Who to start · 2025-26
Auston Matthews vs Nick Schmaltz
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Nick Schmaltz's 2.05.
Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Schmaltz had 74 in 82 games.
This week Matthews has 1 game left; Schmaltz has 2 left. We project Schmaltz for 3.1 ESPN points to Matthews's 2.7.
Nick Schmaltz has the better number in 24 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Matthews's biggest edges: Faceoff win % 59.7%, Transition attempts /60 2.09, Draw Equity /100 +0.103.
Schmaltz's biggest edges: Goals above expected +5.3, Corsi 55.9%, Fenwick 55.7%.
Head to head on the dot, Matthews leads Schmaltz 17–8.
- • 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, 2 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Auston Matthews
2.31
fantasy points per game
Nick Schmaltz
2.05
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Auston Matthews has the edge.
| Points per game from | Matthews | Schmaltz |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.79 | 0.88 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.38 | 0.47 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.09 | 0.11 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.36 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.03 |
| 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 Schmaltz
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 9G 2A, 42 SOG · Schmaltz 2G 5A, 12 SOG
Matthews's offensive zone 3–4 · neutral 5–3 · Matthews's defensive zone 9–1 (2017-18 to 2025-26)
On the ice against each other (Matthews's side)
16:15 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Matthews's side
- Shot attempts
- 9–12
- 42.9%
- Expected goals
- 0.5–0.5
- 51.5%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Matthews | Schmaltz |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-13 | TOR 1–6 UTA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-11-05 | TOR 5–3 UTA | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-03-10 | TOR 4–3 UTA | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 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 0S |
| 2022-12-29 | TOR 3–6 ARI | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-03-10 | TOR 4–5 ARI | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2022-01-12 | TOR 1–2 ARI | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2020-02-11 | TOR 3–2 ARI | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2019-11-21 | TOR 3–1 ARI | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2018-10-07 | TOR 7–6 CHI | 2G 2A 3S | 0G 2A 0S |
| 2018-01-24 | TOR 3–2 CHI | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 1A 3S |
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)
Nick Schmaltz
3games (2 left)
3.1proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs CHIOpp allows 8th-most FP to CLikely vs Arvid Soderblom (.880)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ CBJ1.7 ptsOpp allows 16th-most FP to CSchedule edge −1.0 win%Likely vs Jet Greaves (.908)
- Sun, Oct 4 @ NYRB2B1.4 ptsOpp allows 15th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Auston Matthews or Nick Schmaltz 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 Nick Schmaltz's 2.05. Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Schmaltz had 74 in 82 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 Nick Schmaltz?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nick Schmaltz leads in 24 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 Schmaltz done against each other?
- In 12 games against each other in our data, Matthews's team went 8–4. Matthews had 11 points (9 goals) and Schmaltz had 7 (2 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Matthews or Schmaltz?
- Against each other, Matthews has won 17 and Schmaltz 8 of their 25 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 →