Who to start · 2025-26
Auston Matthews vs Lawson Crouse
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Lawson Crouse's 1.65.
Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Crouse had 44 in 81 games.
This week Matthews has 1 game left; Crouse has 2 left with 2 tough matchups. We project Matthews for 2.7 ESPN points to Crouse's 2.4.
They split the 34 stats both are ranked on 17–17.
Matthews's biggest edges: Power-play share 71.5%, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.22, Faceoffs won 580.
Crouse's biggest edges: Goals above expected +3.5, Luck Meter +45, Hits 212.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 1 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Auston Matthews
2.31
fantasy points per game
Lawson Crouse
1.65
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Auston Matthews has the edge.
| Points per game from | Matthews | Crouse |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.79 | 0.56 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.38 | 0.29 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.09 | 0.04 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.36 | 0.17 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.28 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.63 | 0.30 |
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 Crouse
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.
Matthews 8G 0A, 51 SOG · Crouse 2G 5A, 18 SOG
Matthews's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 1–1 · Matthews's defensive zone 1–0 (2021-22 to 2025-26)
Matthews blocked 0 of Crouse's shots; Crouse blocked 1 of Matthews's.
On the ice against each other (Matthews's side)
7:00 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Matthews's side
- Shot attempts
- 7–5
- 58.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.2
- 41.9%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Matthews | Crouse |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-13 | TOR 1–6 UTA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-11-05 | TOR 5–3 UTA | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2025-03-10 | TOR 4–3 UTA | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-02-29 | TOR 4–2 ARI | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-02-21 | TOR 6–3 ARI | 2G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-12-29 | TOR 3–6 ARI | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2022-10-17 | TOR 2–4 ARI | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2022-03-10 | TOR 4–5 ARI | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2022-01-12 | TOR 1–2 ARI | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2020-02-11 | TOR 3–2 ARI | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2019-11-21 | TOR 3–1 ARI | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2019-02-16 | TOR 0–2 ARI | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 2S |
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)
Lawson Crouse
3games (2 left)
2.4proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs CHIOpp allows 2nd-most FP to LWLikely vs Arvid Soderblom (.880)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ CBJ1.2 ptsOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge −1.0 win%Likely vs Jet Greaves (.908)
- Sun, Oct 4 @ NYRB2B1.2 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Auston Matthews or Lawson Crouse 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 Lawson Crouse's 1.65. Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Crouse had 44 in 81 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 Lawson Crouse?
- On 2025-26 numbers they split 17–17 across 34 stats where both qualify.
- How have Matthews and Crouse done against each other?
- In 14 games against each other in our data, Matthews's team went 7–7. Matthews had 8 points (8 goals) and Crouse had 7 (2 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Matthews or Crouse?
- Against each other, Matthews has won 2 and Crouse 1 of their 3 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 →