Who to start · 2025-26
Auston Matthews vs Jack Hughes
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jack Hughes projects to 2.55 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Auston Matthews's 2.31.
Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Hughes had 77 in 61 games.
This week Matthews has 1 game left; Hughes has 1 left. We project Matthews for 2.7 ESPN points to Hughes's 2.3.
Jack Hughes has the better number in 26 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Matthews's biggest edges: Faceoff win % 59.7%, Draw Equity /100 +0.103, On-ice PDO 1016.
Hughes's biggest edges: Corsi 55.9%, Fenwick 55.3%, Scoring chances 56.0%.
Head to head on the dot, Matthews leads Hughes 17–9.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Auston Matthews
2.31
fantasy points per game
Jack Hughes
2.55
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Jack Hughes has the edge.
| Points per game from | Matthews | Hughes |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.79 | 0.95 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.38 | 0.77 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.09 | 0.18 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.02 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.36 | 0.38 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.01 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.63 | 0.25 |
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 Hughes
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.
Matthews 13G 5A, 57 SOG · Hughes 7G 5A, 55 SOG
Matthews's offensive zone 4–0 · neutral 8–4 · Matthews's defensive zone 5–5 (2019-20 to 2025-26)
Matthews blocked 1 of Hughes's shots; Hughes blocked 0 of Matthews's.
On the ice against each other (Matthews's side)
8:01 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Matthews's side
- Shot attempts
- 11–17
- 39.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.4–0.8
- 33.1%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Matthews | Hughes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-04 | TOR 3–4 NJD | 0G 1A 6S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2025-10-21 | TOR 2–5 NJD | 0G 0A 3S | 3G 0A 6S |
| 2025-01-16 | TOR 4–3 NJD | 2G 0A 5S | 1G 2A 5S |
| 2024-12-10 | TOR 2–1 NJD | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-10-10 | TOR 4–2 NJD | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-03-26 | TOR 3–6 NJD | 1G 0A 9S | 2G 0A 4S |
| 2023-03-07 | TOR 4–3 NJD | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 6S |
| 2022-11-23 | TOR 2–1 NJD | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2022-11-17 | TOR 2–3 NJD | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 6S |
| 2022-03-23 | TOR 3–2 NJD | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 5S |
| 2022-02-01 | TOR 7–1 NJD | 1G 1A 3S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2022-01-31 | TOR 6–4 NJD | 3G 1A 5S | 0G 1A 4S |
Latest 12 of 14 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)
Jack Hughes
2games (1 left)
2.3proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs PHIOpp allows 7th-most FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ NYI2.3 ptsOpp allows 15th-most FP to CSchedule edge −4.0 win%vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Auston Matthews or Jack Hughes in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jack Hughes projects to 2.55 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Auston Matthews's 2.31. Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Hughes had 77 in 61 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 Jack Hughes?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Jack Hughes 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 Hughes done against each other?
- In 14 games against each other in our data, Matthews's team went 10–4. Matthews had 18 points (13 goals) and Hughes had 12 (7 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Matthews or Hughes?
- Against each other, Matthews has won 17 and Hughes 9 of their 26 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 →