Who to start · 2025-26
Auston Matthews vs Pavel Zacha
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Pavel Zacha's 1.70.
Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Zacha had 65 in 78 games.
This week Matthews has 1 game left; Zacha has 1 left. We project Matthews for 2.7 ESPN points to Zacha's 1.0.
Auston Matthews has the better number in 18 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Matthews's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 2.09, Blocked shots 81, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.22.
Zacha's biggest edges: Goals above expected +7.4, Luck Meter +68, Plus/minus +4.
Head to head on the dot, Matthews leads Zacha 28–22.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Auston Matthews
2.31
fantasy points per game
Pavel Zacha
1.70
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Auston Matthews has the edge.
| Points per game from | Matthews | Zacha |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.79 | 0.68 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.38 | 0.40 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.09 | 0.12 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.36 | 0.18 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.08 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.63 | 0.24 |
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 Zacha
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 18G 12A, 95 SOG · Zacha 8G 7A, 40 SOG
Matthews's offensive zone 12–7 · neutral 4–9 · Matthews's defensive zone 12–6 (2017-18 to 2025-26)
Matthews blocked 0 of Zacha's shots; Zacha blocked 1 of Matthews's.
On the ice against each other (Matthews's side)
3:14 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Matthews's side
- Shot attempts
- 5–2
- 71.4%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.0
- 85.1%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Matthews | Zacha |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-11 | TOR 3–5 BOS | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2025-11-08 | TOR 3–5 BOS | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-02-25 | TOR 5–4 BOS | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2025-01-04 | TOR 6–4 BOS | 1G 2A 5S | 0G 2A 0S |
| 2024-10-26 | TOR 3–4 BOS | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2024-05-04 · PO | TOR 1–2 BOS | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-04-27 · PO | TOR 1–3 BOS | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2024-04-24 · PO | TOR 2–4 BOS | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-04-22 · PO | TOR 3–2 BOS | 1G 2A 8S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2024-04-20 · PO | TOR 1–5 BOS | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-03-07 | TOR 1–4 BOS | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2024-03-04 | TOR 1–4 BOS | 0G 0A 5S | 2G 0A 4S |
Latest 12 of 24 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 ptsLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
Pavel Zacha
3games (1 left)
1.0proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs NYROpp allows 15th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
- Fri, Oct 2 @ WPGOpp allows 4th-most FP to CLikely vs Stuart Skinner (.888)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ MINB2B1.0 ptsOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge −12.7 win%Likely vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Auston Matthews or Pavel Zacha 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 Pavel Zacha's 1.70. Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Zacha had 65 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 Pavel Zacha?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Auston Matthews leads in 18 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 Zacha done against each other?
- In 24 games against each other in our data, Matthews's team went 9–15. Matthews had 30 points (18 goals) and Zacha had 15 (8 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Matthews or Zacha?
- Against each other, Matthews has won 28 and Zacha 22 of their 50 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 →