Tampa Bay Lightning · Center · Shoots L

Gage Goncalves

Age 25 · 6'2" · 193 lb · Born in Mission, CAN

Cap hit

$1.2M

1.2% of $104M cap

Term

1 yr

Through 2026-27, then RFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

+$2.713M

vs. $3.913M market estimate

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2026-27 regular season

Goals

Assists

0 primary

Points

0.00 per game

TOI/GP

12:09

PP 3:16 · PK 0:00

xGF%

25.3

5v5, -31.8 vs. last yr

Game Score

-0.30

per game, goals above average

Faceoff %

—

Plus/minus

-1

Blocks 0 · Hits 1

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

Game	G	A	SOG	HIT	BLK	TOI	PP	PK	FO	OZS%	GV	TK	+/-	GS
Oct 1 @ NYR · L 5-1	0	0	0	1	0	12:09	3:16	0:00	—	—	2	0	-1	-0.30
May 3 vs MTL · L 2-1	0	1	3	1	1	14:33	0:54	0:00	0-1	50	0	0	-1	-0.32
May 1 @ MTL · W 1-0	1	0	2	1	0	15:26	0:50	0:00	0-1	100	0	0	+1	+0.20
Apr 29 vs MTL · L 3-2	0	1	2	1	0	13:51	1:13	0:22	0-1	100	1	0	-1	+0.21
Apr 26 @ MTL · W 3-2	0	0	0	3	0	10:44	0:23	0:00	—	67	1	1	-1	-0.12

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 · 853 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards

xGF%57.1%

94th percentile

Relative xGF%+3.6

81st percentile

HDCF%56.5%

83rd percentile

CF%53.0%

82nd percentile

Relative CF%-0.1

51st percentile

FF%52.1%

74th percentile

GF%62.8%

96th percentile

CF/6055.7

50th percentile

CA/6049.3

93rd percentile

ixG/600.73

28th percentile

Goals above expected+0.5

66th percentile

IPP49.2%

11th percentile

PDO105.8

98th percentile

OZS%66.5%

88th 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-minded center

Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26

Goncalves is a responsible two-way player who excels at shutting down opponents and limiting scoring chances. He generates decent rush chances and competes hard in the trenches, but doesn't shoot often and tends to lose the puck in transition.

defensive anchorsolid forecheckinglimited shot volume

Shooting volume: 19
Playmaking: 49
Zone entries(est.): 61
Forechecking: 64
Physicality: 56
Defensive impact: 84
Puck management: 21
Speed: 52

Where he shoots from

Slot 60% · Mid-range 25% · Perimeter 15%(113 unblocked shots)

Strengths

Elite defensive impact at 84th percentile protects the net effectively
Strong forechecking at 64th percentile wins pucks in opponent territory
Good rush chances at 61st percentile creates transition opportunities

Watch-outs

Shooting volume at 19th percentile means he rarely generates offense himself
Puck management at 21st percentile shows careless possession decisions

Similar style: Yanni Gourde (TBL), Emmitt Finnie (DET)

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 · 74 GP · goals above average

Season total +0.9 goals, or +0.01 per game.

Even strength offense: +0.6
Even strength defense: +1.3
Power play: -0.5
Finishing: +0.6
Playmaking: -1.2
Penalties: +0.2
Faceoffs: -0.1

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	TBL	1	0	0	0	-1	0	12:09	—	-0.30
2025-26	TBL	74	11	22	33	+26	77	13:05	—	+0.01
2024-25	TBL	60	8	12	20	+7	61	12:48	—	+0.01
2023-24	TBL	2	0	0	0	0	0	9:58	—	-0.25

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

202937

At 25, forwards typically produce 100% of their peak (age 24).

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

2025-26, as of Oct 2

Top speed: 23.3 mph; 93rd pct
20+ mph bursts: 40
Hardest shot: 84.2 mph; 46th pct
Distance: 154.9 mi
OZ time: 42.0%; 50th pct
DZ time: 39.6%