Who to start · 2025-26
Aliaksei Protas 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 Aliaksei Protas's 1.58.
Protas had 52 points in 76 games; Matthews had 53 in 60 games.
This week Protas has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Matthews has 1 left. We project Matthews for 2.7 ESPN points to Protas's 1.8.
Aliaksei Protas has the better number in 19 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Protas's biggest edges: Corsi 53.5%, Goals above expected +1.0, Fenwick 54.8%.
Matthews's biggest edges: Power-play share 71.5%, Faceoffs won 580, Power-play time per game 2:42.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 2 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Aliaksei Protas
1.58
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 | Protas | Matthews |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.62 | 0.79 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.40 | 0.38 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.09 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.02 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.21 | 0.36 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.07 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.29 | 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: Protas vs Matthews
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.
Protas 2G 2A, 12 SOG · Matthews 3G 4A, 27 SOG
Protas's offensive zone 0–1 · neutral 0–1 · Protas's defensive zone 1–0 (2022-23 to 2024-25)
Protas blocked 1 of Matthews's shots; Matthews blocked 0 of Protas's.
On the ice against each other (Protas's side)
17:20 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Protas's side
- Shot attempts
- 27–5
- 84.4%
- Expected goals
- 1.6–0.3
- 83.1%
- Goals
- 3–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Protas | Matthews |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-18 | WSH 4–0 TOR | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-11-28 | WSH 4–2 TOR | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2024-12-06 | WSH 3–1 TOR | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-03-28 | WSH 1–5 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 10S |
| 2023-10-24 | WSH 1–4 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 1A 1S |
| 2022-12-17 | WSH 5–2 TOR | 0G 1A 0S | 1G 1A 4S |
| 2022-10-13 | WSH 2–3 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 5S |
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.
Aliaksei Protas
2games (1 left)
1.8proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 @ CAROpp allows 9th-most FP to LWLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.895)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TBLB2B1.8 ptsOpp allows 6th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −13.3 win%vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
Auston Matthews
3games (1 left)
2.7proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs MTLOpp allows 14th-most FP to CLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
- Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2BOpp allows 15th-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 Aliaksei Protas 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 Aliaksei Protas's 1.58. Protas had 52 points in 76 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, Aliaksei Protas or Auston Matthews?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Aliaksei Protas leads in 19 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Protas and Matthews done against each other?
- In 7 games against each other in our data, Protas's team went 4–3. Protas had 4 points (2 goals) and Matthews had 7 (3 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Protas or Matthews?
- Against each other, Protas has won 1 and Matthews 2 of their 3 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 →