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Who to start · 2025-26

Auston Matthews vs Carter Verhaeghe

Auston MatthewsAuston MatthewsMaple Leafs · CentrevsCarter VerhaegheCarter VerhaeghePanthers · Centre

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Carter Verhaeghe's 1.50.

Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Verhaeghe had 55 in 77 games.

This week Matthews has 1 game left; Verhaeghe has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Matthews for 2.7 ESPN points to Verhaeghe's 1.6.

They split the 36 stats both are ranked on 17–17.

Matthews's biggest edges: Faceoff win % 59.7%, Draw Equity /100 +0.103, Blocked shots 81.

Verhaeghe's biggest edges: Goals above expected +1.4, Corsi 54.5%, 20+ mph bursts 180.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
  • • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.

Fantasy value: your scoring

Auston Matthews

2.31

fantasy points per game

Carter Verhaeghe

1.50

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Auston Matthews has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromMatthewsVerhaeghe
Goals (+2)0.790.57
Assists (+1)0.380.40
Power-play points (+0.5)0.090.07
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.000.00
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.360.22
Hits (+0.1)0.070.08
Blocks (+0.5)0.630.16

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 Verhaeghe

Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2019-20 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.

MatthewsVerhaeghe
13Team record in 29 meetings16
25Points in those games17

Matthews 12G 13A, 126 SOG · Verhaeghe 10G 7A, 73 SOG

4Faceoffs against each other4

Matthews's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 0–2 · Matthews's defensive zone 4–2 (2019-20 to 2025-26)

3Hits on each other2
2Shots blocked by the other0

Matthews blocked 2 of Verhaeghe's shots; Verhaeghe blocked 0 of Matthews's.

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

9:34 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Matthews's side

Shot attempts
8–12
40.0%
Expected goals
0.2–0.6
20.0%
Goals
0–1

Games against each other

Games between Auston Matthews and Carter Verhaeghe
DateScoreMatthewsVerhaeghe
2026-02-26TOR 1–5 FLA0G 1A 2S1G 0A 3S
2026-01-06TOR 4–1 FLA1G 0A 4S1G 0A 2S
2025-05-18 · POTOR 1–6 FLA0G 0A 2S0G 0A 3S
2025-05-16 · POTOR 2–0 FLA1G 0A 4S0G 0A 4S
2025-05-14 · POTOR 1–6 FLA0G 0A 6S0G 0A 0S
2025-05-11 · POTOR 0–2 FLA0G 0A 3S1G 0A 2S
2025-05-09 · POTOR 4–5 FLA0G 2A 3S1G 1A 3S
2025-05-07 · POTOR 4–3 FLA0G 1A 3S0G 0A 1S
2025-05-05 · POTOR 5–4 FLA0G 0A 5S0G 2A 5S
2025-04-08TOR 1–3 FLA0G 0A 1S1G 0A 2S
2025-04-02TOR 3–2 FLA0G 1A 4S0G 0A 2S
2025-03-13TOR 2–3 FLA0G 0A 3S0G 0A 2S

Latest 12 of 29 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.

MatthewsVerhaeghe

Fantasy box score

Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)

Transition, turnovers & faceoffs

Usage

Special teams & discipline

Luck & trend

NHL EDGE tracking

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 MTL
    Opp allows 14th-most FP to CLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
  • Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2B
    Opp allows 15th-most FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT2.7 pts
    vs Linus Ullmark (.891)

Carter Verhaeghe

3games (1 left)

1.6proj. ESPN pts

  • Tue, Sep 29 @ CAR
    Opp allows 13th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.895)
  • Thu, Oct 1 @ SJS
    Opp allows 12th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −1.0 win%Likely vs Yaroslav Askarov (.884)
  • Sun, Oct 4 @ ANA1.6 pts
    Opp allows 9th-most FP to CLikely vs Lukas Dostal (.888)

Similar matchups

FAQ

Should I start Auston Matthews or Carter Verhaeghe 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 Carter Verhaeghe's 1.50. Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Verhaeghe had 55 in 77 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 Carter Verhaeghe?
On 2025-26 numbers they split 17–17 across 36 stats where both qualify.
How have Matthews and Verhaeghe done against each other?
In 29 games against each other in our data, Matthews's team went 13–16. Matthews had 25 points (12 goals) and Verhaeghe had 17 (10 goals).
Who wins more faceoffs, Matthews or Verhaeghe?
Against each other, Matthews has won 4 and Verhaeghe 4 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 →