Edgehalla

Who to start · 2025-26

Auston Matthews vs Rickard Rakell

Auston MatthewsAuston MatthewsMaple Leafs · CentrevsRickard RakellRickard RakellPenguins · Right wing

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Rickard Rakell's 2.10.

Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Rakell had 48 in 60 games.

This week Matthews has 1 game left; Rakell has 1 left. We project Matthews for 2.7 ESPN points to Rakell's 2.0.

Rickard Rakell has the better number in 21 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.

Matthews's biggest edges: Faceoff win % 59.7%, Draw Equity /100 +0.103, Transition attempts /60 2.09.

Rakell's biggest edges: Goals above expected +0.3, Luck Meter +16, Top skating speed 22.8.

  • • 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, 2 SOG.

Fantasy value: your scoring

Auston Matthews

2.31

fantasy points per game

Rickard Rakell

2.10

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Auston Matthews has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromMatthewsRakell
Goals (+2)0.790.75
Assists (+1)0.380.44
Power-play points (+0.5)0.090.16
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.000.02
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.360.27
Hits (+0.1)0.070.13
Blocks (+0.5)0.630.34

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 Rakell

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.

MatthewsRakell
12Team record in 15 meetings3
21Points in those games12

Matthews 7G 14A, 64 SOG · Rakell 10G 2A, 40 SOG

0Faceoffs against each other1

Matthews's offensive zone 0–1 · neutral 0–0 · Matthews's defensive zone 0–0 (2021-22)

3Shots blocked by the other1

Matthews blocked 3 of Rakell's shots; Rakell blocked 1 of Matthews's.

On the ice against each other (Matthews's side)

11:23 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Matthews's side

Shot attempts
13–10
56.5%
Expected goals
0.8–0.4
65.2%
Goals
0–1

Games against each other

Games between Auston Matthews and Rickard Rakell
DateScoreMatthewsRakell
2025-12-23TOR 6–3 PIT0G 0A 3S0G 0A 3S
2025-03-02TOR 6–5 PIT1G 1A 6S2G 0A 3S
2024-12-07TOR 2–5 PIT0G 2A 4S1G 1A 3S
2024-10-12TOR 4–2 PIT0G 0A 8S1G 0A 2S
2024-04-08TOR 3–2 PIT1G 1A 2S1G 0A 4S
2022-11-26TOR 4–1 PIT1G 2A 6S1G 0A 6S
2022-11-15TOR 5–2 PIT0G 2A 4S1G 0A 4S
2022-11-11TOR 2–4 PIT0G 0A 3S0G 0A 1S
2022-01-26TOR 4–3 ANA0G 2A 7S0G 0A 2S
2021-11-28TOR 5–1 ANA1G 0A 3S0G 0A 3S
2020-03-06TOR 1–2 ANA0G 0A 4S0G 0A 1S
2020-02-07TOR 5–4 ANA1G 3A 6S0G 0A 0S

Latest 12 of 15 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.

MatthewsRakell

Fantasy box score

Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)

Transition, turnovers & faceoffs

Usage

Special teams & discipline

Luck & trend

NHL EDGE tracking

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 MTL
    Opp allows 14th-most FP to CLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
  • Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2B
    Opp allows 15th-most FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT2.7 pts
    vs Linus Ullmark (.891)

Rickard Rakell

2games (1 left)

2.0proj. ESPN pts

  • Wed, Sep 30 @ PHI
    Opp allows 5th-most FP to RWLikely vs Dan Vladar (.906)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs MTL2.0 pts
    Opp allows 12th-most FP to RWvs Jakub Dobes (.901)

Similar matchups

FAQ

Should I start Auston Matthews or Rickard Rakell 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 Rickard Rakell's 2.10. Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Rakell had 48 in 60 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 Rickard Rakell?
On 2025-26 numbers, Rickard Rakell leads in 21 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 Rakell done against each other?
In 15 games against each other in our data, Matthews's team went 12–3. Matthews had 21 points (7 goals) and Rakell had 12 (10 goals).
Who wins more faceoffs, Matthews or Rakell?
Against each other, Matthews has won 0 and Rakell 1 of their 1 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 →