Who to start · 2025-26
Auston Matthews vs Roman Josi
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Roman Josi's 2.24.
Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Josi had 55 in 68 games.
This week Matthews has 1 game left; Josi has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Matthews for 2.7 ESPN points to Josi's 2.5.
Roman Josi has the better number in 17 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Matthews's biggest edges: On-ice PDO 1016, Plus/minus −4, Blocked shots 81.
Josi's biggest edges: Goals above expected +0.5, Corsi 50.3%, Offensive-zone time 44.7%.
- • 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, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Auston Matthews
2.31
fantasy points per game
Roman Josi
2.24
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Auston Matthews has the edge.
| Points per game from | Matthews | Josi |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.79 | 0.48 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.38 | 0.58 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.09 | 0.17 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.36 | 0.27 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.05 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.63 | 0.70 |
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 Josi
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 10G 3A, 53 SOG · Josi 2G 6A, 37 SOG
Matthews blocked 2 of Josi's shots; Josi blocked 3 of Matthews's.
On the ice against each other (Matthews's side)
7:28 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Matthews's side
- Shot attempts
- 7–12
- 36.8%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.2
- 16.4%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Matthews | Josi |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-20 | TOR 3–5 NSH | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-10-14 | TOR 7–4 NSH | 2G 0A 5S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2024-12-04 | TOR 3–2 NSH | 2G 0A 7S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2023-12-09 | TOR 4–0 NSH | 2G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-10-28 | TOR 2–3 NSH | 0G 1A 4S | 1G 1A 5S |
| 2022-03-19 | TOR 3–6 NSH | 1G 1A 10S | 0G 3A 5S |
| 2021-11-16 | TOR 3–0 NSH | 1G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2020-01-27 | TOR 5–2 NSH | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2019-03-19 | TOR 0–3 NSH | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2019-01-07 | TOR 0–4 NSH | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 6S |
| 2018-03-22 | TOR 5–2 NSH | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2018-02-07 | TOR 3–2 NSH | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 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)
Roman Josi
2games (1 left)
2.5proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs MINOpp allows 6th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs DAL2.5 ptsOpp allows 9th-most FP to DSchedule edge +13.0 win%Likely vs Casey DeSmith (.907)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Auston Matthews or Roman Josi 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 Roman Josi's 2.24. Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Josi had 55 in 68 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 Roman Josi?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Roman Josi 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 Josi done against each other?
- In 12 games against each other in our data, Matthews's team went 7–5. Matthews had 13 points (10 goals) and Josi had 8 (2 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 →