Who to start · 2025-26
Anthony Mantha vs John Tavares
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, John Tavares projects to 1.80 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Anthony Mantha's 1.67.
Mantha had 64 points in 81 games; Tavares had 71 in 82 games.
This week Mantha has 1 game left; Tavares has 1 left. We project Tavares for 1.7 ESPN points to Mantha's 1.4.
Anthony Mantha has the better number in 18 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Mantha's biggest edges: Plus/minus +10, Goals above expected +9.1, On-ice PDO 1032.
Tavares's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.027, Faceoffs won 801, Forecheck xG /60 0.34.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Anthony Mantha
1.67
fantasy points per game
John Tavares
1.80
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, John Tavares has the edge.
| Points per game from | Mantha | Tavares |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.76 | 0.67 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.36 | 0.49 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.08 | 0.11 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.18 | 0.24 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.06 | 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: Mantha 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.
Mantha 4G 3A, 27 SOG · Tavares 3G 16A, 46 SOG
Mantha's offensive zone 1–1 · neutral 0–0 · Mantha's defensive zone 0–0 (2021-22 to 2025-26)
Mantha blocked 1 of Tavares's shots; Tavares blocked 0 of Mantha's.
On the ice against each other (Mantha's side)
12:47 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Mantha's side
- Shot attempts
- 19–8
- 70.4%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–0.5
- 57.6%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Mantha | Tavares |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-23 | PIT 3–6 TOR | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-11-29 | PIT 2–7 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2025-11-03 | PIT 3–4 TOR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-10-24 | WSH 1–4 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2023-01-29 | WSH 1–5 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2022-12-17 | WSH 5–2 TOR | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2022-10-13 | WSH 2–3 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 6S |
| 2022-04-14 | WSH 3–7 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 3A 3S |
| 2019-12-21 | DET 1–4 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2019-10-12 | DET 2–5 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2019-02-01 | DET 3–2 TOR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2018-10-11 | DET 3–5 TOR | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 4A 3S |
Latest 12 of 15 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.
Anthony Mantha
2games (1 left)
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs PHIOpp allows 5th-most FP to RWSchedule edge +9.3 win%Likely vs Joseph Woll (.899)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ NYI1.4 ptsOpp allows 14th-most FP to RWSchedule edge −4.0 win%vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
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 Anthony Mantha or John Tavares in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, John Tavares projects to 1.80 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Anthony Mantha's 1.67. Mantha had 64 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, Anthony Mantha or John Tavares?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Anthony Mantha leads in 18 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Mantha and Tavares done against each other?
- In 15 games against each other in our data, Mantha's team went 3–12. Mantha had 7 points (4 goals) and Tavares had 19 (3 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Mantha or Tavares?
- Against each other, Mantha has won 1 and Tavares 1 of their 2 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 →