Who to start · 2025-26
Ryan O'Reilly vs Sam Bennett
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Ryan O'Reilly projects to 1.90 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Sam Bennett's 1.74.
O'Reilly had 74 points in 81 games; Bennett had 58 in 76 games.
This week O'Reilly has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Bennett has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project O'Reilly for 2.0 ESPN points to Bennett's 1.9.
Ryan O'Reilly has the better number in 19 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
O'Reilly's biggest edges: Plus/minus +8, Net penalties drawn /60 0.00, Faceoff win % 55.1%.
Bennett's biggest edges: Hits 115, Penalty minutes 82, Hardest shot 92.9.
Head to head on the dot, O'Reilly leads Bennett 30–24.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 2 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Ryan O'Reilly
1.90
fantasy points per game
Sam Bennett
1.74
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Ryan O'Reilly has the edge.
| Points per game from | O'Reilly | Bennett |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.58 | 0.60 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.57 | 0.43 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.12 | 0.09 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.02 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.20 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.03 | 0.19 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.38 | 0.19 |
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: O'Reilly vs Bennett
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
O'Reilly 5G 10A, 56 SOG · Bennett 4G 11A, 57 SOG
O'Reilly's offensive zone 4–6 · neutral 16–7 · O'Reilly's defensive zone 10–11 (2019-20 to 2025-26)
O'Reilly blocked 0 of Bennett's shots; Bennett blocked 2 of O'Reilly's.
On the ice against each other (O'Reilly's side)
3:37 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from O'Reilly's side
- Shot attempts
- 6–2
- 75.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.4–0.1
- 80.3%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | O'Reilly | Bennett |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-04 | NSH 2–1 FLA | 1G 1A 4S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2025-11-24 | NSH 3–8 FLA | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2025-02-25 | NSH 1–4 FLA | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2024-11-07 | NSH 2–6 FLA | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2024-03-21 | NSH 3–0 FLA | 0G 2A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-01-22 | NSH 1–4 FLA | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 3A 1S |
| 2023-05-12 · PO | TOR 2–3 FLA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-05-10 · PO | TOR 2–1 FLA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2023-05-07 · PO | TOR 2–3 FLA | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2023-05-04 · PO | TOR 2–3 FLA | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-05-02 · PO | TOR 2–4 FLA | 0G 1A 3S | 1G 1A 4S |
| 2023-02-14 | STL 6–2 FLA | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
Latest 12 of 21 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.
Ryan O'Reilly
2games (1 left)
2.0proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs MINOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs DAL2.0 ptsOpp allows 3rd-most FP to CSchedule edge +13.4 win%vs Casey DeSmith (.907)
Sam Bennett
3games (1 left)
1.9proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ CAROpp allows 13th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.895)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ SJSOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −1.0 win%Likely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)
- Sun, Oct 4 @ ANA1.9 ptsOpp allows 9th-most FP to CLikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Ryan O'Reilly or Sam Bennett in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Ryan O'Reilly projects to 1.90 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Sam Bennett's 1.74. O'Reilly had 74 points in 81 games; Bennett had 58 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, Ryan O'Reilly or Sam Bennett?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Ryan O'Reilly leads in 19 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have O'Reilly and Bennett done against each other?
- In 21 games against each other in our data, O'Reilly's team went 11–10. O'Reilly had 15 points (5 goals) and Bennett had 15 (4 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, O'Reilly or Bennett?
- Against each other, O'Reilly has won 30 and Bennett 24 of their 54 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 →