Who to start · 2025-26
Noah Cates vs Pavel Zacha
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Pavel Zacha projects to 1.70 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33.
Cates had 47 points in 82 games; Zacha had 65 in 78 games.
This week Cates has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Zacha has 1 left. We project Cates for 1.5 ESPN points to Zacha's 1.0.
Pavel Zacha has the better number in 20 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Cates's biggest edges: Expected goals 53.9%, High-danger chances 52.6%, Sequence xG 53.6%.
Zacha's biggest edges: Hardest shot 93.0, Goals above expected +7.4, Faceoff win % 53.3%.
Head to head on the dot, Cates leads Zacha 16–9.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Noah Cates
1.33
fantasy points per game
Pavel Zacha
1.70
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Pavel Zacha has the edge.
| Points per game from | Cates | Zacha |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.39 | 0.68 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.31 | 0.40 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.05 | 0.12 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.16 | 0.18 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.11 | 0.08 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.30 | 0.24 |
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 Zacha
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 2A, 18 SOG · Zacha 6G 8A, 25 SOG
Cates's offensive zone 6–2 · neutral 6–4 · Cates's defensive zone 4–3 (2022-23 to 2025-26)
Cates blocked 0 of Zacha's shots; Zacha blocked 1 of Cates's.
On the ice against each other (Cates's side)
15:02 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Cates's side
- Shot attempts
- 12–8
- 60.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.5–0.2
- 70.7%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Cates | Zacha |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-05 | PHI 2–1 BOS | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2026-02-28 | PHI 3–1 BOS | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2026-01-29 | PHI 3–6 BOS | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2024-12-07 | PHI 3–4 BOS | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2024-11-02 | PHI 0–3 BOS | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-10-29 | PHI 2–0 BOS | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-03-23 | PHI 3–2 BOS | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-03-16 | PHI 5–6 BOS | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2024-01-27 | PHI 2–6 BOS | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 2A 3S |
| 2023-04-09 | PHI 3–5 BOS | 0G 1A 3S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2023-01-16 | PHI 0–6 BOS | 0G 0A 2S | 2G 1A 4S |
| 2022-11-17 | PHI 1–4 BOS | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 2A 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)
1.5proj. 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 +9.0 win%Likely vs Pyotr Kochetkov (.899)
Pavel Zacha
3games (1 left)
1.0proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs NYROpp allows 15th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
- Fri, Oct 2 @ WPGOpp allows 4th-most FP to CLikely vs Stuart Skinner (.888)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ MINB2B1.0 ptsOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −12.7 win%vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Noah Cates or Pavel Zacha in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Pavel Zacha projects to 1.70 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33. Cates had 47 points in 82 games; Zacha had 65 in 78 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 Zacha?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Pavel Zacha leads in 20 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Cates and Zacha done against each other?
- In 12 games against each other in our data, Cates's team went 4–8. Cates had 2 points (0 goals) and Zacha had 14 (6 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Cates or Zacha?
- Against each other, Cates has won 16 and Zacha 9 of their 25 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 →