Who to start · 2025-26
Michael Bunting vs Noah Cates
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Noah Cates projects to 1.05 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Michael Bunting's 0.88.
Bunting had 33 points in 74 games; Cates had 47 in 82 games.
This week Bunting has 2 games left with 1 soft matchup; Cates has 2 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Cates for 2.2 to Bunting's 1.9 over the games left.
Noah Cates has the better number in 19 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Bunting's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 +0.95, Transition attempts /60 1.86, Offensive-zone time 45.7%.
Cates's biggest edges: Plus/minus +26, On-ice PDO 1026, Faceoffs won 467.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Noah Cates rates ahead, -1.3 to -3.7 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Bunting is steady, On-ice xGF/60 0.79 (was 1.84); Cates is falling, ixG/60 0.70 (was 1.03).
- • 2026-27 so far: 7 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 9 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 11 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 10 SOG.
- • Last 10 games (Oct 1–Oct 19): 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 9 SOG.
Philadelphia Flyers · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Michael Bunting
-3.7
category z-score total
Noah Cates
-1.3
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Noah Cates has the edge (Bunting wins 3, Cates wins 3 of 6 categories).
| Category | Bunting | Cates |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.13 | 0.13 |
| Assists / game | 0.22 | 0.24 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.45 | 0.07 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.14 | 0.06 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.57 | 1.31 |
| Hits / game | 0.64 | 1.06 |
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: Bunting vs Cates
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2021-22 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Bunting 4G 5A, 25 SOG · Cates 4G 2A, 11 SOG
On the ice against each other (Bunting's side)
5:51 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Bunting's side
- Shot attempts
- 6–0
- 100.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.3–0.0
- 100.0%
- Goals
- 0–0
On the ice together
8:59 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2026-27
- Shot attempts
- 7–9
- 43.8%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.4
- 20.2%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Bunting | Cates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-29 | DAL 1–2 PHI | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-11-06 | NSH 1–3 PHI | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2025-10-30 | NSH 1–4 PHI | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2025-03-31 | NSH 1–2 PHI | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-02-25 | PIT 1–6 PHI | 0G 1A 1S | 2G 1A 3S |
| 2025-02-08 | PIT 2–3 PHI | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-12-23 | PIT 7–3 PHI | 2G 0A 5S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2023-11-15 | CAR 1–3 PHI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-10-30 | CAR 3–2 PHI | 1G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-01-08 | TOR 6–2 PHI | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2022-12-22 | TOR 4–3 PHI | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-11-02 | TOR 5–2 PHI | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
Latest 12 of 14 meetings.
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
Michael Bunting
3games (2 left)
1.9proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 vs COLOpp allows 9th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
- Wed, Oct 21 @ BUF0.9 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 vs ANA0.9 ptsOpp allows 10th-most FP to LWLikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)
Noah Cates
3games (2 left)
2.2proj. ESPN default pts
- Mon, Oct 19 vs COLOpp allows 9th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
- Wed, Oct 21 @ BUF1.1 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 vs ANA1.1 ptsOpp allows 10th-most FP to LWLikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Michael Bunting or Noah Cates in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Noah Cates projects to 1.05 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Michael Bunting's 0.88. Bunting had 33 points in 74 games; Cates had 47 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, Michael Bunting or Noah Cates?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Noah Cates 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 Bunting and Cates done against each other?
- In 14 games against each other in our data, Bunting's team went 7–7. Bunting had 9 points (4 goals) and Cates had 6 (4 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 →