Who to start · 2025-26
John Tavares vs Parker Kelly
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, John Tavares projects to 1.80 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Parker Kelly's 1.51.
Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Kelly had 35 in 82 games.
This week Tavares has 1 game left; Kelly has 1 left with 1 tough matchup. We project Tavares for 1.7 ESPN points to Kelly's 0.9.
Parker Kelly has the better number in 19 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Tavares's biggest edges: Faceoff win % 57.5%, Draw Equity /100 +0.071, Power-play share 69.1%.
Kelly's biggest edges: Plus/minus +18, Scoring chances 58.5%, High-danger chances 58.5%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 1 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 1 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
John Tavares
1.80
fantasy points per game
Parker Kelly
1.51
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, John Tavares has the edge.
| Points per game from | Tavares | Kelly |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.67 | 0.61 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.49 | 0.22 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.11 | 0.00 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.01 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.24 | 0.13 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.09 | 0.22 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.22 | 0.33 |
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 Kelly
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2020-21 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Tavares 3G 8A, 39 SOG · Kelly 2G 2A, 14 SOG
Tavares's offensive zone 3–0 · neutral 3–0 · Tavares's defensive zone 0–1 (2020-21 to 2025-26)
Tavares blocked 1 of Kelly's shots; Kelly blocked 1 of Tavares's.
On the ice against each other (Tavares's side)
2:59 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Tavares's side
- Shot attempts
- 4–2
- 66.7%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.2
- 25.7%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Tavares | Kelly |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-01-25 | TOR 1–4 COL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2026-01-12 | TOR 4–3 COL | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-03-19 | TOR 2–1 COL | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2025-03-08 | TOR 4–7 COL | 2G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2024-02-10 | TOR 3–5 OTT | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2023-12-27 | TOR 2–4 OTT | 0G 0A 5S | 1G 0A 3S |
| 2023-12-07 | TOR 4–3 OTT | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2023-11-08 | TOR 3–6 OTT | 0G 2A 2S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2023-01-27 | TOR 2–6 OTT | 0G 1A 6S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2022-10-15 | TOR 3–2 OTT | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2022-04-16 | TOR 5–4 OTT | 0G 1A 1S | 0G 0A 1S |
| 2021-10-16 | TOR 3–1 OTT | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
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)
Parker Kelly
2games (1 left)
0.9proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 vs LAKOpp allows the most FP to CLikely vs Darcy Kuemper (.891)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs STL0.9 ptsOpp allows 3rd-fewest FP to CSchedule edge +13.4 win%vs Jordan Binnington (.873)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start John Tavares or Parker Kelly 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 Parker Kelly's 1.51. Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Kelly had 35 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 Parker Kelly?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Parker Kelly leads in 19 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 Kelly 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 Kelly had 4 (2 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Tavares or Kelly?
- Against each other, Tavares has won 6 and Kelly 1 of their 7 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 →