Who to start · 2025-26
Alex Ovechkin vs John Tavares
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Alex Ovechkin projects to 1.84 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80.
Ovechkin had 64 points in 82 games; Tavares had 71 in 82 games.
This week Ovechkin has 1 game left with 1 soft matchup; Tavares has 1 left. We project Ovechkin for 1.9 ESPN points to Tavares's 1.7.
Alex Ovechkin has the better number in 17 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Ovechkin's biggest edges: Transition attempts /60 1.45, On-ice PDO 1030, Offensive-zone start % 98.1%.
Tavares's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 801, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.027, 20+ mph bursts 82.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Alex Ovechkin
1.84
fantasy points per game
John Tavares
1.80
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Alex Ovechkin has the edge.
| Points per game from | Ovechkin | Tavares |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.73 | 0.67 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.43 | 0.49 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.11 | 0.11 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.29 | 0.24 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.16 | 0.09 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.12 | 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: Ovechkin 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.
Ovechkin 6G 8A, 78 SOG · Tavares 10G 13A, 72 SOG
Ovechkin's offensive zone 0–1 · neutral 0–0 · Ovechkin's defensive zone 0–0 (2023-24)
Ovechkin blocked 0 of Tavares's shots; Tavares blocked 2 of Ovechkin's.
On the ice against each other (Ovechkin's side)
7:32 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Ovechkin's side
- Shot attempts
- 8–11
- 42.1%
- Expected goals
- 0.4–0.4
- 54.9%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Ovechkin | Tavares |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-08 | WSH 4–0 TOR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-12-18 | WSH 4–0 TOR | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2025-11-28 | WSH 4–2 TOR | 0G 1A 6S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-12-28 | WSH 5–2 TOR | 1G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 6S |
| 2024-11-13 | WSH 3–4 TOR | 0G 1A 4S | 1G 1A 1S |
| 2024-03-28 | WSH 1–5 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 5S |
| 2024-03-20 | WSH 3–7 TOR | 2G 0A 2S | 1G 2A 3S |
| 2023-10-24 | WSH 1–4 TOR | 1G 0A 14S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2023-01-29 | WSH 1–5 TOR | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2022-12-17 | WSH 5–2 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2022-10-13 | WSH 2–3 TOR | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 0A 6S |
| 2022-04-14 | WSH 3–7 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 3A 3S |
Latest 12 of 21 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.
Alex Ovechkin
2games (1 left)
1.9proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 @ CAROpp allows 9th-most FP to LWLikely vs Brandon Bussi (.895)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TBLB2B1.9 ptsOpp allows 6th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −13.3 win%vs Andrei Vasilevskiy (.912)
John Tavares
3games (1 left)
1.7proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs MTLOpp allows 14th-most FP to CLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
- Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2BOpp allows 15th-most FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT1.7 ptsvs Linus Ullmark (.891)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Alex Ovechkin or John Tavares in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Alex Ovechkin projects to 1.84 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80. Ovechkin had 64 points in 82 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, Alex Ovechkin or John Tavares?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Alex Ovechkin leads in 17 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Ovechkin and Tavares done against each other?
- In 21 games against each other in our data, Ovechkin's team went 10–11. Ovechkin had 14 points (6 goals) and Tavares had 23 (10 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Ovechkin or Tavares?
- Against each other, Ovechkin has won 0 and Tavares 1 of their 1 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 →