Who to start · 2025-26
Mathew Barzal vs Ryan O'Reilly
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Ryan O'Reilly projects to 1.90 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mathew Barzal's 1.82.
Barzal had 72 points in 81 games; O'Reilly had 74 in 81 games.
This week Barzal has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; O'Reilly has 1 left. We project O'Reilly for 1.7 ESPN points to Barzal's 1.4.
Ryan O'Reilly has the better number in 18 of the 35 stats both are ranked on.
Barzal's biggest edges: 20+ mph bursts 313, Penalty minutes 61, Offensive-zone start % 62.4%.
O'Reilly's biggest edges: Faceoff win % 55.1%, Draw Equity /100 +0.056, Luck Meter +50.
Head to head on the dot, O'Reilly leads Barzal 20–9.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Mathew Barzal
1.82
fantasy points per game
Ryan O'Reilly
1.98
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Ryan O'Reilly has the edge.
| Points per game from | Barzal | O'Reilly |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.47 | 0.62 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.65 | 0.60 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.12 | 0.12 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.02 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.23 | 0.19 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.02 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.31 | 0.41 |
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: Barzal vs O'Reilly
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.
Barzal 3G 9A, 31 SOG · O'Reilly 4G 3A, 24 SOG
Barzal's offensive zone 4–4 · neutral 3–11 · Barzal's defensive zone 2–5 (2017-18 to 2025-26)
Barzal blocked 0 of O'Reilly's shots; O'Reilly blocked 1 of Barzal's.
On the ice against each other (Barzal's side)
13:11 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Barzal's side
- Shot attempts
- 14–15
- 48.3%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–0.6
- 50.6%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Barzal | O'Reilly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-31 | NYI 3–4 NSH | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2026-01-08 | NYI 1–2 NSH | 0G 1A 2S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2024-04-06 | NYI 2–0 NSH | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-01-13 | NYI 1–3 NSH | 0G 0A 7S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-12-06 | NYI 4–7 STL | 0G 1A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2022-11-03 | NYI 5–2 STL | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-04-09 | NYI 1–6 STL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2020-02-27 | NYI 2–3 STL | 0G 2A 0S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2019-10-14 | NYI 3–2 STL | 1G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2019-01-15 | NYI 2–1 STL | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2019-01-05 | NYI 4–3 STL | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2018-02-08 | NYI 3–4 BUF | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 2S |
Latest 12 of 14 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.
Mathew Barzal
2games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ TOROpp allows 7th-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Anthony Stolarz (.893)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs NJD1.4 ptsOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jake Allen (.904)
Ryan O'Reilly
2games (1 left)
1.7proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs MINOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jesper Wallstedt (.916)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs DAL1.7 ptsSchedule edge +13.0 win%Likely vs Casey DeSmith (.907)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Mathew Barzal or Ryan O'Reilly in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Ryan O'Reilly projects to 1.90 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mathew Barzal's 1.82. Barzal had 72 points in 81 games; O'Reilly had 74 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, Mathew Barzal or Ryan O'Reilly?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Ryan O'Reilly leads in 18 of 35 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Barzal and O'Reilly done against each other?
- In 14 games against each other in our data, Barzal's team went 7–7. Barzal had 12 points (3 goals) and O'Reilly had 7 (4 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Barzal or O'Reilly?
- Against each other, Barzal has won 9 and O'Reilly 20 of their 29 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 →