Who to start · 2025-26
Anthony Mantha vs Mattias Ekholm
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Anthony Mantha projects to 1.67 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mattias Ekholm's 1.43.
Mantha had 64 points in 81 games; Ekholm had 41 in 82 games.
This week Mantha has 1 game left; Ekholm has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Mantha for 1.4 ESPN points to Ekholm's 1.1.
Anthony Mantha has the better number in 17 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Mantha's biggest edges: Goals above expected +9.1, Luck Meter +74, On-ice PDO 1032.
Ekholm's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 −0.038, Faceoffs won 0, Transition attempts /60 0.80.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 2 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Anthony Mantha
1.67
fantasy points per game
Mattias Ekholm
1.43
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Anthony Mantha has the edge.
| Points per game from | Mantha | Ekholm |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.76 | 0.13 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.36 | 0.38 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.08 | 0.02 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.18 | 0.15 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.06 | 0.08 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.23 | 0.67 |
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: Mantha vs Ekholm
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.
Mantha 5G 6A, 51 SOG · Ekholm 2G 8A, 40 SOG
Mantha blocked 0 of Ekholm's shots; Ekholm blocked 1 of Mantha's.
On the ice against each other (Mantha's side)
5:07 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Mantha's side
- Shot attempts
- 2–3
- 40.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.3–0.0
- 90.5%
- Goals
- 2–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Mantha | Ekholm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-22 | PIT 6–2 EDM | 2G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2025-12-16 | PIT 4–6 EDM | 0G 2A 4S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2024-11-03 | CGY 2–4 EDM | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-10-13 | CGY 4–1 EDM | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2024-04-10 | VGK 1–5 EDM | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2023-11-24 | WSH 0–5 EDM | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-01-06 | WSH 2–3 NSH | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2022-10-29 | WSH 3–0 NSH | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2021-04-08 | DET 1–7 NSH | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2021-04-06 | DET 2–3 NSH | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2021-03-25 | DET 1–7 NSH | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2021-03-23 | DET 0–2 NSH | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
Latest 12 of 18 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.
Anthony Mantha
2games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs PHIOpp allows 5th-most FP to RWSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ NYI1.4 ptsOpp allows 14th-most FP to RWSchedule edge −4.0 win%vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
Mattias Ekholm
3games (1 left)
1.1proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs VANOpp allows 5th-most FP to DLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ VANOpp allows 5th-most FP to DLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA1.1 ptsOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to DLikely vs Joey Daccord (.897)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Anthony Mantha or Mattias Ekholm in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Anthony Mantha projects to 1.67 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mattias Ekholm's 1.43. Mantha had 64 points in 81 games; Ekholm had 41 in 82 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, Anthony Mantha or Mattias Ekholm?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Anthony Mantha leads in 17 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Mantha and Ekholm done against each other?
- In 18 games against each other in our data, Mantha's team went 7–11. Mantha had 11 points (5 goals) and Ekholm had 10 (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 →