Who to start · 2025-26
Evgeni Malkin vs John Tavares
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Evgeni Malkin projects to 2.12 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80.
Malkin had 61 points in 56 games; Tavares had 71 in 82 games.
This week Malkin has 1 game left; Tavares has 1 left. We project Tavares for 1.7 ESPN points to Malkin's 1.6.
Evgeni Malkin has the better number in 19 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Malkin's biggest edges: Plus/minus +13, On-ice PDO 1034, Sequence xG 53.9%.
Tavares's biggest edges: Faceoff win % 57.5%, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.027, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.18.
Head to head on the dot, Tavares leads Malkin 47–35.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 0 A, 1 PPP, 2 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Evgeni Malkin
2.12
fantasy points per game
John Tavares
1.80
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Evgeni Malkin has the edge.
| Points per game from | Malkin | Tavares |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.76 | 0.67 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.70 | 0.49 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.22 | 0.11 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.26 | 0.24 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.09 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.14 | 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: Malkin 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.
Malkin 6G 8A, 65 SOG · Tavares 4G 9A, 71 SOG
Malkin's offensive zone 18–16 · neutral 11–17 · Malkin's defensive zone 6–14 (2017-18 to 2025-26)
On the ice against each other (Malkin's side)
6:48 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Malkin's side
- Shot attempts
- 8–0
- 100.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.0
- 100.0%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Malkin | Tavares |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-11-29 | PIT 2–7 TOR | 0G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2025-11-03 | PIT 3–4 TOR | 0G 1A 8S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-03-02 | PIT 5–6 TOR | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2024-12-07 | PIT 5–2 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-04-08 | PIT 2–3 TOR | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2023-12-16 | PIT 0–7 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 9S |
| 2023-11-25 | PIT 3–2 TOR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2022-11-26 | PIT 1–4 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2022-11-15 | PIT 2–5 TOR | 0G 1A 4S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2022-11-11 | PIT 4–2 TOR | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-02-17 | PIT 1–4 TOR | 1G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2020-02-20 | PIT 0–4 TOR | 0G 0A 5S | 0G 2A 7S |
Latest 12 of 19 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.
Evgeni Malkin
2games (1 left)
1.6proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ PHIOpp allows 7th-most FP to CLikely vs Dan Vladar (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs MTL1.6 ptsOpp allows 14th-most FP to Cvs Jakub Dobes (.901)
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 Evgeni Malkin or John Tavares in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Evgeni Malkin projects to 2.12 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80. Malkin had 61 points in 56 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, Evgeni Malkin or John Tavares?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Evgeni Malkin leads in 19 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Malkin and Tavares done against each other?
- In 19 games against each other in our data, Malkin's team went 8–11. Malkin had 14 points (6 goals) and Tavares had 13 (4 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Malkin or Tavares?
- Against each other, Malkin has won 35 and Tavares 47 of their 82 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 →