Who to start · 2025-26
Jake Sanderson vs John Tavares
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jake Sanderson projects to 2.40 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80.
Sanderson had 54 points in 67 games; Tavares had 71 in 82 games.
This week Sanderson has 1 game left; Tavares has 1 left. We project Sanderson for 1.7 ESPN points to Tavares's 1.7.
Jake Sanderson has the better number in 20 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.
Sanderson's biggest edges: Plus/minus +16, Transition attempts /60 0.69, Scoring chances 56.8%.
Tavares's biggest edges: Penalty minutes 28, Forecheck xG /60 0.34, Hits 74.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Jake Sanderson
2.40
fantasy points per game
John Tavares
1.84
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Jake Sanderson has the edge.
| Points per game from | Sanderson | Tavares |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.42 | 0.76 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.60 | 0.49 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.16 | 0.12 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.22 | 0.23 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.04 | 0.09 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.96 | 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: Sanderson vs Tavares
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2022-23 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Sanderson 2G 6A, 37 SOG · Tavares 4G 9A, 40 SOG
Sanderson blocked 4 of Tavares's shots; Tavares blocked 0 of Sanderson's.
On the ice against each other (Sanderson's side)
12:59 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Sanderson's side
- Shot attempts
- 14–3
- 82.4%
- Expected goals
- 1.4–0.1
- 96.0%
- Goals
- 2–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Sanderson | Tavares |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-28 | OTT 5–2 TOR | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2025-12-27 | OTT 5–7 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 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 | 1G 1A 3S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2025-04-24 · PO | OTT 2–3 TOR | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-04-22 · PO | OTT 2–3 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 1A 1S |
| 2025-04-20 · PO | OTT 2–6 TOR | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 1A 6S |
| 2025-03-15 | OTT 4–2 TOR | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-11-12 | OTT 3–0 TOR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2023-12-27 | OTT 4–2 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2023-12-07 | OTT 3–4 TOR | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 1A 0S |
Latest 12 of 17 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.
Jake Sanderson
1games
1.7proj. ESPN pts
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TOR1.7 ptsOpp allows 14th-fewest FP to DLikely 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 Jake Sanderson or John Tavares in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Jake Sanderson projects to 2.40 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80. Sanderson had 54 points in 67 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, Jake Sanderson or John Tavares?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Jake Sanderson 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 Sanderson and Tavares done against each other?
- In 17 games against each other in our data, Sanderson's team went 8–9. Sanderson had 8 points (2 goals) and Tavares had 13 (4 goals).
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 →