Who to start · 2025-26
John Tavares vs Martin Necas
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Martin Necas projects to 2.40 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80.
Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Necas had 100 in 78 games.
This week Tavares has 1 game left; Necas has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Tavares for 1.7 ESPN points to Necas's 1.7.
Martin Necas has the better number in 29 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Tavares's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.027, Faceoffs won 801, Forecheck xG /60 0.34.
Necas's biggest edges: Plus/minus +47, Scoring chances 56.6%, Goals above expected +5.9.
Head to head on the dot, Necas leads Tavares 7–3.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 4 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
John Tavares
1.80
fantasy points per game
Martin Necas
2.40
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Martin Necas has the edge.
| Points per game from | Tavares | Necas |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.67 | 0.91 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.49 | 0.81 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.11 | 0.14 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.24 | 0.27 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.09 | 0.11 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.22 | 0.16 |
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 Necas
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2019-20 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Tavares 6G 9A, 39 SOG · Necas 5G 9A, 50 SOG
Tavares's offensive zone 0–2 · neutral 2–3 · Tavares's defensive zone 1–2 (2022-23)
Tavares blocked 0 of Necas's shots; Necas blocked 1 of Tavares's.
On the ice against each other (Tavares's side)
6:21 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Tavares's side
- Shot attempts
- 3–4
- 42.9%
- Expected goals
- 0.2–0.1
- 62.7%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Tavares | Necas |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-25 | TOR 1–4 COL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2026-01-12 | TOR 4–3 COL | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 1A 5S |
| 2025-03-19 | TOR 2–1 COL | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2025-03-08 | TOR 4–7 COL | 2G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 6S |
| 2025-01-09 | TOR 3–6 CAR | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2024-03-24 | TOR 1–2 CAR | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2024-03-16 | TOR 4–5 CAR | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 6S |
| 2023-12-30 | TOR 2–3 CAR | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-03-25 | TOR 3–5 CAR | 0G 0A 9S | 0G 2A 2S |
| 2023-03-17 | TOR 5–2 CAR | 0G 2A 0S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2022-11-06 | TOR 3–1 CAR | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2022-03-17 | TOR 3–2 CAR | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 0S |
Latest 12 of 16 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)
Martin Necas
2games (1 left)
1.7proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 vs LAKOpp allows the most FP to CLikely vs Darcy Kuemper (.891)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs STL1.7 ptsOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +10.1 win%vs Jordan Binnington (.873)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start John Tavares or Martin Necas in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Martin Necas projects to 2.40 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80. Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Necas had 100 in 78 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 Martin Necas?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Martin Necas leads in 29 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 Necas done against each other?
- In 16 games against each other in our data, Tavares's team went 7–9. Tavares had 15 points (6 goals) and Necas had 14 (5 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Tavares or Necas?
- Against each other, Tavares has won 3 and Necas 7 of their 10 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 →