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Who to start · 2025-26

Adrian Kempe vs Mike Matheson

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Adrian Kempe projects to 2.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mike Matheson's 1.80.

Kempe had 73 points in 81 games; Matheson had 37 in 78 games.

This week Kempe has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Matheson has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Kempe for 1.6 ESPN points to Matheson's 1.3.

Adrian Kempe has the better number in 26 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.

Kempe's biggest edges: Offensive-zone start % 66.6%, Offensive-zone time 43.4%, Transition attempts /60 1.93.

Matheson's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 −0.06, Forecheck xG /60 0.33, Faceoffs won 0.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
  • • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.

Fantasy value: your scoring

Adrian Kempe

2.01

fantasy points per game

Mike Matheson

1.80

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Adrian Kempe has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromKempeMatheson
Goals (+2)0.830.17
Assists (+1)0.430.42
Power-play points (+0.5)0.070.01
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.010.01
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.280.16
Hits (+0.1)0.160.07
Blocks (+0.5)0.230.96

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: Kempe vs Matheson

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.

KempeMatheson
10Team record in 13 meetings3
9Points in those games5

Kempe 1G 8A, 30 SOG · Matheson 2G 3A, 26 SOG

1Hits on each other1
1Shots blocked by the other1

Kempe blocked 1 of Matheson's shots; Matheson blocked 1 of Kempe's.

On the ice against each other (Kempe's side)

12:22 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Kempe's side

Shot attempts
18–7
72.0%
Expected goals
0.7–0.1
82.4%
Goals
1–0

Games against each other

Games between Adrian Kempe and Mike Matheson
DateScoreKempeMatheson
2026-03-07LAK 3–4 MTL0G 1A 3S0G 0A 1S
2025-11-11LAK 5–1 MTL0G 1A 4S0G 0A 0S
2025-02-05LAK 6–3 MTL0G 0A 0S1G 0A 3S
2024-10-17LAK 4–1 MTL1G 1A 4S0G 0A 1S
2023-12-07LAK 4–0 MTL0G 1A 3S0G 0A 2S
2023-11-25LAK 4–0 MTL0G 0A 2S0G 0A 3S
2023-03-02LAK 3–2 MTL0G 0A 7S0G 1A 3S
2022-01-30LAK 4–3 PIT0G 1A 0S0G 0A 0S
2022-01-13LAK 6–2 PIT0G 1A 5S0G 0A 1S
2020-01-16LAK 3–4 FLA0G 1A 1S1G 0A 3S
2019-03-16LAK 3–4 FLA0G 0A 0S0G 1A 2S
2018-02-09LAK 3–1 FLA0G 0A 1S0G 1A 4S

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.

KempeMatheson

Fantasy box score

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.

Adrian Kempe

2games (1 left)

1.6proj. ESPN pts

  • Wed, Sep 30 @ COL
    Opp allows 8th-most FP to RWLikely vs Mackenzie Blackwood (.903)
  • Sat, Oct 3 @ SJS1.6 pts
    Opp allows 7th-fewest FP to RWSchedule edge −3.2 win%Likely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)

Mike Matheson

2games (1 left)

1.3proj. ESPN pts

  • Tue, Sep 29 @ TOR
    Opp allows 12th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
  • Sat, Oct 3 @ PIT1.3 pts
    Opp allows the fewest FP to DLikely vs Arturs Silovs (.888)

FAQ

Should I start Adrian Kempe or Mike Matheson in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Adrian Kempe projects to 2.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mike Matheson's 1.80. Kempe had 73 points in 81 games; Matheson had 37 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, Adrian Kempe or Mike Matheson?
On 2025-26 numbers, Adrian Kempe leads in 26 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have Kempe and Matheson done against each other?
In 13 games against each other in our data, Kempe's team went 10–3. Kempe had 9 points (1 goals) and Matheson had 5 (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 →