Who to start · 2025-26
John Tavares vs Leon Draisaitl
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Leon Draisaitl projects to 2.96 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80.
Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Draisaitl had 97 in 65 games.
This week Tavares has 1 game left; Draisaitl has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Draisaitl for 2.0 ESPN points to Tavares's 1.7.
Leon Draisaitl has the better number in 25 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Tavares's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.027, Hits 74, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.18.
Draisaitl's biggest edges: Plus/minus +13, Ascension score 69, Fenwick 54.4%.
Head to head on the dot, Tavares leads Draisaitl 75–61.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 2 PPP, 10 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
John Tavares
1.80
fantasy points per game
Leon Draisaitl
2.96
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Leon Draisaitl has the edge.
| Points per game from | Tavares | Draisaitl |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.67 | 1.19 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.49 | 0.96 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.11 | 0.34 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.24 | 0.31 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.09 | 0.05 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.22 | 0.10 |
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 Draisaitl
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.
Tavares 9G 15A, 75 SOG · Draisaitl 13G 17A, 80 SOG
Tavares's offensive zone 29–26 · neutral 17–14 · Tavares's defensive zone 29–21 (2017-18 to 2025-26)
Tavares blocked 2 of Draisaitl's shots; Draisaitl blocked 0 of Tavares's.
On the ice against each other (Tavares's side)
16:53 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Tavares's side
- Shot attempts
- 10–18
- 35.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.5–0.9
- 38.2%
- Goals
- 0–2
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Tavares | Draisaitl |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-02-03 | TOR 5–2 EDM | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2025-12-13 | TOR 3–6 EDM | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 3A 3S |
| 2025-02-01 | TOR 4–3 EDM | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 1A 6S |
| 2024-11-16 | TOR 4–3 EDM | 0G 1A 1S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2024-03-23 | TOR 6–3 EDM | 0G 2A 2S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2024-01-16 | TOR 2–4 EDM | 0G 0A 5S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2023-03-11 | TOR 7–4 EDM | 2G 1A 4S | 1G 0A 4S |
| 2023-03-01 | TOR 2–5 EDM | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2022-01-05 | TOR 4–2 EDM | 1G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2021-12-14 | TOR 5–1 EDM | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2021-03-29 | TOR 2–3 EDM | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2021-03-27 | TOR 4–3 EDM | 1G 0A 4S | 1G 2A 2S |
Latest 12 of 25 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)
Leon Draisaitl
3games (1 left)
2.0proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs VANOpp allows 6th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Thu, Oct 1 @ VANOpp allows 6th-most FP to CLikely vs Kevin Lankinen (.875)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs SEA2.0 ptsOpp allows 6th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Joey Daccord (.897)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start John Tavares or Leon Draisaitl in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Leon Draisaitl projects to 2.96 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80. Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Draisaitl had 97 in 65 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 Leon Draisaitl?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Leon Draisaitl leads in 25 of 36 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Tavares and Draisaitl done against each other?
- In 25 games against each other in our data, Tavares's team went 16–9. Tavares had 24 points (9 goals) and Draisaitl had 30 (13 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Tavares or Draisaitl?
- Against each other, Tavares has won 75 and Draisaitl 61 of their 136 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 →