Who to start · 2025-26
Auston Matthews vs Elias Lindholm
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Elias Lindholm's 1.78.
Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Lindholm had 48 in 69 games.
This week Matthews has 1 game left; Lindholm has 1 left. We project Matthews for 2.7 ESPN points to Lindholm's 1.2.
Auston Matthews has the better number in 26 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Matthews's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 +0.22, Shots on goal 227, Top skating speed 22.1.
Lindholm's biggest edges: Goals above expected +0.3, Penalty minutes 38, Luck Meter +7.
Head to head on the dot, Lindholm leads Matthews 88–78.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Auston Matthews
2.31
fantasy points per game
Elias Lindholm
1.78
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Auston Matthews has the edge.
| Points per game from | Matthews | Lindholm |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.79 | 0.55 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.38 | 0.46 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.09 | 0.13 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.36 | 0.18 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.06 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.63 | 0.41 |
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 Lindholm
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2024-25: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Matthews 13G 15A, 97 SOG · Lindholm 4G 9A, 66 SOG
Matthews's offensive zone 23–30 · neutral 37–23 · Matthews's defensive zone 18–35 (2017-18 to 2024-25)
Matthews blocked 2 of Lindholm's shots; Lindholm blocked 3 of Matthews's.
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Matthews | Lindholm |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-02-25 | TOR 5–4 BOS | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 1A 6S |
| 2025-01-04 | TOR 6–4 BOS | 1G 2A 5S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-10-26 | TOR 3–4 BOS | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-01-18 | TOR 4–3 CGY | 3G 1A 5S | 0G 1A 5S |
| 2023-11-10 | TOR 5–4 CGY | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 7S |
| 2023-03-02 | TOR 2–1 CGY | 0G 1A 8S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-12-10 | TOR 5–4 CGY | 1G 2A 8S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2022-02-10 | TOR 2–5 CGY | 0G 1A 8S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2021-11-12 | TOR 2–1 CGY | 1G 0A 8S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2021-04-13 | TOR 2–3 CGY | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 1A 6S |
| 2021-04-05 | TOR 5–3 CGY | 2G 0A 4S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2021-04-04 | TOR 4–2 CGY | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
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)
Elias Lindholm
3games (1 left)
1.2proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs NYROpp allows 15th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
- Fri, Oct 2 @ WPGOpp allows 4th-most FP to CLikely vs Stuart Skinner (.888)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ MINB2B1.2 ptsOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −12.7 win%vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Auston Matthews or Elias Lindholm 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 Elias Lindholm's 1.78. Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Lindholm had 48 in 69 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 Elias Lindholm?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Auston Matthews leads in 26 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Matthews and Lindholm done against each other?
- In 23 games against each other in our data, Matthews's team went 15–8. Matthews had 28 points (13 goals) and Lindholm had 13 (4 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Matthews or Lindholm?
- Against each other, Matthews has won 78 and Lindholm 88 of their 166 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 →