.5, SOG 0.1, HIT 0.1, BLK 0.5). Use your league's scoring
Jiri Kulich
2games
2.5proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs PHI1.4 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ WSH1.1 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Logan Thompson (.912)
Sam Bennett
3games
5.4proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 @ OTT1.7 ptsOpp allows 14th-most FP to CLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
- Sun, Oct 25 @ CHI1.9 ptsOpp allows 7th-most FP to CLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Jiri Kulich or Sam Bennett in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Sam Bennett projects to 1.74 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Jiri Kulich's 1.26. Kulich had 5 points in 12 games; Bennett had 58 in 76 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, Jiri Kulich or Sam Bennett?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Sam Bennett leads in 3 of 3 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Kulich and Bennett done against each other?
- In 3 games against each other in our data, Kulich's team went 3–0. Kulich had 0 points (0 goals) and Bennett had 1 (1 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Kulich or Bennett?
- Against each other, Kulich has won 4 and Bennett 4 of their 8 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 →