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Who to start · 2025-26

John Tavares vs Kirill Marchenko

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Kirill Marchenko projects to 1.92 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80.

Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Marchenko had 67 in 76 games.

This week Tavares has 1 game left; Marchenko has 1 left. We project Marchenko for 1.8 ESPN points to Tavares's 1.7.

Kirill Marchenko has the better number in 26 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.

Tavares's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 801, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.027, Forecheck xG /60 0.34.

Marchenko's biggest edges: Plus/minus +7, Transition attempts /60 1.56, Ascension score 58.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
  • • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 7 SOG.

Fantasy value: your scoring

John Tavares

1.80

fantasy points per game

Kirill Marchenko

1.92

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Kirill Marchenko has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromTavaresMarchenko
Goals (+2)0.670.63
Assists (+1)0.490.52
Power-play points (+0.5)0.110.13
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.000.01
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.240.29
Hits (+0.1)0.090.11
Blocks (+0.5)0.220.23

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: Tavares vs Marchenko

Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2022-23 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.

TavaresMarchenko
4Team record in 10 meetings6
10Points in those games5

Tavares 6G 4A, 40 SOG · Marchenko 2G 3A, 28 SOG

5Faceoffs against each other1

Tavares's offensive zone 2–0 · neutral 1–1 · Tavares's defensive zone 2–0 (2022-23 to 2024-25)

1Hits on each other0

On the ice against each other (Tavares's side)

7:04 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Tavares's side

Shot attempts
8–12
40.0%
Expected goals
0.3–0.7
30.8%
Goals
1–2

Games against each other

Games between John Tavares and Kirill Marchenko
DateScoreTavaresMarchenko
2025-11-20TOR 2–3 CBJ1G 1A 5S0G 0A 2S
2025-10-29TOR 3–6 CBJ1G 0A 4S0G 1A 1S
2025-04-05TOR 5–0 CBJ0G 0A 3S0G 0A 2S
2024-10-22TOR 2–6 CBJ0G 1A 5S1G 1A 7S
2023-12-29TOR 5–6 CBJ1G 0A 4S0G 0A 1S
2023-12-23TOR 4–1 CBJ1G 0A 4S0G 0A 4S
2023-12-14TOR 5–6 CBJ0G 2A 4S0G 0A 3S
2023-04-04TOR 4–2 CBJ0G 0A 7S0G 0A 4S
2023-02-11TOR 3–4 CBJ0G 0A 0S1G 1A 2S
2023-02-10TOR 3–0 CBJ2G 0A 4S0G 0A 2S

Every stat, side by side

Season values; bars are percentiles at each player's position (longer is better). Click a stat for its explainer.

TavaresMarchenko

Fantasy box score

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.

John Tavares

3games (1 left)

1.7proj. ESPN pts

  • Tue, Sep 29 vs MTL
    Opp allows 14th-most FP to CLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
  • Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2B
    Opp allows 15th-most FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT1.7 pts
    vs Linus Ullmark (.891)

Kirill Marchenko

3games (1 left)

1.8proj. ESPN pts

  • Tue, Sep 29 vs MTL
    Opp allows 12th-most FP to RWLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
  • Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2B
    Opp allows 14th-most FP to RWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT1.8 pts
    vs Linus Ullmark (.891)

FAQ

Should I start John Tavares or Kirill Marchenko in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Kirill Marchenko projects to 1.92 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80. Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Marchenko had 67 in 76 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, John Tavares or Kirill Marchenko?
On 2025-26 numbers, Kirill Marchenko leads in 26 of 34 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
How have Tavares and Marchenko done against each other?
In 10 games against each other in our data, Tavares's team went 4–6. Tavares had 10 points (6 goals) and Marchenko had 5 (2 goals).
Who wins more faceoffs, Tavares or Marchenko?
Against each other, Tavares has won 5 and Marchenko 1 of their 6 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 →