Who to start · 2025-26
Auston Matthews vs Brad Marchand
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Brad Marchand's 2.26.
Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Marchand had 54 in 52 games.
This week Matthews has 1 game left; Marchand has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Matthews for 2.7 ESPN points to Marchand's 1.8.
Brad Marchand has the better number in 17 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.
Matthews's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 580, Blocked shots 81, Hardest shot 88.3.
Marchand's biggest edges: Goals above expected +6.9, Luck Meter +50, Offensive-zone time 46.0%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Auston Matthews
2.56
fantasy points per game
Brad Marchand
2.26
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Auston Matthews has the edge.
| Points per game from | Matthews | Marchand |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.90 | 1.04 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.43 | 0.52 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.10 | 0.20 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.38 | 0.27 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.07 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.68 | 0.15 |
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: Matthews vs Marchand
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.
Matthews 22G 20A, 190 SOG · Marchand 22G 38A, 154 SOG
Matthews's offensive zone 0–2 · neutral 0–2 · Matthews's defensive zone 3–1 (2017-18 to 2024-25)
Matthews blocked 2 of Marchand's shots; Marchand blocked 0 of Matthews's.
On the ice against each other (Matthews's side)
23:50 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Matthews's side
- Shot attempts
- 21–26
- 44.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.9–1.0
- 47.4%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Matthews | Marchand |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-26 | TOR 1–5 FLA | 0G 1A 2S | 2G 0A 3S |
| 2026-01-06 | TOR 4–1 FLA | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-12-02 | TOR 4–1 FLA | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-05-18 · PO | TOR 1–6 FLA | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 2A 3S |
| 2025-05-16 · PO | TOR 2–0 FLA | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-05-14 · PO | TOR 1–6 FLA | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-05-11 · PO | TOR 0–2 FLA | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-05-09 · PO | TOR 4–5 FLA | 0G 2A 3S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2025-05-07 · PO | TOR 4–3 FLA | 0G 1A 3S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2025-05-05 · PO | TOR 5–4 FLA | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2025-04-08 | TOR 1–3 FLA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2025-04-02 | TOR 3–2 FLA | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 3S |
Latest 12 of 48 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.
Auston Matthews
3games (1 left)
2.7proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs MTLOpp allows 14th-most FP to C
- Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2BOpp allows 15th-most FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%
- Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT2.7 pts
Brad Marchand
3games (1 left)
1.8proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ CAROpp allows 9th-most FP to LW
- Thu, Oct 1 @ SJSOpp allows 15th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge −1.0 win%
- Sun, Oct 4 @ ANA1.8 ptsOpp allows 8th-most FP to LW
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Auston Matthews or Brad Marchand 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 Brad Marchand's 2.26. Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Marchand had 54 in 52 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, Auston Matthews or Brad Marchand?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Brad Marchand leads in 17 of 33 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Matthews and Marchand done against each other?
- In 48 games against each other in our data, Matthews's team went 19–29. Matthews had 42 points (22 goals) and Marchand had 60 (22 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Matthews or Marchand?
- Against each other, Matthews has won 3 and Marchand 5 of their 8 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 →