Who to start · 2026-27
Matvei Gridin vs Sam Bennett
In 2026-27, Matvei Gridin scored 1.54 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Sam Bennett's 1.47.
Gridin had 12 points in 20 games; Bennett had 11 in 21 games.
This week Gridin has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Bennett has 1 left. In ESPN default points scoring we project Gridin for 1.7 to Bennett's 1.5 over the games left.
Matvei Gridin has the better number in 19 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Gridin's biggest edges: Ascension score 63, High-danger chances 59.6%, Blocked shots 11.
Bennett's biggest edges: Penalty minutes 24, Forecheck xG /60 0.48, Faceoffs won 131.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Sam Bennett rates ahead, +0.8 to -1.4 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Gridin is steady; Bennett is cooling, −1:44 PP TOI.
- • Gridin, last 10 games (Oct 26–Nov 14): 4 G, 3 A, 2 PPP, 24 SOG.
- • Bennett, last 10 games (Oct 25–Nov 14): 4 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 25 SOG.
Calgary Flames · Florida Panthers · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Under Standard (6 categories), Sam Bennett has the edge (Gridin wins 2, Bennett wins 4 of 6 categories).
| Category | Gridin | Bennett |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.30 | 0.33 |
| Assists / game | 0.30 | 0.19 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.40 | 0.10 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.25 | 0.05 |
| Shots on goal / game | 2.20 | 2.48 |
| Hits / game | 0.25 | 2.00 |
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: Gridin vs Bennett
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2025-26 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Gridin 0G 1A, 4 SOG · Bennett 0G 0A, 0 SOG
On the ice against each other (Gridin's side)
1:27 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Gridin's side
- Shot attempts
- 0–3
- 0.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.1
- 0.0%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Gridin | Bennett |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-20 | CGY 4–1 FLA | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
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, Luck & trend, NHL EDGE tracking continue below
Every stat, side by side (continued)
Transition, turnovers & faceoffs
Usage
Special teams & discipline
This week's schedule
Nov 9 to Nov 15. 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
Matvei Gridin
3games (1 left)
1.7proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Nov 11 vs NYROpp allows 14th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Joonas Korpisalo (.931)
- Sat, Nov 14 @ LAKOpp allows 10th-most FP to RWLikely vs Anton Forsberg (.908)
- Opp allows 4th-most FP to RWLikely vs Ville Husso (.868)
Sam Bennett
4games (1 left)
1.5proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Nov 10 @ CBJOpp allows 9th-most FP to CLikely vs Cam Talbot (.909)
- Thu, Nov 12 vs DETOpp allows 15th-fewest FP to CLikely vs John Gibson (.862)
- Sat, Nov 14 @ STLOpp allows 13th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Joel Hofer (.921)
- Opp allows 14th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Casey DeSmith (.894)
Player data stories
How the game changed, told through the numbers.
- In 2022-23, Four NHL Players Wore a Number in the 90s for Every One in No. 9 The count was 53 to 13, and the incomplete 2025-26 rosters show the same split, 51 to 12.
- The 1,000-Game Club Had Its Biggest Year. Getting In Is No Easier. Seventeen players reached 1,000 NHL games in 2025-26, more than in any season before, in the biggest league the NHL has had.
- Only 14 NHL Defencemen Still Score Like Ken Daneyko A stay-at-home defenceman stays back to defend and leaves the scoring to others.
- How Much Lighter Did the NHL Really Get? Teams write down NHL weights.
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Matvei Gridin or Sam Bennett in fantasy hockey?
- In 2026-27, Matvei Gridin scored 1.54 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Sam Bennett's 1.47. Gridin had 12 points in 20 games; Bennett had 11 in 21 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, Matvei Gridin or Sam Bennett?
- On 2026-27 numbers, Matvei Gridin 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 Gridin and Bennett done against each other?
- In 1 games against each other in our data, Gridin's team went 1–0. Gridin had 1 points (0 goals) and Bennett had 0 (0 goals).
2026-27 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 →