Who to start · 2025-26
Auston Matthews vs Elias Pettersson
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Elias Pettersson projects to 2.34 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Auston Matthews's 2.31.
Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Pettersson had 51 in 74 games.
This week Matthews has 1 game left; Pettersson has 2 left. We project Pettersson for 4.1 ESPN points to Matthews's 2.6.
Auston Matthews has the better number in 19 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Matthews's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 2.09, Faceoff win % 59.7%, On-ice PDO 1016.
Pettersson's biggest edges: Ascension score 57, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.002, Top skating speed 22.7.
Head to head on the dot, Matthews leads Pettersson 32–24.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 2 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Auston Matthews
2.31
fantasy points per game
Elias Pettersson
2.34
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Elias Pettersson has the edge.
| Points per game from | Matthews | Pettersson |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.79 | 0.59 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.38 | 0.55 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.09 | 0.19 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.36 | 0.18 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.13 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.63 | 0.70 |
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 Pettersson
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2018-19 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Matthews 11G 4A, 75 SOG · Pettersson 3G 9A, 28 SOG
Matthews's offensive zone 14–5 · neutral 9–11 · Matthews's defensive zone 9–8 (2018-19 to 2025-26)
Matthews blocked 1 of Pettersson's shots; Pettersson blocked 1 of Matthews's.
On the ice against each other (Matthews's side)
9:27 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Matthews's side
- Shot attempts
- 15–4
- 78.9%
- Expected goals
- 0.7–0.1
- 89.5%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Matthews | Pettersson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-31 | TOR 3–2 VAN | 0G 1A 7S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2026-01-10 | TOR 5–0 VAN | 0G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-02-08 | TOR 1–2 VAN | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-01-11 | TOR 0–3 VAN | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2024-01-20 | TOR 4–6 VAN | 0G 1A 7S | 1G 1A 4S |
| 2023-11-11 | TOR 5–2 VAN | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2023-03-04 | TOR 1–4 VAN | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2022-11-12 | TOR 3–2 VAN | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-03-05 | TOR 4–6 VAN | 2G 0A 8S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2022-02-12 | TOR 2–3 VAN | 1G 0A 7S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2021-02-08 | TOR 3–1 VAN | 1G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2021-02-06 | TOR 5–1 VAN | 2G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 1S |
Latest 12 of 16 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)
2.6proj. ESPN pts (season rate)
- Tue, Sep 29 vs MTL
- Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2B
- Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT2.6 pts
Elias Pettersson
4games (2 left)
4.1proj. ESPN pts (season rate)
- Tue, Sep 29 @ EDM
- Thu, Oct 1 vs EDM
- Sat, Oct 3 vs CGY2.0 pts
- Sun, Oct 4 vs VGKB2B2.0 pts
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Auston Matthews or Elias Pettersson in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Elias Pettersson projects to 2.34 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Auston Matthews's 2.31. Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Pettersson had 51 in 74 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 Pettersson?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Auston Matthews leads in 19 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 Pettersson done against each other?
- In 16 games against each other in our data, Matthews's team went 9–7. Matthews had 15 points (11 goals) and Pettersson had 12 (3 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Matthews or Pettersson?
- Against each other, Matthews has won 32 and Pettersson 24 of their 56 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 →