Who to start · 2025-26
Drake Batherson vs John Tavares
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Drake Batherson projects to 2.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80.
Batherson had 71 points in 79 games; Tavares had 71 in 82 games.
This week Batherson has 1 game left; Tavares has 1 left. We project Batherson for 1.7 ESPN points to Tavares's 1.7.
Drake Batherson has the better number in 20 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.
Batherson's biggest edges: Scoring chances 56.3%, Goals above expected +5.3, Expected goals 56.5%.
Tavares's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 801, Top skating speed 22.7, On-ice PDO 992.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Drake Batherson
2.01
fantasy points per game
John Tavares
1.84
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Drake Batherson has the edge.
| Points per game from | Batherson | Tavares |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.84 | 0.76 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.48 | 0.49 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.19 | 0.12 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.21 | 0.23 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.15 | 0.09 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.14 | 0.15 |
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: Batherson vs Tavares
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2019-20 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Batherson 13G 11A, 86 SOG · Tavares 9G 18A, 93 SOG
Batherson's offensive zone 2–4 · neutral 1–0 · Batherson's defensive zone 2–0 (2020-21 to 2023-24)
On the ice against each other (Batherson's side)
12:07 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26, from Batherson's side
- Shot attempts
- 13–8
- 61.9%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–1.0
- 37.5%
- Goals
- 1–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Batherson | Tavares |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-15 | OTT 3–1 TOR | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2026-03-21 | OTT 5–2 TOR | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2026-02-28 | OTT 5–2 TOR | 2G 0A 5S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-12-27 | OTT 5–7 TOR | 1G 0A 4S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2025-05-01 · PO | OTT 2–4 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-04-29 · PO | OTT 4–0 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-04-26 · PO | OTT 4–3 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2025-04-24 · PO | OTT 2–3 TOR | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-04-22 · PO | OTT 2–3 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 1A 1S |
| 2025-04-20 · PO | OTT 2–6 TOR | 1G 0A 4S | 1G 1A 6S |
| 2025-03-15 | OTT 4–2 TOR | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-11-12 | OTT 3–0 TOR | 0G 1A 6S | 0G 0A 4S |
Latest 12 of 36 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.
Drake Batherson
1games
1.7proj. ESPN pts
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TOR1.7 ptsOpp allows 16th-most FP to RWLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
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 ptsLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start Drake Batherson or John Tavares in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Drake Batherson projects to 2.01 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80. Batherson had 71 points in 79 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, Drake Batherson or John Tavares?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Drake Batherson leads in 20 of 33 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Batherson and Tavares done against each other?
- In 36 games against each other in our data, Batherson's team went 16–20. Batherson had 24 points (13 goals) and Tavares had 27 (9 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Batherson or Tavares?
- Against each other, Batherson has won 5 and Tavares 4 of their 9 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 →