PuckSleuthPhiladelphia Flyers · Left wing · Shoots L
Noah Cates
Age 27 · 6'2" · 194 lb · Born in Stillwater, USA
Cap hit
$4M
3.8% of $104M cap
Term
3 yrs
Through 2028-29, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$1.506M
vs. $5.506M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
2
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
0
0.00 per game
TOI/GP
14:45
PP 0:51 · PK 3:12
xGF%
37.2
5v5, -15.3 vs. last yr
Game Score
-0.20
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
11 W · 11 L
Plus/minus
-2
Blocks 1 · Hits 0
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 @ NJD · OTL 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 15:12 | 0:00 | 3:51 | 6-7 | 67 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -0.21 |
| Sep 30 vs PIT · L 7-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14:17 | 1:41 | 2:33 | 5-4 | 67 | 1 | 1 | -1 | -0.17 |
| May 4 @ CAR · OTL 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 20:53 | 5:40 | 4:20 | 5-13 | 100 | 0 | 1 | 0 | -0.36 |
| May 2 @ CAR · L 3-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 15:51 | 4:00 | 2:18 | 8-12 | 60 | 0 | 1 | -2 | -0.37 |
| Apr 29 vs PIT · W 1-0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 16:43 | 1:46 | 1:42 | 5-7 | 80 | 0 | 1 | +1 | -0.46 |
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 · 958 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
72nd percentile
64th percentile
87th percentile
37th percentile
56th percentile
45th percentile
89th percentile
11th percentile
82nd percentile
74th percentile
29th percentile
81st percentile
83rd percentile
70th 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 styleDefensive playmaker
Trait percentiles vs. NHL wingers · 2025-26
Cates is a pass-first forward with elite puck control and strong defensive instincts, excelling at protecting the puck and limiting chances against. He generates offense through creativity rather than volume, though he doesn't drive scoring chances at a high rate.
- Shooting volume
- 26
- Playmaking
- 76
- Zone entries(est.)
- 34
- Forechecking
- 55
- Physicality
- 53
- Defensive impact
- 89
- Puck management
- 97
- Speed
- 34
Where he shoots from
Slot 63% · Mid-range 27% · Perimeter 10%(184 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- 97th percentile puck management keeps turnovers minimal and maintains possession
- 89th percentile defensive impact limits scoring chances when he's on ice
- 76th percentile playmaking creates offense through vision and passing
Watch-outs
- 26th percentile shooting volume means he rarely forces the issue offensively
- 34th percentile rush chances suggest he doesn't generate many fast-break opportunities
- 34th percentile speed limits his ability to win races and create separation
Similar style: Kailer Yamamoto (UTA), Claude Giroux (OTT)
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 · 82 GP · goals above average
Season total +0.7 goals, or +0.01 per game.
- Even strength offense
- -1.4
- Even strength defense
- +2.0
- Power play
- +0.1
- Penalty kill
- +1.1
- Finishing
- -2.1
- Playmaking
- +1.7
- Penalties
- +0.2
- Faceoffs
- -1.0
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
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | SOG | TOI/GP | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | PHI | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | 3 | 14:45 | — | -0.20 |
| 2025-26 | PHI | 82 | 18 | 29 | 47 | +26 | 132 | 16:15 | 45.3% | +0.01 |
| 2024-25 | PHI | 78 | 16 | 21 | 37 | +3 | 110 | 15:53 | 44.6% | -0.00 |
| 2023-24 | PHI | 59 | 6 | 12 | 18 | -8 | 78 | 13:48 | 44.5% | -0.01 |
| 2022-23 | PHI | 82 | 13 | 25 | 38 | +3 | 107 | 17:46 | 39.5% | -0.10 |
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 forwards · production index
At 27, forwards typically produce 96% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 29, when the typical level is 89%.
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
- 19.1 mph
- 5th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 0
- Hardest shot
- 67.5 mph
- 44th pct
- Distance
- 2.1 mi
- OZ time
- 43.9%
- 63rd pct
- DZ time
- 42.3%