Who to start · 2025-26
Mattias Samuelsson vs Olen Zellweger
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mattias Samuelsson projects to 1.88 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Olen Zellweger's 1.16.
Samuelsson had 41 points in 78 games; Zellweger had 22 in 76 games.
This week Samuelsson has 2 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Zellweger has 2 left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Samuelsson for 3.4 to Zellweger's 2.6 over the games left.
Olen Zellweger has the better number in 19 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Samuelsson's biggest edges: Goals above expected +4.6, Hits 132, Luck Meter +79.
Zellweger's biggest edges: Offensive-zone time 44.1%, Corsi 53.2%, Power-play share 25.2%.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Mattias Samuelsson rates ahead, +4.9 to +0.8 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Samuelsson is surging, 5 P in last 5 (0.40/GP before); Zellweger is surging, +6:46 TOI a game.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 2 G, 5 A, 0 PPP, 13 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 8 GP, 2 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 20 SOG.
Buffalo Sabres · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Mattias Samuelsson
+4.9
category z-score total
Olen Zellweger
+0.8
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Mattias Samuelsson has the edge (Samuelsson wins 4, Zellweger wins 2 of 6 categories).
| Category | Samuelsson | Zellweger |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.19 | 0.15 |
| Assists / game | 0.43 | 0.17 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.33 | 0.03 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.00 | 0.03 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.42 | 1.89 |
| Hits / game | 1.52 | 0.37 |
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: Samuelsson vs Zellweger
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2023-24 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Samuelsson 0G 0A, 3 SOG · Zellweger 1G 2A, 8 SOG
Samuelsson blocked 1 of Zellweger's shots; Zellweger blocked 0 of Samuelsson's.
Goals each scored with the other picking up an assist (as teammates).
On the ice against each other (Samuelsson's side)
14:10 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Samuelsson's side
- Shot attempts
- 18–27
- 40.0%
- Expected goals
- 1.1–1.2
- 47.0%
- Goals
- 1–1
On the ice together
59:18 at 5-on-5 over 6 games, 2026-27
- Shot attempts
- 62–46
- 57.4%
- Expected goals
- 2.8–2.2
- 56.6%
- Goals
- 4–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Samuelsson | Zellweger |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-22 | BUF 5–6 ANA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2026-01-10 | BUF 5–3 ANA | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2024-01-23 | BUF 2–4 ANA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
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
Chemistry as teammates
How their expected-goal share at 5v5 changed together vs apart (shrunk for sample size), and how closely their DraftKings points moved game to game (raw, that season only; for forward linemates the typical value is about .28).
| Season | 5v5 min together | xG% lift | xGF/60 lift | DK correlation (raw) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 BUF | 60 | −1.3 | −0.01 | .39(−.63 to .92), 5 GP |
This week's schedule
Oct 19 to Oct 25. 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
Mattias Samuelsson
2games
3.4proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs PHI1.8 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ WSH1.6 ptsOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Logan Thompson (.912)
Olen Zellweger
2games
2.6proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 vs PHI1.4 pts
- Sat, Oct 24 @ WSH1.2 ptsOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Logan Thompson (.912)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Mattias Samuelsson or Olen Zellweger in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mattias Samuelsson projects to 1.88 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Olen Zellweger's 1.16. Samuelsson had 41 points in 78 games; Zellweger had 22 in 76 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, Mattias Samuelsson or Olen Zellweger?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Olen Zellweger leads in 19 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Samuelsson and Zellweger done against each other?
- In 3 games against each other in our data, Samuelsson's team went 1–2. Samuelsson had 0 points (0 goals) and Zellweger had 3 (1 goals).
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 →