Who to start · 2025-26
Auston Matthews vs Tage Thompson
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Auston Matthews projects to 2.31 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Tage Thompson's 2.26.
Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Thompson had 81 in 81 games.
This week Matthews has 1 game left; Thompson has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Matthews for 2.7 ESPN points to Thompson's 2.6.
Tage Thompson has the better number in 25 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.
Thompson's biggest edges: 20+ mph bursts 176, Top skating speed 22.8, Luck Meter +13.
Head to head on the dot, Matthews leads Thompson 55–30.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Auston Matthews
2.31
fantasy points per game
Tage Thompson
2.26
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Auston Matthews has the edge.
| Points per game from | Matthews | Thompson |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.79 | 0.93 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.38 | 0.47 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.09 | 0.14 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.36 | 0.34 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.07 | 0.10 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.63 | 0.28 |
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 Thompson
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 16G 12A, 87 SOG · Thompson 10G 9A, 74 SOG
Matthews's offensive zone 15–5 · neutral 29–18 · Matthews's defensive zone 11–7 (2021-22 to 2025-26)
Matthews blocked 4 of Thompson's shots; Thompson blocked 1 of Matthews's.
On the ice against each other (Matthews's side)
22:42 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Matthews's side
- Shot attempts
- 17–22
- 43.6%
- Expected goals
- 0.9–0.6
- 58.8%
- Goals
- 2–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Matthews | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-27 | TOR 4–7 BUF | 1G 2A 3S | 1G 1A 2S |
| 2025-10-25 | TOR 4–3 BUF | 0G 1A 2S | 2G 0A 5S |
| 2025-10-24 | TOR 3–5 BUF | 1G 0A 4S | 1G 1A 5S |
| 2025-04-15 | TOR 4–0 BUF | 1G 1A 6S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-12-20 | TOR 6–3 BUF | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-12-15 | TOR 5–3 BUF | 0G 1A 5S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2024-03-30 | TOR 3–0 BUF | 1G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-03-06 | TOR 2–1 BUF | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-12-21 | TOR 3–9 BUF | 1G 0A 1S | 1G 2A 5S |
| 2023-11-04 | TOR 4–6 BUF | 3G 0A 5S | 1G 0A 7S |
| 2023-03-13 | TOR 3–4 BUF | 1G 2A 5S | 0G 1A 7S |
| 2023-02-21 | TOR 6–3 BUF | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 3S |
Latest 12 of 22 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)
Tage Thompson
2games (1 left)
2.6proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 @ CBJOpp allows 16th-most FP to CLikely vs Jet Greaves (.908)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs CHI2.6 ptsOpp allows 8th-most FP to CLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Auston Matthews or Tage Thompson 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 Tage Thompson's 2.26. Matthews had 53 points in 60 games; Thompson had 81 in 81 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 Tage Thompson?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Tage Thompson leads in 25 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 Thompson done against each other?
- In 22 games against each other in our data, Matthews's team went 13–9. Matthews had 28 points (16 goals) and Thompson had 19 (10 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Matthews or Thompson?
- Against each other, Matthews has won 55 and Thompson 30 of their 85 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 →