Who to start · 2025-26
John Tavares vs William Eklund
Blending 2025-26 with 2026-27 so far, John Tavares projects to 1.80 fantasy points per game under ESPN default scoring to William Eklund's 1.62.
Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Eklund had 53 in 78 games.
This week Tavares has 1 game left; Eklund has 1 left. We project Tavares for 1.7 ESPN points to Eklund's 1.2.
John Tavares has the better number in 18 of the 33 stats both are ranked on.
Tavares's biggest edges: Forecheck xG /60 0.34, Turnover Ledger /60 +0.027, Faceoffs won 801.
Eklund's biggest edges: Blocked shots 51, Transition attempts /60 1.19, High-danger chances 52.0%.
- • 2026-27 so far: 2 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 0 PPP, 5 SOG.
Fantasy value: your scoring
John Tavares
1.84
fantasy points per game
William Eklund
1.62
fantasy points per game
Under ESPN default points, John Tavares has the edge.
| Points per game from | Tavares | Eklund |
|---|---|---|
| Goals (+2) | 0.76 | 0.38 |
| Assists (+1) | 0.49 | 0.49 |
| Power-play points (+0.5) | 0.12 | 0.10 |
| Shorthanded points (+0.5) | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Shots on goal (+0.1) | 0.23 | 0.23 |
| Hits (+0.1) | 0.09 | 0.09 |
| Blocks (+0.5) | 0.15 | 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 Eklund
Every event between them in NHL play-by-play, 2021-22 to 2025-26: games against each other, faceoffs, shots on goal, hits and penalties. Regular season and playoffs.
Tavares 4G 3A, 11 SOG · Eklund 2G 4A, 12 SOG
Tavares's offensive zone 0–0 · neutral 0–0 · Tavares's defensive zone 1–1 (2021-22 to 2023-24)
On the ice against each other (Tavares's side)
10:38 at 5-on-5 over 2 games, 2025-26, from Tavares's side
- Shot attempts
- 10–15
- 40.0%
- Expected goals
- 0.6–0.6
- 51.4%
- Goals
- 0–0
Games against each other
| Date | Score | Tavares | Eklund |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-02 | TOR 1–4 SJS | 1G 0A 1S | 1G 1A 2S |
| 2025-12-11 | TOR 2–3 SJS | 0G 0A 2S | 0G 1A 4S |
| 2025-03-27 | TOR 5–6 SJS | 1G 1A 2S | 1G 1A 3S |
| 2025-03-03 | TOR 2–3 SJS | 1G 1A 1S | 0G 1A 0S |
| 2024-01-09 | TOR 7–1 SJS | 0G 0A 1S | 0G 0A 2S |
| 2024-01-06 | TOR 4–1 SJS | 0G 1A 0S | 0G 0A 0S |
| 2021-10-22 | TOR 3–5 SJS | 1G 0A 4S | 0G 0A 1S |
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)
William Eklund
1games
1.2proj. ESPN pts
- Sat, Oct 3 @ TOR1.2 ptsOpp allows 11th-fewest FP to LWLikely vs Sergei Bobrovsky (.877)
Similar matchups
FAQ
- Should I start John Tavares or William Eklund 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 William Eklund's 1.62. Tavares had 71 points in 82 games; Eklund had 53 in 78 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 William Eklund?
- On 2025-26 numbers, John Tavares leads in 18 of 33 stats where both qualify, from scoring and power-play production to on-ice shot share and NHL EDGE tracking.
- How have Tavares and Eklund done against each other?
- In 7 games against each other in our data, Tavares's team went 2–5. Tavares had 7 points (4 goals) and Eklund had 6 (2 goals).
- Who wins more faceoffs, Tavares or Eklund?
- Against each other, Tavares has won 1 and Eklund 1 of their 2 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 →