Who to start · 2025-26
Adrian Kempe vs John Tavares
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Adrian Kempe projects to 2.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80.
Kempe had 73 points in 81 games; Tavares had 71 in 82 games.
This week Kempe has 1 game left; Tavares has 1 left. We project Kempe for 2.1 ESPN points to Tavares's 1.8.
Adrian Kempe has the better number in 27 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Kempe's biggest edges: Plus/minus +14, Transition attempts /60 1.93, Goals above expected +4.5.
Tavares's biggest edges: Faceoff win % 57.5%, Draw Equity /100 +0.071, Forecheck xG /60 0.34.
Head to head on the dot, Tavares leads Kempe 9–7.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Adrian Kempe
2.01
fantasy points per game
John Tavares
1.80
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Adrian Kempe has the edge.
| Points per game from | Kempe | Tavares |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.83 | 0.67 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.43 | 0.49 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.07 | 0.11 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.01 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.28 | 0.24 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.16 | 0.09 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.23 | 0.22 |
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 custom weights are saved in this browser only.
Head-to-head: Kempe vs Tavares
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2017-18 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Kempe 6G 4A, 40 SOG · Tavares 12G 9A, 51 SOG
Kempe's offensive zone 2–5 · neutral 4–1 · Kempe's defensive zone 1–3 (2017-18 to 2021-22)
On the ice against each other (Kempe's side)
11:57 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Kempe's side
- Shot attempts
- 16–8
- 66.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.4–0.3
- 56.5%
- Goals
- 2–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Kempe | Tavares |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-04 | LAK 7–6 TOR | 2G 2A 7S | 1G 2A 1S |
| 2025-11-13 | LAK 4–3 TOR | 0G 1A 4S | 2G 0A 4S |
| 2025-03-29 | LAK 1–3 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 2G 0A 3S |
| 2024-10-16 | LAK 2–6 TOR | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2024-01-02 | LAK 0–3 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2023-10-31 | LAK 4–1 TOR | 1G 0A 4S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2022-12-08 | LAK 0–5 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-10-29 | LAK 4–2 TOR | 1G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2021-11-24 | LAK 2–6 TOR | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2021-11-08 | LAK 5–1 TOR | 1G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2020-03-05 | LAK 1–0 TOR | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2019-11-05 | LAK 1–3 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 2S |
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.
Fantasy box score
Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)
Transition, turnovers & faceoffs
Usage
Special teams & discipline
This week's schedule
Sep 28 to Oct 4. 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 use ESPN default points for the games left.
Adrian Kempe
2games (1 left)
2.1proj. ESPN pts (season rate)
- Wed, Sep 30 @ COL
- Sat, Oct 3 @ SJS2.1 pts
John Tavares
3games (1 left)
1.8proj. ESPN pts (season rate)
- Tue, Sep 29 vs MTL
- Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2BSchedule edge −9.3 win%
- Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT1.8 pts
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Adrian Kempe or John Tavares in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Adrian Kempe projects to 2.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80. Kempe had 73 points in 81 games; Tavares had 71 in 82 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, Adrian Kempe or John Tavares?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Adrian Kempe leads in 27 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Kempe and Tavares done against each other?
- In 16 games against each other in our data, Kempe's team went 7–9. Kempe had 10 points (6 goals) and Tavares had 21 (12 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Kempe or Tavares?
- Against each other, Kempe has won 7 and Tavares 9 of their 16 head-to-head draws.
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 →