Who to start · 2025-26
John Tavares vs Tage Thompson
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Tage Thompson projects to 2.26 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80.
Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Thompson had 81 in 81 games.
This week Tavares has 1 game left; Thompson has 1 left with 1 soft matchup. We project Thompson for 2.6 ESPN points to Tavares's 1.7.
Tage Thompson has the better number in 30 of the 36 stats both are ranked on.
Tavares's biggest edges: Faceoff win % 57.5%, Draw Equity /100 +0.071, Forecheck xG /60 0.34.
Thompson's biggest edges: Blocked shots 48, 20+ mph bursts 176, Transition attempts /60 1.17.
Head to head on the dot, Tavares leads Thompson 31–17.
- • 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, 4 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
John Tavares
1.80
fantasy points per game
Tage Thompson
2.26
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, Tage Thompson has the edge.
| Points per game from | Tavares | Thompson |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.67 | 0.93 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.49 | 0.47 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.11 | 0.14 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.24 | 0.34 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.09 | 0.10 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.22 | 0.28 |
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 Thompson
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 11G 16A, 63 SOG · Thompson 10G 9A, 78 SOG
Tavares's offensive zone 12–5 · neutral 8–11 · Tavares's defensive zone 11–1 (2021-22 to 2025-26)
Tavares blocked 0 of Thompson's shots; Thompson blocked 1 of Tavares's.
On the ice against each other (Tavares's side)
14:58 at 5-on-5 over 4 games, 2025-26, from Tavares's side
- Shot attempts
- 15–16
- 48.4%
- Expected goals
- 0.4–0.8
- 31.1%
- Goals
- 0–1
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Tavares | Thompson |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-03-14 | TOR 2–3 BUF | 0G 0A 0S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2026-01-27 | TOR 4–7 BUF | 0G 1A 0S | 1G 1A 2S |
| 2025-10-25 | TOR 4–3 BUF | 1G 1A 5S | 2G 0A 5S |
| 2025-10-24 | TOR 3–5 BUF | 0G 1A 3S | 1G 1A 5S |
| 2025-04-15 | TOR 4–0 BUF | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-12-20 | TOR 6–3 BUF | 0G 2A 2S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2024-12-15 | TOR 5–3 BUF | 3G 0A 6S | 0G 1A 2S |
| 2024-03-30 | TOR 3–0 BUF | 1G 0A 2S | 0G 0A 4S |
| 2024-03-06 | TOR 2–1 BUF | 0G 0A 3S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2023-12-21 | TOR 3–9 BUF | 0G 0A 4S | 1G 2A 5S |
| 2023-11-04 | TOR 4–6 BUF | 0G 0A 3S | 1G 0A 7S |
| 2023-03-13 | TOR 3–4 BUF | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 1A 7S |
Latest 12 of 23 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 12th-most FP to CLikely vs Jakub Dobes (.901)
- Wed, Sep 30 vs NYIB2BOpp allows 13th-most FP to CSchedule edge −9.3 win%Likely vs Ilya Sorokin (.906)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs OTT1.7 ptsLikely vs Linus Ullmark (.891)
Tage Thompson
2games (1 left)
2.6proj. ESPN pts
- Thu, Oct 1 @ CBJOpp allows 12th-fewest FP to CLikely vs Jet Greaves (.908)
- Sat, Oct 3 vs CHI2.6 ptsOpp allows 6th-most FP to CLikely vs Spencer Knight (.902)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start John Tavares or Tage Thompson in fantasy hockey?
- Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, Tage Thompson projects to 2.26 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to John Tavares's 1.80. Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Thompson had 81 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 Tage Thompson?
- On 2025-26 numbers, Tage Thompson leads in 30 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 Thompson done against each other?
- In 23 games against each other in our data, Tavares's team went 13–10. Tavares had 27 points (11 goals) and Thompson had 19 (10 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Tavares or Thompson?
- Against each other, Tavares has won 31 and Thompson 17 of their 48 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 →