Who to start · 2025-26
Auston Matthews vs Cole Caufield
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Cole Caufield's 2.29.
Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Caufield had 88 in 81 games.
This week Matthews has 1 game left; Caufield has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Matthews for 2.7 ESPN points to Caufield's 1.6.
Cole Caufield has the better number in 24 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Matthews's biggest edges: Blocked shots 81, Faceoffs won 580, Ascension score 44.
Caufield's biggest edges: Goals above expected +8.1, Luck Meter +66, Fenwick 54.9%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Auston Matthews
2.31
fantasy points per game
Cole Caufield
2.29
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Auston Matthews has the edge.
| Points per game from | Matthews | Caufield |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.79 | 1.18 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.38 | 0.43 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.09 | 0.17 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.36 | 0.32 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.08 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.63 | 0.12 |
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 Caufield
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2020-21 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Matthews 12G 3A, 93 SOG · Caufield 11G 4A, 74 SOG
Matthews's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 0–0 · Matthews's defensive zone 3–0 (2024-25 to 2025-26)
Matthews blocked 3 of Caufield's shots; Caufield blocked 1 of Matthews's.
On the ice against each other (Matthews's side)
28:39 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Matthews's side
- Shot attempts
- 27–42
- 39.1%
- Expected goals
- 1.5–2.0
- 42.3%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Matthews | Caufield |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-29 | TOR 2–3 MTL | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2026-03-10 | TOR 1–3 MTL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-12-06 | TOR 1–2 MTL | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2025-10-08 | TOR 5–2 MTL | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2025-04-12 | TOR 1–0 MTL | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2025-01-18 | TOR 7–3 MTL | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 10S |
| 2024-10-09 | TOR 0–1 MTL | 0G 0A 6S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2024-04-06 | TOR 4–2 MTL | 1G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 7S |
| 2024-03-09 | TOR 3–2 MTL | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2023-10-11 | TOR 6–5 MTL | 3G 0A 8S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2022-10-12 | TOR 3–4 MTL | 0G 0A 5S | 2G 0A 5S |
| 2022-04-09 | TOR 3–2 MTL | 2G 0A 6S | 1G 0A 4S |
Latest 12 of 23 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 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 ptsvs Linus Ullmark (.891)
Cole Caufield
2games (1 left)
1.6proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ TOROpp allows 16th-most FP to RWLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ PIT1.6 ptsOpp allows the fewest FP to RWvs Arturs Silovs (.888)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Auston Matthews or Cole Caufield 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 Cole Caufield's 2.29. Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Caufield had 88 in 81 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 Cole Caufield?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Cole Caufield leads in 24 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Matthews and Caufield done against each other?
- In 23 games against each other in our data, Matthews's team went 12–11. Matthews had 15 points (12 goals) and Caufield had 15 (11 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Matthews or Caufield?
- Against each other, Matthews has won 3 and Caufield 0 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 →