Who to start · 2025-26
Pavel Buchnevich vs Thomas Chabot
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Thomas Chabot projects to 2.06 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Pavel Buchnevich's 1.36.
Buchnevich had 48 points in 81 games; Chabot had 31 in 57 games.
This week Buchnevich has 2 games left with 2 tough matchups; Chabot has 3 left with 1 soft matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Chabot for 5.8 to Buchnevich's 2.2 over the games left.
Thomas Chabot has the better number in 20 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Buchnevich's biggest edges: Ascension score 71, Penalty minutes 26, On-ice PDO 1000.
Chabot's biggest edges: Top skating speed 22.3, Plus/minus +6, Forecheck xG /60 0.58.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Thomas Chabot rates ahead, +4.0 to +0.4 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Buchnevich is surging, ixG/60 1.13 (was 0.74); Chabot is cooling, On-ice xGF/60 2.09 (was 3.14).
- • Buchnevich has played 8 of the Blues' 9 games since Oct 2 (in and out of the lineup).
- • 2026-27 so far: 8 GP, 1 G, 4 A, 2 PPP, 13 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 3 A, 1 PPP, 19 SOG.
St. Louis Blues · Ottawa Senators · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Pavel Buchnevich
+0.4
category z-score total
Thomas Chabot
+4.0
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Thomas Chabot has the edge (Buchnevich wins 1, Chabot wins 5 of 6 categories).
| Category | Buchnevich | Chabot |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.20 | 0.12 |
| Assists / game | 0.40 | 0.39 |
| Plus/minus / game | -0.04 | 0.27 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.20 | 0.12 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.71 | 1.88 |
| Hits / game | 0.37 | 0.60 |
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: Buchnevich vs Chabot
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Buchnevich 1G 8A, 13 SOG · Chabot 2G 6A, 25 SOG
Buchnevich blocked 1 of Chabot's shots; Chabot blocked 4 of Buchnevich's.
On the ice against each other (Buchnevich's side)
3:28 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2026-27, from Buchnevich's side
- Shot attempts
- 2–3
- 40.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.3–0.0
- 100.0%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Buchnevich | Chabot |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-13 | STL 7–2 OTT | 0G 3A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-01-03 | STL 4–0 OTT | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-10-29 | STL 1–8 OTT | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2024-03-21 | STL 5–2 OTT | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-01-16 | STL 2–1 OTT | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-03-08 | STL 1–4 OTT | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2019-11-22 | NYR 1–4 OTT | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 1A 5S |
| 2019-11-04 | NYR 2–6 OTT | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2019-10-05 | NYR 4–1 OTT | 0G 2A 0S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2019-04-03 | NYR 1–4 OTT | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2018-02-17 | NYR 3–6 OTT | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2017-12-13 | NYR 2–3 OTT | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 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
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
Pavel Buchnevich
3games (2 left)
2.2proj. ESPN default pts
- Tue, Oct 20 vs WPGOpp allows 13th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Stuart Skinner (.888)
- Thu, Oct 22 vs VGK1.1 ptsOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Carter Hart (.891)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs CAR1.1 ptsOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Pyotr Kochetkov (.899)
Thomas Chabot
3games
5.8proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs FLA1.9 ptsOpp allows 15th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Akira Schmid (.892)
- Sat, Oct 24 vs NYR1.8 ptsOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Pavel Buchnevich or Thomas Chabot in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Thomas Chabot projects to 2.06 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Pavel Buchnevich's 1.36. Buchnevich had 48 points in 81 games; Chabot had 31 in 57 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, Pavel Buchnevich or Thomas Chabot?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Thomas Chabot leads in 20 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Buchnevich and Chabot done against each other?
- In 12 games against each other in our data, Buchnevich's team went 5–7. Buchnevich had 9 points (1 goals) and Chabot had 8 (2 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 →