Who to start · 2025-26
Auston Matthews vs Patrick Kane
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Patrick Kane's 1.68.
Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Kane had 57 in 67 games.
This week Matthews has 1 game left; Kane has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Matthews for 2.7 ESPN points to Kane's 1.6.
Auston Matthews has the better number in 17 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Matthews's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 580, Hardest shot 88.3, Blocked shots 81.
Kane's biggest edges: Fenwick 52.8%, Corsi 50.3%, Top skating speed 22.8.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Auston Matthews
2.31
fantasy points per game
Patrick Kane
1.68
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Auston Matthews has the edge.
| Points per game from | Matthews | Kane |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.79 | 0.54 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.38 | 0.54 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.09 | 0.13 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.36 | 0.25 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.05 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.63 | 0.19 |
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 Kane
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 11A, 91 SOG · Kane 8G 11A, 55 SOG
Matthews blocked 2 of Kane's shots; Kane blocked 0 of Matthews's.
On the ice against each other (Matthews's side)
14:27 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Matthews's side
- Shot attempts
- 12–17
- 41.4%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–0.3
- 66.9%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Matthews | Kane |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-21 | TOR 1–2 DET | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-12-28 | TOR 2–3 DET | 0G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2025-10-13 | TOR 2–3 DET | 0G 1A 8S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-10-11 | TOR 3–6 DET | 0G 0A 6S | 1G 2A 4S |
| 2025-04-17 | TOR 4–3 DET | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2024-12-14 | TOR 2–4 DET | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2024-04-13 | TOR 4–5 DET | 1G 0A 10S | 0G 2A 3S |
| 2024-01-14 | TOR 2–4 DET | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-04-13 | TOR 3–2 NYR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-02-19 | TOR 3–5 CHI | 0G 0A 5S | 3G 1A 5S |
| 2023-02-15 | TOR 5–2 CHI | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2021-12-11 | TOR 5–4 CHI | 1G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 5S |
Latest 12 of 18 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 12th-most FP to CLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
- Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2BOpp allows 13th-most FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT2.7 ptsLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
Patrick Kane
3games (1 left)
1.6proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ VGKOpp allows 9th-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Carter Hart (.891)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ UTAOpp allows 2nd-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Karel Vejmelka (.897)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ BUF1.6 ptsOpp allows 3rd-most FP to RWSchedule edge −1.0 win%Likely vs Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (.910)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Auston Matthews or Patrick Kane 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 Patrick Kane's 1.68. Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Kane had 57 in 67 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 Patrick Kane?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Auston Matthews leads in 17 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 Kane done against each other?
- In 18 games against each other in our data, Matthews's team went 7–11. Matthews had 20 points (9 goals) and Kane had 19 (8 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 →

