Who to start · 2025-26
Jared Spurgeon 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 Jared Spurgeon's 1.55.
Spurgeon had 22 points in 79 games; Tavares had 71 in 82 games.
This week Spurgeon has 1 game left with 1 tough matchup; Tavares has 1 left. We project Tavares for 1.7 ESPN points to Spurgeon's 1.1.
John Tavares has the better number in 19 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Spurgeon's biggest edges: Plus/minus +2, Ascension score 59, Blocked shots 137.
Tavares's biggest edges: Forecheck xG /60 0.34, Penalty minutes 28, Offensive-zone start % 56.1%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
Jared Spurgeon
1.55
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 | Spurgeon | Tavares |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.14 | 0.67 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.25 | 0.49 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.04 | 0.11 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.11 | 0.24 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.10 | 0.09 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.91 | 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: Spurgeon 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.
Spurgeon 1G 8A, 20 SOG · Tavares 3G 7A, 37 SOG
Spurgeon blocked 3 of Tavares's shots; Tavares blocked 0 of Spurgeon's.
On the ice against each other (Spurgeon's side)
9:31 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Spurgeon's side
- Shot attempts
- 4–11
- 26.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.4
- 13.4%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Spurgeon | Tavares |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-15 | MIN 2–4 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2026-01-19 | MIN 6–3 TOR | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 0A 6S |
| 2024-11-03 | MIN 2–1 TOR | 0G 2A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-11-19 | MIN 3–4 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-02-24 | MIN 1–2 TOR | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2022-11-25 | MIN 3–4 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 2A 3S |
| 2022-02-24 | MIN 1–3 TOR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2019-12-31 | MIN 1–4 TOR | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 1A 5S |
| 2019-10-15 | MIN 2–4 TOR | 0G 1A 0S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2019-01-03 | MIN 4–3 TOR | 1G 2A 1S | 0G 2A 6S |
| 2018-12-01 | MIN 3–5 TOR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2018-02-19 | MIN 5–3 NYI | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
Latest 12 of 13 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.
Jared Spurgeon
2games (1 left)
1.1proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 @ NSHOpp allows 14th-most FP to DLikely vs Juuse Saros (.893)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs BOS1.1 ptsOpp allows 8th-fewest FP to DSchedule edge +12.8 win%Likely vs Michael DiPietro (1.000)
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 Jared Spurgeon 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 Jared Spurgeon's 1.55. Spurgeon had 22 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, Jared Spurgeon or John Tavares?
- On 2025-26 numbers, John Tavares leads in 19 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Spurgeon and Tavares done against each other?
- In 13 games against each other in our data, Spurgeon's team went 5–8. Spurgeon had 9 points (1 goals) and Tavares had 10 (3 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 →