Who to start · 2025-26
Matty Beniers vs Mika Zibanejad
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mika Zibanejad projects to 2.27 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Matty Beniers's 1.73.
Beniers had 50 points in 82 games; Zibanejad had 78 in 81 games.
This week Beniers has 2 games left with 1 soft matchup; Zibanejad has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Beniers for 3.8 ESPN points to Zibanejad's 1.4.
Mika Zibanejad has the better number in 27 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Beniers's biggest edges: Ascension score 53, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.38, Plus/minus −8.
Zibanejad's biggest edges: Goals above expected +5.8, Turnover Ledger /60 −0.001, Hits 105.
Head to head on the dot, Zibanejad leads Beniers 25–10.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 3 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Matty Beniers
1.73
fantasy points per game
Mika Zibanejad
2.27
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Mika Zibanejad has the edge.
| Points per game from | Beniers | Zibanejad |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.58 | 0.81 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.41 | 0.51 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.06 | 0.21 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.18 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.05 | 0.14 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.46 | 0.34 |
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: Beniers vs Zibanejad
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.
Beniers 0G 3A, 6 SOG · Zibanejad 3G 1A, 19 SOG
Beniers's offensive zone 4–13 · neutral 5–8 · Beniers's defensive zone 1–4 (2022-23 to 2025-26)
On the ice against each other (Beniers's side)
6:14 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Beniers's side
- Shot attempts
- 11–4
- 73.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.1
- 70.4%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Beniers | Zibanejad |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-12 | SEA 4–2 NYR | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2025-11-01 | SEA 2–3 NYR | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-12-08 | SEA 7–5 NYR | 0G 2A 0S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2024-11-17 | SEA 0–2 NYR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-10-21 | SEA 1–4 NYR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-02-10 | SEA 3–6 NYR | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2022-11-17 | SEA 3–2 NYR | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 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.
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.
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)
Mika Zibanejad
4games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ BOSOpp allows 5th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)
- Thu, Oct 1 vs TBLOpp allows 11th-most FP to CLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Fri, Oct 2 @ DETB2BOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs John Gibson (.901)
- Sun, Oct 4 vs UTA1.4 ptsOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Matty Beniers or Mika Zibanejad in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mika Zibanejad projects to 2.27 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Matty Beniers's 1.73. Beniers had 50 points in 82 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, Matty Beniers or Mika Zibanejad?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Mika Zibanejad leads in 27 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Beniers and Zibanejad done against each other?
- In 7 games against each other in our data, Beniers's team went 3–4. Beniers had 3 points (0 goals) and Zibanejad had 4 (3 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Beniers or Zibanejad?
- Against each other, Beniers has won 10 and Zibanejad 25 of their 35 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 →