Who to start · 2025-26
John Tavares vs Nikolaj Ehlers
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, John Tavares projects to 1.80 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Nikolaj Ehlers's 1.65.
Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Ehlers had 71 in 82 games.
This week Tavares has 1 game left; Ehlers has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Ehlers for 1.8 ESPN points to Tavares's 1.7.
Nikolaj Ehlers has the better number in 20 of the 34 stats both are ranked on.
Tavares's biggest edges: Faceoffs won 801, Hits 74, Penalty minutes 28.
Ehlers's biggest edges: Plus/minus +8, Transition attempts /60 1.78, Scoring chances 58.5%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 PPP, 6 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
John Tavares
1.80
fantasy points per game
Nikolaj Ehlers
1.65
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, John Tavares has the edge.
| Points per game from | Tavares | Ehlers |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.67 | 0.56 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.49 | 0.48 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.11 | 0.15 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.24 | 0.26 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.09 | 0.03 |
| 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 Ehlers
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 13G 10A, 89 SOG · Ehlers 10G 8A, 71 SOG
Tavares blocked 2 of Ehlers's shots; Ehlers blocked 0 of Tavares's.
On the ice against each other (Tavares's side)
9:01 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Tavares's side
- Shot attempts
- 4–16
- 20.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.0–0.3
- 14.0%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Tavares | Ehlers |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-20 | TOR 3–4 CAR | 1G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2025-12-04 | TOR 5–1 CAR | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-11-09 | TOR 4–5 CAR | 1G 1A 5S | 0G 2A 5S |
| 2024-12-23 | TOR 2–5 WPG | 2G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-10-28 | TOR 6–4 WPG | 3G 0A 7S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2024-01-27 | TOR 4–2 WPG | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-01-24 | TOR 1–0 WPG | 0G 0A 7S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2023-01-19 | TOR 4–1 WPG | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2022-03-31 | TOR 7–3 WPG | 1G 0A 4S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2021-12-05 | TOR 3–6 WPG | 0G 1A 6S | 1G 0A 7S |
| 2021-04-24 | TOR 4–1 WPG | 1G 0A 4S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2021-04-22 | TOR 5–3 WPG | 0G 1A 5S | 0G 0A 4S |
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)
Nikolaj Ehlers
3games (1 left)
1.8proj. ESPN pts
- Tue, Sep 29 vs FLAOpp allows 13th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Jacob Markstrom (.883)
- Fri, Oct 2 vs WSHOpp allows 10th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Logan Thompson (.912)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ PHIB2B1.8 ptsOpp allows 4th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −8.7 win%vs Joseph Woll (.899)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start John Tavares or Nikolaj Ehlers 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 Nikolaj Ehlers's 1.65. Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Ehlers had 71 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 Nikolaj Ehlers?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Nikolaj Ehlers leads in 20 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 Ehlers done against each other?
- In 25 games against each other in our data, Tavares's team went 16–9. Tavares had 23 points (13 goals) and Ehlers had 18 (10 goals).
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 →