Who to start · 2025-26
Dylan Cozens vs John Tavares
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Dylan Cozens projects to 1.90 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80.
Cozens had 59 points in 82 games; Tavares had 71 in 82 games.
This week Cozens has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Tavares has 1 left. We project Tavares for 1.7 ESPN points to Cozens's 1.4.
Dylan Cozens has the better number in 19 of the 35 stats both are ranked on.
Cozens's biggest edges: Scoring chances 60.8%, High-danger chances 60.0%, Fenwick 57.3%.
Tavares's biggest edges: Net penalties drawn /60 +0.18, On-ice PDO 992, Forecheck xG /60 0.34.
Head to head on the dot, Tavares leads Cozens 47–34.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Dylan Cozens
1.90
fantasy points per game
John Tavares
1.84
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Dylan Cozens has the edge.
| Points per game from | Cozens | Tavares |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.68 | 0.76 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.38 | 0.49 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.18 | 0.12 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.25 | 0.23 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.26 | 0.09 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.15 | 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: Cozens vs Tavares
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2021-22 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Cozens 5G 10A, 49 SOG · Tavares 12G 11A, 53 SOG
Cozens's offensive zone 9–13 · neutral 5–12 · Cozens's defensive zone 20–22 (2021-22 to 2025-26)
Cozens blocked 1 of Tavares's shots; Tavares blocked 0 of Cozens's.
On the ice against each other (Cozens's side)
18:36 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26, from Cozens's side
- Shot attempts
- 16–8
- 66.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.8–0.3
- 70.1%
- Goals
- 2–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Cozens | Tavares |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-15 | OTT 3–1 TOR | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2026-03-21 | OTT 5–2 TOR | 0G 1A 2S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2026-02-28 | OTT 5–2 TOR | 2G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-12-27 | OTT 5–7 TOR | 0G 1A 0S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2025-05-01 · PO | OTT 2–4 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-04-29 · PO | OTT 4–0 TOR | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-04-26 · PO | OTT 4–3 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2025-04-24 · PO | OTT 2–3 TOR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-04-22 · PO | OTT 2–3 TOR | 0G 0A 5S | 1G 1A 1S |
| 2025-04-20 · PO | OTT 2–6 TOR | 0G 1A 2S | 1G 1A 6S |
| 2025-03-15 | OTT 4–2 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-12-20 | BUF 3–6 TOR | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 2A 2S |
Latest 12 of 23 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.
Dylan Cozens
1games
1.4proj. ESPN pts
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TOR1.4 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
John Tavares
3games (1 left)
1.7proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs MTLOpp allows 12th-most FP to CLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
- Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2BOpp allows 13th-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 Dylan Cozens or John Tavares in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Dylan Cozens projects to 1.90 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80. Cozens had 59 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, Dylan Cozens or John Tavares?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Dylan Cozens leads in 19 of 35 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Cozens and Tavares done against each other?
- In 23 games against each other in our data, Cozens's team went 11–12. Cozens had 15 points (5 goals) and Tavares had 23 (12 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Cozens or Tavares?
- Against each other, Cozens has won 34 and Tavares 47 of their 81 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 →