Who to start · 2025-26
John Tavares vs Pavel Buchnevich
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, John Tavares projects to 1.80 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to Pavel Buchnevich's 1.30.
Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Buchnevich had 48 in 81 games.
This week Tavares has 1 game left; Buchnevich has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Tavares for 1.7 ESPN points to Buchnevich's 1.5.
John Tavares has the better number in 22 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Tavares's biggest edges: Faceoff win % 57.5%, Draw Equity /100 +0.071, Top skating speed 22.7.
Buchnevich's biggest edges: Blocked shots 40, Scoring chances 50.7%, Sequence xG 52.5%.
- • 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, 0 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
John Tavares
1.80
fantasy points per game
Pavel Buchnevich
1.30
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, John Tavares has the edge.
| Points per game from | Tavares | Buchnevich |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.67 | 0.46 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.49 | 0.32 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.11 | 0.08 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.24 | 0.16 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.09 | 0.03 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.22 | 0.23 |
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 Buchnevich
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 2G 9A, 62 SOG · Buchnevich 7G 8A, 44 SOG
Tavares's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 2–0 · Tavares's defensive zone 1–0 (2019-20 to 2024-25)
On the ice against each other (Tavares's side)
5:17 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Tavares's side
- Shot attempts
- 5–5
- 50.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.1–0.4
- 13.7%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Tavares | Buchnevich |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-28 | TOR 1–5 STL | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-11-18 | TOR 3–2 STL | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-11-02 | TOR 2–4 STL | 0G 0A 5S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2024-10-24 | TOR 1–5 STL | 0G 1A 7S | 0G 2A 1S |
| 2024-02-19 | TOR 4–2 STL | 0G 0A 2S | 1G 0A 1S |
| 2023-01-03 | TOR 5–6 STL | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2022-12-27 | TOR 5–4 STL | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2022-02-19 | TOR 3–6 STL | 0G 1A 1S | 2G 0A 7S |
| 2020-02-05 | TOR 3–5 NYR | 1G 1A 3S | 1G 2A 6S |
| 2019-12-28 | TOR 4–5 NYR | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 0A 3S |
| 2019-12-20 | TOR 6–3 NYR | 0G 0A 5S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2019-03-23 | TOR 1–2 NYR | 0G 1A 3S | 1G 0A 5S |
Latest 12 of 17 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)
Pavel Buchnevich
2games (1 left)
1.5proj. ESPN pts
- Fri, Oct 2 @ DALOpp allows 11th-most FP to LWLikely vs Jake Oettinger (.899)
- Sat, Oct 3 @ COLB2B1.5 ptsOpp allows 7th-most FP to LWSchedule edge −13.4 win%Likely vs Scott Wedgewood (.921)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start John Tavares or Pavel Buchnevich 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 Pavel Buchnevich's 1.30. Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Buchnevich had 48 in 81 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 Pavel Buchnevich?
- On 2025-26 numbers, John Tavares 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 Buchnevich done against each other?
- In 17 games against each other in our data, Tavares's team went 8–9. Tavares had 11 points (2 goals) and Buchnevich had 15 (7 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Tavares or Buchnevich?
- Against each other, Tavares has won 3 and Buchnevich 0 of their 3 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 →