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Who to start · 2025-26

John Tavares vs Rickard Rakell

John TavaresJohn TavaresMaple Leafs · CentrevsRickard RakellRickard RakellPenguins · Right wing

Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Rickard Rakell projects to 2.10 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80.

Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Rakell had 48 in 60 games.

This week Tavares has 1 game left; Rakell has 1 left. We project Rakell for 2.0 ESPN points to Tavares's 1.7.

Rickard Rakell has the better number in 23 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.

Tavares's biggest edges: Faceoff win % 57.5%, Draw Equity /100 +0.071, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.027.

Rakell's biggest edges: Plus/minus −2, Blocked shots 43, High-danger chances 52.6%.

  • • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
  • • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PPP, 2 SOG.

Fantasy value: your scoring

John Tavares

1.80

fantasy points per game

Rickard Rakell

2.10

fantasy points per game

Under ESPN default points, Rickard Rakell has the edge.

Per-stat breakdown under ESPN default points
Points per game fromTavaresRakell
Goals (+2)0.670.75
Assists (+1)0.490.44
Power-play points (+0.5)0.110.16
Shorthanded points (+0.5)0.000.02
Shots on goal (+0.1)0.240.27
Hits (+0.1)0.090.13
Blocks (+0.5)0.220.34

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 Rakell

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.

TavaresRakell
10Team record in 15 meetings5
17Points in those games10

Tavares 8G 9A, 55 SOG · Rakell 9G 1A, 49 SOG

3Faceoffs against each other3

Tavares's offensive zone 0–1 · neutral 1–0 · Tavares's defensive zone 2–2 (2017-18 to 2021-22)

0Hits on each other1

On the ice against each other (Tavares's side)

2:59 at 5-on-5 over 1 games, 2025-26, from Tavares's side

Shot attempts
0–3
0.0%
Expected goals
0.0–0.2
0.0%
Goals
0–0

Games against each other

Games between John Tavares and Rickard Rakell
DateScoreTavaresRakell
2025-12-23TOR 6–3 PIT0G 1A 2S0G 0A 3S
2025-03-02TOR 6–5 PIT1G 0A 5S2G 0A 3S
2024-12-07TOR 2–5 PIT0G 0A 4S1G 1A 3S
2024-04-08TOR 3–2 PIT0G 1A 3S1G 0A 4S
2022-11-26TOR 4–1 PIT0G 0A 3S1G 0A 6S
2022-11-15TOR 5–2 PIT1G 1A 3S1G 0A 4S
2022-11-11TOR 2–4 PIT0G 0A 2S0G 0A 1S
2022-01-26TOR 4–3 ANA1G 1A 6S0G 0A 2S
2021-11-28TOR 5–1 ANA0G 2A 4S0G 0A 3S
2020-03-06TOR 1–2 ANA0G 0A 5S0G 0A 1S
2020-02-07TOR 5–4 ANA2G 1A 4S0G 0A 0S
2019-02-04TOR 6–1 ANA1G 1A 3S1G 0A 2S

Latest 12 of 15 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.

TavaresRakell

Fantasy box score

Possession & shot quality (5-on-5 on-ice)

Transition, turnovers & faceoffs

Usage

Special teams & discipline

Luck & trend

NHL EDGE tracking

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 MTL
    Opp allows 14th-most FP to CLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
  • Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2B
    Opp allows 15th-most FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT1.7 pts
    Likely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)

Rickard Rakell

2games (1 left)

2.0proj. ESPN pts

  • Wed, Sep 30 @ PHI
    Opp allows 5th-most FP to RWLikely vs Dan Vladar (.906)
  • Sat, Oct 3 vs MTL2.0 pts
    Opp allows 12th-most FP to RWLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)

Similar matchups

FAQ

Should I start John Tavares or Rickard Rakell in fantasy hockey?
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Rickard Rakell projects to 2.10 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80. Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Rakell had 48 in 60 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 Rickard Rakell?
On 2025-26 numbers, Rickard Rakell leads in 23 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 Rakell done against each other?
In 15 games against each other in our data, Tavares's team went 10–5. Tavares had 17 points (8 goals) and Rakell had 10 (9 goals).
Who wins more faceoffs, Tavares or Rakell?
Against each other, Tavares has won 3 and Rakell 3 of their 6 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 →