Who to start · 2025-26
John Tavares vs Lawson Crouse
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, John Tavares projects to 1.80 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Lawson Crouse's 1.65.
Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Crouse had 44 in 81 games.
This week Tavares has 1 game left; Crouse has 2 left with 2 tough matchups. We project Crouse for 2.4 ESPN points to Tavares's 1.7.
Lawson Crouse has the better number in 18 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Tavares's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.027, Faceoffs won 801, Power-play points 20.
Crouse's biggest edges: Plus/minus +20, Transition attempts /60 1.80, Blocked shots 52.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 1 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
John Tavares
1.80
fantasy points per game
Lawson Crouse
1.65
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, John Tavares has the edge.
| Points per game from | Tavares | Crouse |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.67 | 0.56 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.49 | 0.29 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.11 | 0.04 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.24 | 0.17 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.09 | 0.28 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.22 | 0.30 |
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 Crouse
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2018-19 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Tavares 3G 5A, 37 SOG · Crouse 2G 5A, 19 SOG
Tavares's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 1–0 · Tavares's defensive zone 1–0 (2019-20 to 2023-24)
On the ice against each other (Tavares's side)
7:53 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Tavares's side
- Shot attempts
- 4–2
- 66.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.0
- 66.7%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Tavares | Crouse |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-13 | TOR 1–6 UTA | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-11-05 | TOR 5–3 UTA | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2025-03-10 | TOR 4–3 UTA | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-11-24 | TOR 3–2 UTA | 0G 1A 8S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-02-29 | TOR 4–2 ARI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-02-21 | TOR 6–3 ARI | 1G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2022-12-29 | TOR 3–6 ARI | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2022-10-17 | TOR 2–4 ARI | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2022-03-10 | TOR 4–5 ARI | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2022-01-12 | TOR 1–2 ARI | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2020-02-11 | TOR 3–2 ARI | 0G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2019-11-21 | TOR 3–1 ARI | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
Latest 12 of 14 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.
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)
Lawson Crouse
3games (2 left)
2.4proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 vs CHIOpp allows 2nd-most FP to LWLikely vs Arvid Soderblom (.880)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ CBJ1.2 ptsOpp allows 4th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge −1.0 win%Likely vs Jet Greaves (.908)
- Sun, Oct 4 @ NYRB2B1.2 ptsOpp allows 7th-fewest FP to LWSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Igor Shesterkin (.912)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start John Tavares or Lawson Crouse 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 Lawson Crouse's 1.65. Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Crouse had 44 in 81 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 Lawson Crouse?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Lawson Crouse leads in 18 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 Crouse done against each other?
- In 14 games against each other in our data, Tavares's team went 7–7. Tavares had 8 points (3 goals) and Crouse had 7 (2 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Tavares or Crouse?
- Against each other, Tavares has won 2 and Crouse 0 of their 2 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 →