Who to start · 2026-27

Matthew Tkachuk vs Tage Thompson

Matthew TkachukPanthers · Left wing
vs
Tage ThompsonSabres · Centre
RisingixG/60 1.22 (was 0.78)
Steady3 P in last 5 (1.05/GP before)

In 2026-27, Tage Thompson scored 2.53 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Matthew Tkachuk's 2.38.

Tkachuk had 29 points in 21 games; Thompson had 21 in 20 games.

This week Tkachuk has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Thompson has no games left. In ESPN default points scoring we project Tkachuk for 1.9 to Thompson's 0.0 over the games left.

Matthew Tkachuk has the better number in 16 of the 30 stats both are ranked on.

Tkachuk's biggest edges: Forecheck xG /60 0.53, Penalty minutes 32, Hits 41.

Thompson's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 91, Blocked shots 11, Goals 12.

In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Matthew Tkachuk rates ahead, +7.0 to +5.9 in summed category z-scores.

Role trend over the last 5 games: Tkachuk is rising, ixG/60 1.22 (was 0.78); Thompson is steady, 3 P in last 5 (1.05/GP before).

  • • Tkachuk, last 10 games (Oct 25–Nov 14): 1 G, 13 A, 7 PPP, 21 SOG.
  • • Thompson, last 10 games (Oct 24–Nov 14): 7 G, 5 A, 4 PPP, 34 SOG.

Florida Panthers · Buffalo Sabres · Who should I start? · Compare other players

Fantasy value: your scoring

Matthew Tkachuk

+7.0

category z-score total

Tage Thompson

+5.9

category z-score total

Under Standard (6 categories), Matthew Tkachuk has the edge (Tkachuk wins 3, Thompson wins 3 of 6 categories).

Per-stat breakdown under Standard (6 categories)
CategoryTkachukThompson
Goals / game0.190.60
Assists / game1.190.45
Plus/minus / game0.100.30
Power-play points / game0.710.30
Shots on goal / game2.103.95
Hits / game1.950.60

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 scoring choice is shared with Who Should I Start: saved on this device, and on your account when you are signed in.

Head-to-head: Tkachuk vs Thompson

Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.

TkachukThompson
10Team record in 16 meetings6
18Points in those games11

Tkachuk 7G 11A, 57 SOG · Thompson 4G 7A, 46 SOG

0Hits on each other1
2Shots blocked by the other0

Tkachuk blocked 2 of Thompson's shots; Thompson blocked 0 of Tkachuk's.

0Penalties drawn off the other1

On the ice against each other (Tkachuk's side)

10:00 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Tkachuk's side

Shot attempts
6–11
35.3%
Expected goals
0.3–0.6
29.9%
Goals
0–3

Games against each other

Games between Matthew Tkachuk and Tage Thompson
DateScoreTkachukThompson
2026-10-12FLA 3–5 BUF0G 1A 2S1G 1A 1S
2026-02-27FLA 2–3 BUF1G 0A 5S0G 1A 1S
2026-02-02FLA 3–5 BUF0G 0A 2S1G 0A 4S
2024-10-28FLA 5–2 BUF0G 1A 2S0G 1A 0S
2024-04-13FLA 3–2 BUF0G 1A 7S0G 0A 3S
2024-02-27FLA 3–2 BUF1G 1A 7S1G 0A 7S
2024-02-15FLA 4–0 BUF0G 1A 2S0G 0A 5S
2023-04-04FLA 2–1 BUF1G 0A 5S0G 1A 2S
2023-02-24FLA 1–3 BUF0G 0A 6S0G 3A 2S
2023-01-16FLA 4–1 BUF0G 3A 3S0G 0A 2S
2022-10-15FLA 4–3 BUF1G 1A 4S0G 0A 2S
2022-03-18CGY 0–1 BUF0G 0A 0S1G 0A 5S

Latest 12 of 16 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.

TkachukThompson

Fantasy box score

Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)

Transition, turnovers & faceoffs, Usage, Special teams & discipline, Luck & trend, NHL EDGE tracking continue below

Every stat, side by side (continued)

TkachukThompson

Transition, turnovers & faceoffs

Usage

Special teams & discipline

Luck & trend

NHL EDGE tracking

This week's schedule

Nov 9 to Nov 15. 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 cover the games left: Edgehalla's rest-of-season rates per game, adjusted for each opponent's scoring allowed, in ESPN default points.

Scored in ESPN default points (G 2, A 1, PPP 0.5, SHP 0.5, SOG 0.1, HIT 0.1, BLK 0.5). Use your league's scoring

Florida Panthers logo

Matthew Tkachuk

4games (1 left)

1.9proj. ESPN default pts

  • Tue, Nov 10 @ CBJ
    Opp allows 13th-most FP to LWLikely vs Cam Talbot (.909)
  • Thu, Nov 12 vs DET
    Opp allows 14th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs John Gibson (.862)
  • Sat, Nov 14 @ STL
    Opp allows 9th-most FP to LWLikely vs Joel Hofer (.921)
  • Sun, Nov 15 @ DALB2B1.9 pts
    Opp allows 4th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Casey DeSmith (.894)
Buffalo Sabres logo

Tage Thompson

3games (0 left)

0.0proj. ESPN default pts

Player data stories

How the game changed, told through the numbers.

All NHL data stories

Similar matchups

FAQ

Should I start Matthew Tkachuk or Tage Thompson in fantasy hockey?
In 2026-27, Tage Thompson scored 2.53 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Matthew Tkachuk's 2.38. Tkachuk had 29 points in 21 games; Thompson had 21 in 20 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, Matthew Tkachuk or Tage Thompson?
On 2026-27 numbers, Matthew Tkachuk leads in 16 of 30 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have Tkachuk and Thompson done against each other?
In 16 games against each other in our data, Tkachuk's team went 10–6. Tkachuk had 18 points (7 goals) and Thompson had 11 (4 goals).

2026-27 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 →