Who to start · 2025-26
Alex Ovechkin vs Auston Matthews
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Alex Ovechkin's 1.84.
Ovechkin had 64 points in 82 games; Matthews had 53 in 60 games.
This week Ovechkin has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Matthews has 1 left. We project Matthews for 2.7 ESPN points to Ovechkin's 1.9.
Alex Ovechkin has the better number in 22 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Ovechkin's biggest edges: Hits 134, Corsi 50.1%, Hardest shot 97.3.
Matthews's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 580, Blocked shots 81, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.22.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Alex Ovechkin
1.84
fantasy points per game
Auston Matthews
2.31
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Auston Matthews has the edge.
| Points per game from | Ovechkin | Matthews |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.73 | 0.79 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.43 | 0.38 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.11 | 0.09 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.29 | 0.36 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.16 | 0.07 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.12 | 0.63 |
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: Ovechkin vs Matthews
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.
Ovechkin 10G 7A, 71 SOG · Matthews 9G 15A, 62 SOG
Ovechkin's offensive zone 0–2 · neutral 0–0 · Ovechkin's defensive zone 0–0 (2018-19 to 2023-24)
Ovechkin blocked 0 of Matthews's shots; Matthews blocked 1 of Ovechkin's.
On the ice against each other (Ovechkin's side)
2:49 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Ovechkin's side
- Shot attempts
- 0–2
- 0.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.4
- 0.0%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Ovechkin | Matthews |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-18 | WSH 4–0 TOR | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-11-28 | WSH 4–2 TOR | 0G 1A 6S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2024-03-28 | WSH 1–5 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 10S |
| 2024-03-20 | WSH 3–7 TOR | 2G 0A 2S | 2G 3A 5S |
| 2023-10-24 | WSH 1–4 TOR | 1G 0A 14S | 1G 1A 1S |
| 2022-12-17 | WSH 5–2 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 1A 4S |
| 2022-10-13 | WSH 2–3 TOR | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2022-04-24 | WSH 3–4 TOR | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 2A 4S |
| 2022-04-14 | WSH 3–7 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 2A 3S |
| 2022-02-28 | WSH 3–5 TOR | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2019-10-29 | WSH 4–3 TOR | 2G 2A 10S | 2G 1A 5S |
| 2019-10-16 | WSH 4–3 TOR | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
Latest 12 of 17 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.
Alex Ovechkin
2games (1 left)
1.9proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 @ CAROpp allows 12th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.895)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TBLB2B1.9 ptsOpp allows 6th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −13.3 win%Likely vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
Auston Matthews
3games (1 left)
2.7proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs MTLOpp allows 12th-most FP to CLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
- Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2BOpp allows 13th-most FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT2.7 ptsLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Alex Ovechkin or Auston Matthews in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Alex Ovechkin's 1.84. Ovechkin had 64 points in 82 games; Matthews had 53 in 60 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, Alex Ovechkin or Auston Matthews?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Alex Ovechkin leads in 22 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Ovechkin and Matthews done against each other?
- In 17 games against each other in our data, Ovechkin's team went 7–10. Ovechkin had 17 points (10 goals) and Matthews had 24 (9 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Ovechkin or Matthews?
- Against each other, Ovechkin has won 0 and Matthews 2 of their 2 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 →