Who to start · 2025-26
John Tavares vs Nick Suzuki
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nick Suzuki projects to 2.43 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80.
Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Suzuki had 101 in 82 games.
This week Tavares has 1 game left; Suzuki has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Tavares for 1.7 ESPN points to Suzuki's 1.7.
Nick Suzuki has the better number in 22 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Tavares's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.027, Draw Equity /100 +0.071, Faceoff win % 57.5%.
Suzuki's biggest edges: Plus/minus +37, Blocked shots 62, On-ice PDO 1045.
Head to head on the dot, Tavares leads Suzuki 68–52.
- • 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, 2 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
John Tavares
1.80
fantasy points per game
Nick Suzuki
2.43
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Nick Suzuki has the edge.
| Points per game from | Tavares | Suzuki |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.67 | 0.66 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.49 | 0.82 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.11 | 0.25 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.24 | 0.22 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.09 | 0.08 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.22 | 0.39 |
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 Suzuki
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2019-20 to 2026-27: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Tavares 9G 17A, 89 SOG · Suzuki 5G 16A, 76 SOG
Tavares's offensive zone 27–26 · neutral 21–11 · Tavares's defensive zone 20–15 (2019-20 to 2026-27)
Tavares blocked 2 of Suzuki's shots; Suzuki blocked 1 of Tavares's.
On the ice against each other (Tavares's side)
17:44 at 5-on-5 over 5 games, 2025-26 to 2026-27, from Tavares's side
- Shot attempts
- 15–18
- 45.5%
- Expected goals
- 0.3–0.9
- 26.7%
- Goals
- 1–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Tavares | Suzuki |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-09-29 | TOR 2–3 MTL | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2026-03-10 | TOR 1–3 MTL | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-12-06 | TOR 1–2 MTL | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-11-22 | TOR 2–5 MTL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2025-10-08 | TOR 5–2 MTL | 0G 2A 2S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2025-04-12 | TOR 1–0 MTL | 0G 1A 6S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-11-09 | TOR 4–1 MTL | 1G 0A 6S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-10-09 | TOR 0–1 MTL | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2024-04-06 | TOR 4–2 MTL | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 1A 6S |
| 2024-03-09 | TOR 3–2 MTL | 1G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-10-11 | TOR 6–5 MTL | 0G 3A 3S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2023-04-08 | TOR 7–1 MTL | 2G 0A 5S | 0G 1A 2S |
Latest 12 of 32 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 12th-most FP to CLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
- Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2BOpp allows 13th-most FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT1.7 ptsLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
Nick Suzuki
2games (1 left)
1.7proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 @ TOROpp allows 7th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ PIT1.7 ptsOpp allows the fewest FP to CLikely vs Arturs Silovs (.888)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start John Tavares or Nick Suzuki in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Nick Suzuki projects to 2.43 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80. Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Suzuki had 101 in 82 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 Nick Suzuki?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nick Suzuki leads in 22 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 Suzuki done against each other?
- In 32 games against each other in our data, Tavares's team went 17–15. Tavares had 26 points (9 goals) and Suzuki had 21 (5 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Tavares or Suzuki?
- Against each other, Tavares has won 68 and Suzuki 52 of their 120 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 →