Who to start · 2025-26
Auston Matthews vs Steven Stamkos
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Steven Stamkos's 2.00.
Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Stamkos had 66 in 82 games.
This week Matthews has 1 game left; Stamkos has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Matthews for 2.7 ESPN points to Stamkos's 2.0.
Steven Stamkos has the better number in 21 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Matthews's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 2.09, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.22, Plus/minus −4.
Stamkos's biggest edges: Goals above expected +5.9, Penalty minutes 58, Luck Meter +24.
Head to head on the dot, Stamkos leads Matthews 45–42.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Auston Matthews
2.31
fantasy points per game
Steven Stamkos
2.00
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Auston Matthews has the edge.
| Points per game from | Matthews | Stamkos |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.79 | 0.96 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.38 | 0.34 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.09 | 0.15 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.36 | 0.24 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.11 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.63 | 0.21 |
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 Stamkos
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 22G 22A, 153 SOG · Stamkos 9G 23A, 93 SOG
Matthews's offensive zone 20–19 · neutral 13–13 · Matthews's defensive zone 9–13 (2017-18 to 2025-26)
Matthews blocked 2 of Stamkos's shots; Stamkos blocked 3 of Matthews's.
On the ice against each other (Matthews's side)
11:17 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Matthews's side
- Shot attempts
- 11–14
- 44.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–0.5
- 55.6%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Matthews | Stamkos |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-20 | TOR 3–5 NSH | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 1A 4S |
| 2025-10-14 | TOR 7–4 NSH | 2G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-03-22 | TOR 2–5 NSH | 0G 2A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-12-04 | TOR 3–2 NSH | 2G 0A 7S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-04-17 | TOR 4–6 TBL | 0G 0A 12S | 0G 2A 3S |
| 2024-04-03 | TOR 1–4 TBL | 1G 0A 6S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2023-11-06 | TOR 6–5 TBL | 2G 1A 6S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2023-10-21 | TOR 4–3 TBL | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2023-04-29 · PO | TOR 2–1 TBL | 1G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2023-04-27 · PO | TOR 2–4 TBL | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2023-04-24 · PO | TOR 5–4 TBL | 2G 0A 7S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2023-04-22 · PO | TOR 4–3 TBL | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 1A 2S |
Latest 12 of 34 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 ptsvs Linus Ullmark (.891)
Steven Stamkos
2games (1 left)
2.0proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs MINOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs DAL2.0 ptsOpp allows 3rd-most FP to CSchedule edge +13.0 win%Likely vs Casey DeSmith (.907)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Auston Matthews or Steven Stamkos 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 Steven Stamkos's 2.00. Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Stamkos had 66 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 Steven Stamkos?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Steven Stamkos 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 Stamkos done against each other?
- In 34 games against each other in our data, Matthews's team went 17–17. Matthews had 44 points (22 goals) and Stamkos had 32 (9 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Matthews or Stamkos?
- Against each other, Matthews has won 42 and Stamkos 45 of their 87 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 →