Who to start · 2025-26
Auston Matthews vs Mathew Barzal
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mathew Barzal's 1.82.
Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Barzal had 72 in 81 games.
This week Matthews has 1 game left; Barzal has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Matthews for 2.7 ESPN points to Barzal's 1.4.
Mathew Barzal has the better number in 20 of the 35 stats both are ranked on.
Matthews's biggest edges: Faceoff win % 59.7%, Draw Equity /100 +0.103, Transition attempts /60 2.09.
Barzal's biggest edges: 20+ mph bursts 313, Penalty minutes 61, Corsi 51.6%.
Head to head on the dot, Matthews leads Barzal 22–20.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Auston Matthews
2.56
fantasy points per game
Mathew Barzal
1.82
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Auston Matthews has the edge.
| Points per game from | Matthews | Barzal |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.90 | 0.47 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.43 | 0.65 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.10 | 0.12 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.38 | 0.23 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.04 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.68 | 0.31 |
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 Barzal
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 11G 5A, 68 SOG · Barzal 7G 12A, 41 SOG
Matthews's offensive zone 9–9 · neutral 4–6 · Matthews's defensive zone 9–5 (2017-18 to 2025-26)
Matthews blocked 2 of Barzal's shots; Barzal blocked 0 of Matthews's.
On the ice against each other (Matthews's side)
9:41 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Matthews's side
- Shot attempts
- 7–14
- 33.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.3–0.9
- 24.8%
- Goals
- 1–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Matthews | Barzal |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-03 | TOR 3–4 NYI | 2G 0A 6S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2024-02-05 | TOR 2–3 NYI | 0G 1A 4S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-01-11 | TOR 3–4 NYI | 2G 0A 4S | 1G 3A 5S |
| 2023-12-11 | TOR 3–4 NYI | 1G 0A 11S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2023-01-23 | TOR 5–2 NYI | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2022-11-21 | TOR 2–3 NYI | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2022-01-22 | TOR 3–1 NYI | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2021-11-21 | TOR 3–0 NYI | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2020-01-04 | TOR 3–0 NYI | 1G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2019-11-13 | TOR 4–5 NYI | 0G 1A 0S | 1G 1A 2S |
| 2019-04-01 | TOR 2–1 NYI | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2019-02-28 | TOR 1–6 NYI | 0G 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)
2.7proj. 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)
Mathew Barzal
2games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ TOROpp allows 7th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Anthony Stolarz (.893)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs NJD1.4 ptsOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +4.1 win%vs Nico Daws (.908)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Auston Matthews or Mathew Barzal 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 Mathew Barzal's 1.82. Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Barzal had 72 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 Mathew Barzal?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Mathew Barzal leads in 20 of 35 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Matthews and Barzal done against each other?
- In 16 games against each other in our data, Matthews's team went 8–8. Matthews had 16 points (11 goals) and Barzal had 19 (7 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Matthews or Barzal?
- Against each other, Matthews has won 22 and Barzal 20 of their 42 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 →