Who to start · 2025-26
Matty Beniers vs Pavel Buchnevich
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Matty Beniers projects to 1.73 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Pavel Buchnevich's 1.30.
Beniers had 50 points in 82 games; Buchnevich had 48 in 81 games.
This week Beniers has 2 games left with 1 soft matchup; Buchnevich has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Beniers for 3.8 ESPN points to Buchnevich's 1.5.
Matty Beniers has the better number in 23 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Beniers's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 +0.38, Draw Equity /100 −0.012, 20+ mph bursts 130.
Buchnevich's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 −0.022, Sequence xG 52.5%, Expected goals 52.5%.
Head to head on the dot, Beniers leads Buchnevich 7–6.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Matty Beniers
1.73
fantasy points per game
Pavel Buchnevich
1.30
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Matty Beniers has the edge.
| Points per game from | Beniers | Buchnevich |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.58 | 0.46 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.41 | 0.32 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.06 | 0.08 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.18 | 0.16 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.05 | 0.03 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.46 | 0.23 |
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 Buchnevich
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 1A, 15 SOG · Buchnevich 4G 5A, 13 SOG
Beniers's offensive zone 4–1 · neutral 2–4 · Beniers's defensive zone 1–1 (2023-24 to 2025-26)
Beniers blocked 0 of Buchnevich's shots; Buchnevich blocked 1 of Beniers's.
On the ice against each other (Beniers's side)
21:46 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Beniers's side
- Shot attempts
- 25–14
- 64.1%
- Expected goals
- 0.8–1.0
- 44.7%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Beniers | Buchnevich |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-04 | SEA 2–3 STL | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2026-02-26 | SEA 1–5 STL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-11-08 | SEA 4–3 STL | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2025-04-12 | SEA 4–3 STL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-02-25 | SEA 2–7 STL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2024-10-08 | SEA 2–3 STL | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-04-14 | SEA 1–4 STL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-01-26 | SEA 3–4 STL | 0G 0A 0S | 2G 1A 2S |
| 2023-10-14 | SEA 1–2 STL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-02-28 | SEA 5–3 STL | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 1A 2S |
| 2022-12-20 | SEA 5–2 STL | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 3S |
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)
Pavel Buchnevich
2games (1 left)
1.5proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 @ DALOpp allows 11th-most FP to LWLikely vs Jake Oettinger (.899)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ COLB2B1.5 ptsOpp allows 7th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −13.4 win%Likely vs Scott Wedgewood (.921)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Matty Beniers or Pavel Buchnevich 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 Pavel Buchnevich's 1.30. Beniers had 50 points in 82 games; Buchnevich had 48 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 Pavel Buchnevich?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Matty Beniers leads in 23 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 Buchnevich done against each other?
- In 11 games against each other in our data, Beniers's team went 4–7. Beniers had 1 points (0 goals) and Buchnevich had 9 (4 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Beniers or Buchnevich?
- Against each other, Beniers has won 7 and Buchnevich 6 of their 13 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 →