Who to start · 2025-26
John Tavares vs Sidney Crosby
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Sidney Crosby projects to 2.18 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80.
Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Crosby had 74 in 68 games.
This week Tavares has 1 game left; Crosby has 1 left. We project Crosby for 2.0 ESPN points to Tavares's 1.7.
Sidney Crosby has the better number in 26 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Tavares's biggest edges: Turnover Ledger /60 +0.027, Net penalties drawn /60 +0.18, Shots on goal 192.
Crosby's biggest edges: Goals above expected +6.6, Plus/minus 0, Ascension score 57.
Head to head on the dot, Tavares leads Crosby 71–57.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
- • 2026-27 so far: 1 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 3 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
John Tavares
1.80
fantasy points per game
Sidney Crosby
2.18
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Sidney Crosby has the edge.
| Points per game from | Tavares | Crosby |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.67 | 0.80 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.49 | 0.68 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.11 | 0.16 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.24 | 0.24 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.09 | 0.10 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.22 | 0.21 |
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 Crosby
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 4G 10A, 74 SOG · Crosby 7G 19A, 62 SOG
Tavares's offensive zone 17–13 · neutral 24–18 · Tavares's defensive zone 30–26 (2017-18 to 2025-26)
Tavares blocked 1 of Crosby's shots; Crosby blocked 0 of Tavares's.
On the ice against each other (Tavares's side)
10:18 at 5-on-5 over 3 games, 2025-26, from Tavares's side
- Shot attempts
- 7–10
- 41.2%
- Expected goals
- 0.3–0.5
- 37.0%
- Goals
- 1–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Tavares | Crosby |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-12-23 | TOR 6–3 PIT | 0G 1A 2S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-11-29 | TOR 7–2 PIT | 0G 0A 5S | 1G 1A 4S |
| 2025-11-03 | TOR 4–3 PIT | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2025-03-02 | TOR 6–5 PIT | 1G 0A 5S | 1G 2A 5S |
| 2024-12-07 | TOR 2–5 PIT | 0G 0A 4S | 0G 1A 3S |
| 2024-04-08 | TOR 3–2 PIT | 0G 1A 3S | 0G 1A 1S |
| 2023-12-16 | TOR 7–0 PIT | 1G 0A 9S | 0G 0A 5S |
| 2023-11-25 | TOR 2–3 PIT | 0G 1A 4S | 0G 1A 5S |
| 2022-11-26 | TOR 4–1 PIT | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2022-11-15 | TOR 5–2 PIT | 1G 1A 3S | 1G 0A 2S |
| 2022-11-11 | TOR 2–4 PIT | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2022-02-17 | TOR 4–1 PIT | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 5S |
Latest 12 of 22 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)
Sidney Crosby
2games (1 left)
2.0proj. ESPN pts
- Wed, Sep 30 @ PHIOpp allows 7th-most FP to CLikely vs Dan Vladar (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs MTL2.0 ptsOpp allows 14th-most FP to Cvs Jakub Dobes (.901)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start John Tavares or Sidney Crosby in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Sidney Crosby projects to 2.18 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80. Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Crosby had 74 in 68 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 Sidney Crosby?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Sidney Crosby leads in 26 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 Crosby done against each other?
- In 22 games against each other in our data, Tavares's team went 13–9. Tavares had 14 points (4 goals) and Crosby had 26 (7 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Tavares or Crosby?
- Against each other, Tavares has won 71 and Crosby 57 of their 128 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 →