PuckSleuth
6Cap hit
$918K
0.9% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27, then RFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$2.461M
vs. $3.379M market estimate
Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched
2026-27 regular season
GP
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
0
0.00 per game
TOI/GP
16:02
PP 0:00 · PK 1:25
xGF%
37.0
5v5, -12.3 vs. last yr
Game Score
-0.16
per game
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
-1
Blocks 1 · Hits 3
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2 vs STL · L 4-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 16:02 | 0:00 | 1:25 | — | 67 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.16 |
| Apr 30 @ MIN · L 5-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 13:55 | 0:00 | 1:25 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.25 |
| Apr 28 vs MIN · L 4-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 13:46 | 0:00 | 0:27 | — | 100 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +0.00 |
| Apr 25 @ MIN · OTL 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 21:36 | 0:00 | 0:10 | — | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | -0.16 |
| Apr 22 @ MIN · W 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 22:27 | 0:00 | 0:08 | — | 100 | 0 | 0 | -1 | +0.36 |
GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). 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 · 716 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
50th percentile
26th percentile
87th percentile
22nd percentile
38th percentile
20th percentile
85th percentile
5th percentile
76th percentile
6th percentile
87th percentile
32nd percentile
96th percentile
23rd 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 stylePhysical defensive depth
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Bichsel is a stay-at-home defenseman who uses his elite physicality to disrupt opponents while maintaining neutral play on both ends. He rarely shoots or creates plays, focusing instead on positioning and clearing pucks efficiently.
- Shooting volume
- 2
- Playmaking
- 18
- Zone entries(est.)
- 15
- Forechecking
- 64
- Physicality
- 97
- Defensive impact
- 52
- Puck management
- 75
- Speed
- 29
Where he shoots from
Slot 7% · Mid-range 17% · Perimeter 76%(42 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Elite physicality at 97th percentile enforces presence in his own end
- Solid puck management at 75th percentile keeps plays moving cleanly
- Above-average forechecking at 64th percentile applies consistent pressure
Watch-outs
- Shooting volume at 2nd percentile, taking almost no offensive chances
- Limited playmaking at 18th percentile restricts his primary setup role
- Below-average speed at 29th percentile affects transition pace
Similar style: Brenden Dillon (NJD), Erik Cernak (TBL)
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 · 50 GP
Season total +13.3, or +0.27 per game.
- Scoring
- +6.4
- Shooting
- +2.0
- 5-on-5 goals
- +1.1
- Defense
- +0.5
- Penalty kill
- +0.4
- Physical play
- +4.9
- Puck battles
- -1.2
- Penalties
- -0.8
Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Dallas Stars | 38 | 4 | 5 | 9 | +2 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 39 | 10.3 | 14:53 | — | +0.30 |
| 2025-26 | Dallas Stars | 50 | 4 | 4 | 8 | +6 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 27 | 14.8 | 15:40 | — | +0.27 |
| 2026-27 | Dallas Stars | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 15:37 | — | -0.16 |
| Career | 3 seasons | 90 | 8 | 9 | 17 | +7 | 78 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 66 | 12.1 | 15:20 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.
Usage
Last game: vs STL, Oct 2
Pair 2 with Tyler Myers (11:18 together at 5-on-5)
From the NHL's shift chart.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Lian Bichsel with a Hit vs. St. Louis Blues
Yahoo Sports · Oct 3
- STL@DAL Pregame: Lian Bichsel
NHL.com · Oct 2
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.
Recent Game Scores
Last 10 games · goals above average
Average +0.12 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 21.3 mph
- 35th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 14
- Hardest shot
- 94.1 mph
- 73rd pct
- Distance
- 109.7 mi
- OZ time
- 40.3%
- 30th pct
- DZ time
- 42.2%
Age curve
NHL defensemen · production index
At 22, defensemen typically produce 98% 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.
Contract by season
1 season left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | DAL | $918K | 0.9% |
RFA after 2026-27. $918K in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).