PuckSleuth
42

Florida Panthers · Defense · Shoots L

Gustav Forsling

Age 30 · 6'1" · 199 lb · Born in Linkoping, SWE

Cap hit

$5.75M

5.5% of $104M cap

Term

6 yrs

Through 2031-32, then UFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

+$249K

vs. $5.999M market estimate

Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched

2026-27 regular season

GP

1

Goals

1

50.0% shooting

Assists

0

0 primary

Points

1

1.00 per game

TOI/GP

22:40

PP 2:33 · PK 5:37

xGF%

8.6

5v5, -43.3 vs. last yr

Game Score

+0.48

per game, goals above average

Faceoff %

—

Plus/minus

+1

Blocks 2 · Hits 3

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

GameGASOGHITBLKTOIPPPKFOOZS%GVTK+/-GS
Sep 29
@ CAR · W 1-0
1023222:402:335:37—000+1+0.48
Apr 13
vs NYR · W 3-2
0010213:581:031:11—33000-0.18
Apr 11
@ TOR · W 6-2
0021221:540:540:21—2000+2-0.14
Apr 9
@ OTT · L 5-1
0010427:050:000:00—2022-3-0.55
Apr 7
@ MTL · OTL 4-3
0110126:240:154:52—33010+0.37

GS = our Game Score, goals above average. FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 1,421 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen

xGF%51.9%

72nd percentile

Relative xGF%+3.7

86th percentile

HDCF%50.5%

59th percentile

CF%53.4%

83rd percentile

Relative CF%+2.7

80th percentile

FF%52.5%

78th percentile

GF%47.4%

41st percentile

CF/6061.2

80th percentile

CA/6053.4

83rd percentile

ixG/600.20

47th percentile

Goals above expected-2.6

6th percentile

IPP36.9%

62nd percentile

PDO97.7

19th percentile

OZS%44.9%

41st percentile

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play styleSmooth puck-moving defenseman

Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26

Forsling excels at moving the puck with precision and high-speed skating, controlling play from the backend with elite efficiency. He plays a perimeter-heavy game that limits shot volume and physical engagement, relying on finesse over force.

puck moverplaymakerperimeter player
Shooting volume
52
Playmaking
64
Zone entries(est.)
28
Forechecking
52
Physicality
19
Defensive impact
54
Puck management
96
Speed
91

Where he shoots from

Slot 7% · Mid-range 20% · Perimeter 73%(168 unblocked shots)

Strengths

  • Elite puck management (96th percentile) lets him transition cleanly and keep possession
  • Top-tier speed (91st percentile) enables him to chase and gap up effectively
  • Strong playmaking (64th percentile) creates chances from the point

Watch-outs

  • Very low physicality (19th percentile) means limited engagement in board battles
  • Conservative rush chances (28th percentile) shows reluctance to lead the attack
  • Most shots come from perimeter (73%), limiting high-danger scoring looks

Similar style: Lane Hutson (MTL), Bowen Byram (CHI)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Where his Game Score comes from

2025-26 · 80 GP · goals above average

Season total -3.8 goals, or -0.05 per game.

Even strength offense
+0.8
Even strength defense
+0.1
Power play
-0.1
Penalty kill
+0.2
Finishing
-2.6
Penalties
-2.3

Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

By season

Regular season

SeasonTeamGPGAP+/-SOGTOI/GPFO%GS/GP
2026-27FLA1101+1222:40—+0.48
2025-26FLA8022628-511222:38—-0.05
2024-25FLA80112031+3319522:57—+0.05
2023-24FLA79102939+5616022:09—+0.12
2022-23FLA82132841+1920923:26—+0.05

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Age curve

NHL defensemen · production index

202937

At 30, defensemen typically produce 89% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 35, when the typical level is 67%.

From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2026-27, as of Oct 2

Top speed
22.1 mph
98th pct
20+ mph bursts
2
Hardest shot
88.6 mph
89th pct
Distance
3.2 mi
OZ time
40.2%
34th pct
DZ time
43.5%