Who to start · 2025-26
Nico Hischier vs Noah Cates
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nico Hischier projects to 1.93 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33.
Hischier had 66 points in 82 games; Cates had 47 in 82 games.
This week Hischier has 1 game left; Cates has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Hischier for 1.9 ESPN points to Cates's 1.5.
Nico Hischier has the better number in 25 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Hischier's biggest edges: Draw Equity /100 +0.070, Faceoff win % 55.8%, Hardest shot 89.4.
Cates's biggest edges: On-ice PDO 1026, Plus/minus +26, Luck Meter +14.
Head to head on the dot, Hischier leads Cates 32–13.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 2 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Nico Hischier
1.93
fantasy points per game
Noah Cates
1.33
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Nico Hischier has the edge.
| Points per game from | Hischier | Cates |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.64 | 0.39 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.43 | 0.31 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.13 | 0.05 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.25 | 0.16 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.08 | 0.11 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.39 | 0.30 |
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: Hischier vs Cates
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2022-23 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Hischier 5G 4A, 30 SOG · Cates 1G 7A, 19 SOG
Hischier's offensive zone 14–4 · neutral 7–8 · Hischier's defensive zone 11–1 (2022-23 to 2026-27)
Hischier blocked 0 of Cates's shots; Cates blocked 1 of Hischier's.
On the ice against each other (Hischier's side)
12:41 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Hischier's side
- Shot attempts
- 17–3
- 85.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.5–0.1
- 80.5%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Hischier | Cates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-01 | NJD 3–2 PHI | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2026-04-07 | NJD 1–5 PHI | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-11-29 | NJD 3–5 PHI | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-11-22 | NJD 3–6 PHI | 2G 1A 5S | 1G 2A 4S |
| 2025-03-09 | NJD 3–1 PHI | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-01-18 | NJD 1–3 PHI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2024-04-13 | NJD 0–1 PHI | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-02-17 | NJD 6–3 PHI | 2G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-02-25 | NJD 7–0 PHI | 1G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-12-15 | NJD 1–2 PHI | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2022-12-03 | NJD 3–2 PHI | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 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
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.
Nico Hischier
2games (1 left)
1.9proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs PHIOpp allows 7th-most FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ NYI1.9 ptsOpp allows 15th-most FP to Cvs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
Noah Cates
3games (1 left)
1.5proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 vs PITOpp allows the fewest FP to LWLikely vs Arturs Silovs (.888)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ NJDB2BOpp allows 9th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Jake Allen (.904)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs CAR1.5 ptsOpp allows 9th-most FP to LWSchedule edge +12.9 win%Likely vs Pyotr Kochetkov (.899)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Nico Hischier or Noah Cates in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nico Hischier projects to 1.93 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33. Hischier had 66 points in 82 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, Nico Hischier or Noah Cates?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nico Hischier leads in 25 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Hischier and Cates done against each other?
- In 11 games against each other in our data, Hischier's team went 5–6. Hischier had 9 points (5 goals) and Cates had 8 (1 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Hischier or Cates?
- Against each other, Hischier has won 32 and Cates 13 of their 45 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 →