Edgehalla

Who to start · 2025-26

Mattias Samuelsson vs Pierre-Olivier Joseph

Mattias SamuelssonSabres · Defence
vs
Pierre-Olivier JosephHurricanes · Defence
Surging5 P in last 5 (0.40/GP before)

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mattias Samuelsson projects to 1.88 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Pierre-Olivier Joseph's 0.81.

Samuelsson had 41 points in 78 games; Joseph had 6 in 31 games.

This week Samuelsson has 2 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Joseph has 2 left with 1 tough matchup. In ESPN default points scoring we project Samuelsson for 3.4 to Joseph's 1.6 over the games left.

Mattias Samuelsson has the better number in 21 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.

Samuelsson's biggest edges: On-ice PDO 1036, Plus/minus +41, Blocked shots 154.

Joseph's biggest edges: Offensive-zone time 42.8%, Offensive-zone start % 57.3%, Fenwick 50.4%.

In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Mattias Samuelsson rates ahead, +4.9 to -5.8 in summed category z-scores.

Role trend over the last 5 games: Samuelsson is surging, 5 P in last 5 (0.40/GP before); Joseph has no recent trend.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 2 G, 5 A, 0 PPP, 13 SOG.

Buffalo Sabres · Carolina Hurricanes · Who should I start? · Compare other players

Fantasy value: your scoring

Mattias Samuelsson

+5.3

category z-score total

Pierre-Olivier Joseph

-5.8

category z-score total

Under Standard (6 categories), Mattias Samuelsson has the edge (Samuelsson wins 5, Joseph wins 0 of 6 categories).

Per-stat breakdown under Standard (6 categories)
CategorySamuelssonJoseph
Goals / game0.170.03
Assists / game0.360.16
Plus/minus / game0.53-0.52
Power-play points / game0.000.00
Shots on goal / game1.400.71
Hits / game1.690.58

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 Joseph

Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2022-23 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.

SamuelssonJoseph
2Team record in 5 meetings3
2Points in those games0

Samuelsson 0G 2A, 9 SOG · Joseph 0G 0A, 6 SOG

0Hits on each other1

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

5:46 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Samuelsson's side

Shot attempts
7–4
63.6%
Expected goals
0.5–0.2
74.4%
Goals
1–0

Games against each other

Games between Mattias Samuelsson and Pierre-Olivier Joseph
DateScoreSamuelssonJoseph
2026-01-06BUF 5–3 VAN0G 1A 1S0G 0A 0S
2025-01-17BUF 2–5 PIT0G 0A 2S0G 0A 0S
2024-01-06BUF 3–1 PIT0G 1A 1S0G 0A 0S
2022-12-10BUF 1–3 PIT0G 0A 3S0G 0A 1S
2022-12-09BUF 3–4 PIT0G 0A 2S0G 0A 5S

Every stat, side by side

Season values; bars are percentiles at each player's position (longer is better). Click a stat for its explainer.

SamuelssonJoseph

Fantasy box score

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

Transition, turnovers & faceoffs

Usage

Special teams & discipline

Luck & trend

NHL EDGE tracking

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
    Opp allows 4th-most FP to DSchedule edge +3.2 win%Likely vs Dan Vladar (.906)
  • Sat, Oct 24 @ WSH1.6 pts
    Opp allows 10th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Logan Thompson (.912)

Pierre-Olivier Joseph

3games (2 left)

1.6proj. ESPN default pts (season rate)

  • Tue, Oct 20 @ VAN
    Opp allows 3rd-most FP to DLikely vs Leevi Meriläinen (.860)
  • Thu, Oct 22 @ EDM0.7 pts
    Opp allows 4th-fewest FP to DSchedule edge +3.1 win%Likely vs Tristan Jarry (.882)
  • Sat, Oct 24 @ STL0.8 pts
    Opp allows 14th-most FP to DLikely vs Joel Hofer (.910)

Similar matchups

FAQ

Should I start Mattias Samuelsson or Pierre-Olivier Joseph 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 Pierre-Olivier Joseph's 0.81. Samuelsson had 41 points in 78 games; Joseph had 6 in 31 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 Pierre-Olivier Joseph?
On 2025-26 numbers, Mattias Samuelsson leads in 21 of 33 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have Samuelsson and Joseph done against each other?
In 5 games against each other in our data, Samuelsson's team went 2–3. Samuelsson had 2 points (0 goals) and Joseph had 0 (0 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 →