Is Auston Matthews Better Than Bryan Little? NHL Stats Decide

Few NHL comparisons generate more debate than Auston Matthews vs Bryan Little. The numbers reveal a genuinely competitive matchup — Auston Matthews takes 4 categories while Bryan Little claims 2, making this one of the closer head to head comparisons at the C position. Every statistical category matters in a matchup this tight.

Auston Matthews's Plus/Minus of 145 compared to Bryan Little's -15 represents a 866.7% advantage — dramatically better than their counterpart in this critical category. It is the single most decisive number in this comparison and the clearest statistical argument for Auston Matthews's edge.

The most competitive category in this matchup is Assists, where Auston Matthews posts 352 against Bryan Little's 304 — a gap of just 15.8%. Bryan Little can point to this as evidence that the overall comparison is closer than the final 4-2 tally suggests. In any debate, Assists is the statistical ammunition for the Bryan Little side.

Hockey's greatest players accumulate points through both goal scoring and playmaking. The balance between goals and assists often reveals a player's style — pure scorer versus pass-first playmaker.

The verdict favors Auston Matthews — 4 categories to 2 — but Bryan Little makes this far from a one-sided debate. Anyone building the case for Bryan Little has real statistical ammunition particularly in Assists where the gap narrows to just 15.8%. The numbers have spoken, but the argument will continue.