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Who to start · 2025-26

Auston Matthews vs Josh Manson

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Josh Manson's 1.48.

Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Manson had 31 in 79 games.

This week Matthews has 1 game left; Manson has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Matthews for 2.7 ESPN points to Manson's 1.1.

They split the 34 stats both are ranked on 16–16.

Matthews's biggest edges: Ice time per game 20:48, Ice-time share 34.1%, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.22.

Manson's biggest edges: Corsi 57.3%, Fenwick 57.4%, Hits 174.

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

Fantasy value: your scoring

Auston Matthews

2.31

fantasy points per game

Josh Manson

1.48

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Auston Matthews has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromMatthewsManson
Goals (+2)0.790.12
Assists (+1)0.380.37
Power-play points (+0.5)0.090.00
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.000.00
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.360.16
Hits (+0.1)0.070.21
Blocks (+0.5)0.630.62

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 Manson

Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.

MatthewsManson
7Team record in 10 meetings3
14Points in those games5

Matthews 5G 9A, 33 SOG · Manson 0G 5A, 17 SOG

0Hits on each other1
0Shots blocked by the other1

Matthews blocked 0 of Manson's shots; Manson blocked 1 of Matthews's.

1Penalties drawn off the other0

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

10:08 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Matthews's side

Shot attempts
6–9
40.0%
Expected goals
0.1–0.7
10.2%
Goals
0–1

Games against each other

Games between Auston Matthews and Josh Manson
DateScoreMatthewsManson
2026-01-25TOR 1–4 COL0G 0A 7S0G 0A 3S
2026-01-12TOR 4–3 COL1G 1A 2S0G 0A 2S
2025-03-08TOR 4–7 COL0G 3A 2S0G 1A 3S
2024-02-24TOR 4–3 COL0G 1A 4S0G 0A 1S
2024-01-13TOR 3–5 COL0G 0A 1S0G 1A 0S
2021-11-28TOR 5–1 ANA1G 0A 3S0G 0A 3S
2020-02-07TOR 5–4 ANA1G 3A 6S0G 0A 1S
2019-02-04TOR 6–1 ANA0G 0A 3S0G 1A 1S
2018-02-05TOR 7–4 ANA2G 1A 4S0G 1A 3S
2017-11-01TOR 3–1 ANA0G 0A 1S0G 1A 0S

Every stat, side by side

Season values; bars are percentiles at each player's position (longer is better). Click a stat for its explainer.

MatthewsManson

Fantasy box score

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 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)

Josh Manson

2games (1 left)

1.1proj. ESPN pts

  • Wed, Sep 30 vs LAK
    Opp allows 3rd-most FP to DLikely vs Darcy Kuemper (.891)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs STL1.1 pts
    Opp allows 4th-fewest FP to DSchedule edge +10.1 win%vs Jordan Binnington (.873)

FAQ

Should I start Auston Matthews or Josh Manson 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 Josh Manson's 1.48. Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Manson had 31 in 79 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 Josh Manson?
On 2025-26 numbers they split 16–16 across 34 stats where both qualify.
How have Matthews and Manson done against each other?
In 10 games against each other in our data, Matthews's team went 7–3. Matthews had 14 points (5 goals) and Manson had 5 (0 goals).

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 →