Who to start · 2025-26
Noah Cates vs Pavel Dorofeyev
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Pavel Dorofeyev projects to 1.90 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33.
Cates had 47 points in 82 games; Dorofeyev had 64 in 82 games.
This week Cates has 1 game left; Dorofeyev has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Dorofeyev for 1.4 ESPN points to Cates's 1.0.
Pavel Dorofeyev has the better number in 24 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Cates's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 467, Hits 102, Plus/minus +26.
Dorofeyev's biggest edges: Hardest shot 93.3, Ascension score 53, Corsi 56.0%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 3 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 12 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Noah Cates
1.33
fantasy points per game
Pavel Dorofeyev
1.90
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Pavel Dorofeyev has the edge.
| Points per game from | Cates | Dorofeyev |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.39 | 0.86 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.31 | 0.33 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.05 | 0.18 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.16 | 0.30 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.11 | 0.03 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.30 | 0.20 |
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: Cates vs Dorofeyev
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.
Cates 0G 1A, 5 SOG · Dorofeyev 3G 1A, 15 SOG
Cates's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 1–0 · Cates's defensive zone 0–0 (2024-25)
On the ice against each other (Cates's side)
2:50 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Cates's side
- Shot attempts
- 4–3
- 57.1%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.1
- 36.7%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Cates | Dorofeyev |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-19 | PHI 2–1 VGK | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2025-12-11 | PHI 2–3 VGK | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-01-02 | PHI 2–5 VGK | 0G 1A 0S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-11-25 | PHI 4–5 VGK | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2023-03-14 | PHI 3–5 VGK | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 2S |
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.
Noah Cates
3games (1 left)
1.0proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 vs PITOpp allows the fewest FP to LWLikely vs Arturs Silovs (.888)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ NJDB2BOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Jake Allen (.904)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs CAR1.0 ptsOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge +12.9 win%Likely vs Pyotr Kochetkov (.899)
Pavel Dorofeyev
4games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ BOSOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Jeremy Swayman (.908)
- Thu, Oct 1 vs TBLOpp allows the most FP to RWLikely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
- Fri, Oct 2 @ DETB2BSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs John Gibson (.901)
- Sun, Oct 4 vs UTA1.4 ptsOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to RWSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Noah Cates or Pavel Dorofeyev in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Pavel Dorofeyev projects to 1.90 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33. Cates had 47 points in 82 games; Dorofeyev had 64 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, Noah Cates or Pavel Dorofeyev?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Pavel Dorofeyev leads in 24 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Cates and Dorofeyev done against each other?
- In 5 games against each other in our data, Cates's team went 1–4. Cates had 1 points (0 goals) and Dorofeyev had 4 (3 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Cates or Dorofeyev?
- Against each other, Cates has won 1 and Dorofeyev 0 of their 1 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 →