Who to start · 2025-26
Mattias Samuelsson vs Seth Jones
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Seth Jones projects to 1.96 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mattias Samuelsson's 1.88.
Samuelsson had 41 points in 78 games; Jones had 32 in 52 games.
This week Samuelsson has 2 games left with 1 soft and 1 tough matchups; Jones has 3 left with 2 soft and 1 tough matchups. In ESPN default points scoring we project Jones for 5.8 to Samuelsson's 3.4 over the games left.
Mattias Samuelsson has the better number in 19 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Samuelsson's biggest edges: Blocked shots 154, Plus/minus +41, Forecheck xG /60 0.38.
Jones's biggest edges: Power-play share 69.4%, Offensive-zone time 44.9%, Power-play time per game 3:30.
In standard categories (G, A, +/-, PPP, SOG, HIT), the default in Who Should I Start, Seth Jones rates ahead, +8.4 to +4.9 in summed category z-scores.
Role trend over the last 5 games: Samuelsson is surging, 5 P in last 5 (0.40/GP before); Jones is surging, 9 P in last 5 (0.63/GP before).
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 2 G, 5 A, 0 PPP, 13 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 9 GP, 1 G, 9 A, 5 PPP, 25 SOG.
Buffalo Sabres · Florida Panthers · Who should I start? · Compare other players
Fantasy value: your scoring
Mattias Samuelsson
+4.9
category z-score total
Seth Jones
+8.4
category z-score total
Under Standard (6 categories), Seth Jones has the edge (Samuelsson wins 3, Jones wins 3 of 6 categories).
| Category | Samuelsson | Jones |
|---|---|---|
| Goals / game | 0.19 | 0.13 |
| Assists / game | 0.43 | 0.68 |
| Plus/minus / game | 0.33 | 0.05 |
| Power-play points / game | 0.00 | 0.40 |
| Shots on goal / game | 1.42 | 2.10 |
| Hits / game | 1.52 | 0.90 |
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 Jones
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2021-22 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Samuelsson 0G 0A, 7 SOG · Jones 4G 5A, 34 SOG
On the ice against each other (Samuelsson's side)
15:18 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Samuelsson's side
- Shot attempts
- 17–20
- 45.9%
- Expected goals
- 1.0–0.6
- 64.9%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Samuelsson | Jones |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-12 | BUF 5–3 FLA | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 2A 4S |
| 2025-10-18 | BUF 3–0 FLA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2025-04-12 | BUF 2–3 FLA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2025-03-08 | BUF 0–4 FLA | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-12-27 | BUF 6–2 CHI | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2024-10-19 | BUF 4–2 CHI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 5S |
| 2023-11-19 | BUF 3–2 CHI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-01-17 | BUF 3–4 CHI | 0G 0A 0S | 2G 1A 4S |
| 2022-04-29 | BUF 3–2 CHI | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-03-28 | BUF 6–5 CHI | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 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.
Fantasy box score
Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)
Transition, turnovers & faceoffs
Usage
Special teams & discipline
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)
Seth Jones
3games
5.8proj. ESPN default pts
- Wed, Oct 21 @ OTT1.7 ptsOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to DLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
- Sun, Oct 25 @ CHI2.1 ptsOpp allows 2nd-most FP to DLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Mattias Samuelsson or Seth Jones in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Seth Jones projects to 1.96 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Mattias Samuelsson's 1.88. Samuelsson had 41 points in 78 games; Jones had 32 in 52 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 Seth Jones?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Mattias Samuelsson 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 Jones done against each other?
- In 10 games against each other in our data, Samuelsson's team went 7–3. Samuelsson had 0 points (0 goals) and Jones had 9 (4 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 →