Who to start · 2025-26
John Tavares vs Mikko Rantanen
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mikko Rantanen projects to 2.21 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80.
Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Rantanen had 77 in 64 games.
This week Tavares has 1 game left; Rantanen has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Tavares for 1.7 ESPN points to Rantanen's 1.6.
Mikko Rantanen has the better number in 21 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Tavares's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.027, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.18, Faceoffs won 801.
Rantanen's biggest edges: Plus/minus 0, On-ice PDO 1046, Expected goals 54.4%.
Head to head on the dot, Tavares leads Rantanen 8–8.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
John Tavares
1.80
fantasy points per game
Mikko Rantanen
2.21
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Mikko Rantanen has the edge.
| Points per game from | Tavares | Rantanen |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.67 | 0.64 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.49 | 0.81 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.11 | 0.25 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.24 | 0.21 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.09 | 0.08 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.22 | 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: Tavares vs Rantanen
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 3G 8A, 30 SOG · Rantanen 4G 10A, 32 SOG
Tavares's offensive zone 1–0 · neutral 1–1 · Tavares's defensive zone 6–7 (2017-18 to 2025-26)
Tavares blocked 1 of Rantanen's shots; Rantanen blocked 0 of Tavares's.
On the ice against each other (Tavares's side)
13:40 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Tavares's side
- Shot attempts
- 16–10
- 61.5%
- Expected goals
- 0.7–0.3
- 68.7%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Tavares | Rantanen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-13 | TOR 5–6 DAL | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-12-21 | TOR 1–5 DAL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2025-02-22 | TOR 6–3 CAR | 1G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2024-02-24 | TOR 4–3 COL | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2024-01-13 | TOR 3–5 COL | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 1A 4S |
| 2023-03-15 | TOR 1–2 COL | 0G 0A 1S | 1G 0A 5S |
| 2022-12-31 | TOR 6–2 COL | 0G 2A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2022-01-08 | TOR 4–5 COL | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 4A 4S |
| 2021-12-01 | TOR 8–3 COL | 1G 2A 2S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2019-12-04 | TOR 1–3 COL | 0G 0A 8S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2019-02-12 | TOR 5–2 COL | 0G 2A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2019-01-14 | TOR 3–6 COL | 0G 0A 0S | 1G 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)
Mikko Rantanen
2games (1 left)
1.6proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 vs STLOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to RWLikely vs Joel Hofer (.910)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ NSHB2B1.6 ptsOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to RWSchedule edge −12.9 win%Likely vs Juuse Saros (.893)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start John Tavares or Mikko Rantanen in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Mikko Rantanen projects to 2.21 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80. Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Rantanen had 77 in 64 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 Mikko Rantanen?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Mikko Rantanen leads in 21 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 Rantanen done against each other?
- In 14 games against each other in our data, Tavares's team went 6–8. Tavares had 11 points (3 goals) and Rantanen had 14 (4 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Tavares or Rantanen?
- Against each other, Tavares has won 8 and Rantanen 8 of their 16 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 →