Who to start · 2025-26
Auston Matthews vs Justin Faulk
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Justin Faulk's 1.81.
Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Faulk had 40 in 78 games.
This week Matthews has 1 game left; Faulk has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Matthews for 2.7 ESPN points to Faulk's 1.8.
Auston Matthews has the better number in 20 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Matthews's biggest edges: Forecheck xG /60 0.31, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.22, On-ice PDO 1016.
Faulk's biggest edges: Goals above expected +6.5, Luck Meter +62, Top skating speed 22.7.
- • 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, 1 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Auston Matthews
2.31
fantasy points per game
Justin Faulk
1.81
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Auston Matthews has the edge.
| Points per game from | Matthews | Faulk |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.79 | 0.38 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.38 | 0.29 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.09 | 0.05 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.36 | 0.18 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.10 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.63 | 0.79 |
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 Faulk
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 5G 6A, 40 SOG · Faulk 1G 4A, 33 SOG
Matthews blocked 3 of Faulk's shots; Faulk blocked 1 of Matthews's.
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Matthews | Faulk |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11-02 | TOR 2–4 STL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-10-24 | TOR 1–5 STL | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2023-01-03 | TOR 5–6 STL | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-12-27 | TOR 5–4 STL | 0G 1A 5S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2022-01-15 | TOR 6–5 STL | 1G 1A 8S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2022-02-19 | TOR 3–6 STL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2019-12-07 | TOR 5–2 STL | 2G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2019-10-07 | TOR 2–3 STL | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2019-04-02 | TOR 1–4 CAR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2018-12-11 | TOR 4–1 CAR | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2017-11-24 | TOR 5–4 CAR | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2017-10-26 | TOR 3–6 CAR | 1G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
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)
Justin Faulk
2games (1 left)
1.8proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 vs NYROpp allows 9th-fewest FP to DSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Dylan Garand (.948)
- Sun, Oct 4 vs WPG1.8 ptsOpp allows 8th-most FP to DLikely vs Stuart Skinner (.888)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Auston Matthews or Justin Faulk 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 Justin Faulk's 1.81. Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Faulk had 40 in 78 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 Justin Faulk?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Auston Matthews leads in 20 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 Faulk done against each other?
- In 12 games against each other in our data, Matthews's team went 5–7. Matthews had 11 points (5 goals) and Faulk had 5 (1 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 →