Who to start · 2025-26
Noah Cates vs Ryan Pulock
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Ryan Pulock projects to 1.54 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33.
Cates had 47 points in 82 games; Pulock had 27 in 76 games.
This week Cates has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Pulock has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Pulock for 1.8 ESPN points to Cates's 1.5.
Noah Cates has the better number in 25 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Cates's biggest edges: Penalty minutes 44, Expected goals 53.9%, Sequence xG 53.6%.
Pulock's biggest edges: Hardest shot 103.0, Transition attempts /60 0.56, Top skating speed 22.8.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 0 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Noah Cates
1.33
fantasy points per game
Ryan Pulock
1.54
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Ryan Pulock has the edge.
| Points per game from | Cates | Pulock |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.39 | 0.07 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.31 | 0.30 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.05 | 0.01 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.16 | 0.11 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.11 | 0.07 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.30 | 0.98 |
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 Pulock
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 2G 3A, 18 SOG · Pulock 0G 5A, 18 SOG
Cates blocked 1 of Pulock's shots; Pulock blocked 5 of Cates's.
On the ice against each other (Cates's side)
14:57 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Cates's side
- Shot attempts
- 9–17
- 34.6%
- Expected goals
- 0.5–0.2
- 74.4%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Cates | Pulock |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-03 | PHI 4–1 NYI | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-11-28 | PHI 4–3 NYI | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2025-10-25 | PHI 4–3 NYI | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-04-12 | PHI 4–3 NYI | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-01-24 | PHI 1–3 NYI | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2025-01-16 | PHI 5–3 NYI | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-04-01 | PHI 3–4 NYI | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-11-25 | PHI 1–0 NYI | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-11-22 | PHI 2–3 NYI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-04-08 | PHI 0–4 NYI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-02-06 | PHI 1–2 NYI | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-11-29 | PHI 3–1 NYI | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
Latest 12 of 13 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
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)
Ryan Pulock
2games (1 left)
1.8proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ TOROpp allows 14th-fewest FP to DSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Anthony Stolarz (.893)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs NJD1.8 ptsOpp allows 6th-most FP to DSchedule edge +4.1 win%vs Nico Daws (.908)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Noah Cates or Ryan Pulock in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Ryan Pulock projects to 1.54 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Noah Cates's 1.33. Cates had 47 points in 82 games; Pulock had 27 in 76 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 Ryan Pulock?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Noah Cates leads in 25 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 Pulock done against each other?
- In 13 games against each other in our data, Cates's team went 7–6. Cates had 5 points (2 goals) and Pulock had 5 (0 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 →