Who to start · 2025-26
Mathew Barzal vs Tage Thompson
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Tage Thompson projects to 2.26 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mathew Barzal's 1.82.
Barzal had 72 points in 81 games; Thompson had 81 in 81 games.
This week Barzal has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Thompson has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Thompson for 2.6 ESPN points to Barzal's 1.4.
They split the 35 stats both are ranked on 17–17.
Barzal's biggest edges: Plus/minus +10, Forecheck xG /60 0.36, Penalty minutes 61.
Thompson's biggest edges: Hardest shot 97.9, Hits 85, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.35.
- • 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
Tage Thompson
2.38
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Tage Thompson has the edge.
| Points per game from | Barzal | Thompson |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.47 | 0.99 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.65 | 0.51 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.12 | 0.15 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.23 | 0.34 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.10 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.31 | 0.30 |
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 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.
Barzal 3G 8A, 38 SOG · Thompson 7G 4A, 59 SOG
Barzal's offensive zone 0–2 · neutral 0–1 · Barzal's defensive zone 1–3 (2021-22 to 2025-26)
Barzal blocked 2 of Thompson's shots; Thompson blocked 0 of Barzal's.
On the ice against each other (Barzal's side)
8:32 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Barzal's side
- Shot attempts
- 10–5
- 66.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.8–0.3
- 73.8%
- Goals
- 1–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Barzal | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-31 | NYI 3–4 BUF | 0G 1A 3S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2026-01-24 | NYI 0–5 BUF | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2025-12-20 | NYI 2–3 BUF | 1G 1A 4S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2024-12-23 | NYI 1–7 BUF | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2024-03-14 | NYI 0–4 BUF | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2023-10-21 | NYI 1–3 BUF | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 10S |
| 2023-10-14 | NYI 3–2 BUF | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2023-01-19 | NYI 2–3 BUF | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2022-04-23 | NYI 3–5 BUF | 1G 0A 1S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2021-12-30 | NYI 4–1 BUF | 1G 2A 8S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-02-15 | NYI 3–6 BUF | 0G 1A 3S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2021-05-03 | NYI 2–4 BUF | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 1A 7S |
Latest 12 of 17 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)
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 Mathew Barzal or Tage Thompson in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Tage Thompson projects to 2.26 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mathew Barzal's 1.82. Barzal had 72 points in 81 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, Mathew Barzal or Tage Thompson?
- On 2025-26 numbers they split 17–17 across 35 stats where both qualify.
- How have Barzal and Thompson done against each other?
- In 17 games against each other in our data, Barzal's team went 5–12. Barzal had 11 points (3 goals) and Thompson had 11 (7 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Barzal or Thompson?
- Against each other, Barzal has won 1 and Thompson 6 of their 7 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 →