Dallas Stars · Defense · Shoots L

Lian Bichsel

Age 22 · 6'7" · 237 lb · Born in Olten, CHE

Cap hit

$918K

0.9% of $104M cap

Term

1 yr

Through 2026-27, then RFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

+$2.466M

vs. $3.384M market estimate

Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched

2026-27 regular season

Goals

Assists

0 primary

Points

0.00 per game

TOI/GP

15:37

PP 0:00 · PK 1:08

Plus/minus

-1

Hits

Blocks 3

PIM

Game Score

+0.03

per game

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

Game	SOG	HIT	BLK	TOI	PP	PK	FO	OZS%	GV	TK	+/-	GS
Oct 3 @ NSH · L 2-1	0	5	2	15:12	0:00	0:51	—	0	1	0	0	+0.21
Oct 2 vs STL · L 4-0	0	3	1	16:02	0:00	1:25	—	67	0	0	-1	-0.15
Apr 30 @ MIN · L 5-2	1	3	1	13:55	0:00	1:25	—	0	0	0	0	+0.25
Apr 28 vs MIN · L 4-2	1	2	0	13:46	0:00	0:27	—	100	1	1	0	+0.00
Apr 25 @ MIN · OTL 3-2	1	2	0	21:36	0:00	0:10	—	0	3	0	0	-0.16

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

xGF%49.3%

50th percentile

Relative xGF%-3.2

26th percentile

HDCF%57.7%

87th percentile

CF%46.3%

22nd percentile

Relative CF%-1.5

38th percentile

FF%45.9%

20th percentile

GF%57.4%

85th percentile

CF/6046.6

5th percentile

CA/6054.1

76th percentile

ixG/600.10

6th percentile

Goals above expected+2.8

87th percentile

IPP29.6%

32nd percentile

PDO104.2

96th percentile

OZS%39.4%

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.

Heavy hitterPuck managerLow volume shooter

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.

Career stats

From the NHL's player records

NHL regular season NHL playoffs All leagues

Season	League	Team	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2015-16	Mini A	Olten U15	8	0	0	0	—	4
2016-17	Mini A	Olten U15	29	6	12	18	—	46
2017-18	Mini Top	EHC Biel-Bienne Spirit U15	28	9	14	23	—	32
2017-18	Top Mini	Biel-Bienne U15	30	9	14	23	—	38
2017-18	Mini A	Olten U15	9	3	4	7	—	4
2017-18 (playoffs)	Mini Top	EHC Biel-Bienne Spirit U15	2	0	0	0	—	6
2017-18 (playoffs)	Top Mini	Biel-Bienne U15	2	0	0	0	—	6
2018-19	Novizen Elite	EHC Biel-Bienne Spirit U17	10	0	2	2	—	2
2018-19	Mini Top	EHC Biel-Bienne Spirit U15	25	14	17	31	—	22
2018-19	Top Novizen	Olten U17	4	0	1	1	—	6
2018-19 (playoffs)	Mini Top	EHC Biel-Bienne Spirit U15	2	0	1	1	—	2
2018-19 (playoffs)	Top Mini	Biel-Bienne U15	2	0	1	1	—	2
2019-20	YOG	Switzerland U16	2	0	0	0	-2	0
2019-20	U17-Elit	Biel-Bienne U17	31	3	11	14	—	28
2019-20 (playoffs)	U17-Elit	Biel-Bienne U17	4	1	1	2	—	6
2020-21	U20-Elit	EHC Biel-Bienne Spirit U20	45	5	23	28	—	48
2020-21	NL	EHC Biel-Bienne	4	0	0	0	0	0
2020-21	WJC-18	Switzerland U18	5	1	1	2	0	6
2020-21 (playoffs)	U20-Elit	EHC Biel-Bienne Spirit U20	2	0	0	0	—	0
2020-21 (playoffs)	U20-Elit	Biel-Bienne U20	2	0	0	0	—	0
2021-22	J20 Nationell	Leksands IF J20	11	3	4	7	-1	6
2021-22	Hlinka Gretzky Cup	Switzerland U18	4	0	1	1	-4	0
2021-22	Champions HL	Leksands IF	8	1	0	1	-5	29
2021-22	SHL	Leksands IF	29	1	2	3	-6	16
2021-22 (playoffs)	J20 Nationell	Leksands IF J20	1	0	0	0	-2	2
2022-23	SHL	Leksands IF	42	1	5	6	-5	47
2022-23	J20 Nationell	Leksands IF J20	8	1	2	3	-2	4
2022-23	WJC-20	Switzerland U20	5	0	2	2	-1	2
2022-23	EHT	Switzerland	4	0	0	0	-1	2
2022-23 (playoffs)	SHL	Leksands IF	3	1	0	1	+3	4
2022-23 (playoffs)	J20 Nationell	Leksands IF J20	5	0	1	1	+2	10
2023-24	AHL	Texas Stars	16	1	6	7	-2	34
2023-24	SHL	Rögle BK	29	2	2	4	0	28
2023-24 (playoffs)	AHL	Texas Stars	5	0	1	1	0	4
2023-24 (playoffs)	SHL	Rögle BK	15	1	5	6	+7	8
2024-25	NHL	Dallas Stars	38	4	5	9	+2	41
2024-25	AHL	Texas Stars	28	3	6	9	+9	36
2024-25 (playoffs)	NHL	Dallas Stars	18	0	1	1	0	28
2025-26	NHL	Dallas Stars	50	4	4	8	+6	37
2025-26 (playoffs)	NHL	Dallas Stars	6	0	0	0	0	4
2026-27	NHL	Dallas Stars	2	0	0	0	-1	0

Every league he has played in, from the NHL's records, regular season and playoffs.

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

+0.1

+0.1NYR4/11

+0.2

+0.2BUF4/15

+0.2

+0.2MIN4/18

+0.2

+0.2MIN4/20

+0.4

+0.4MIN4/22

-0.2MIN4/25

+0.0

+0.0MIN4/28

+0.2

+0.2MIN4/30

-0.2STL10/2

+0.2

+0.2NSH10/3

Average +0.12 per game over these 10.

Where his Game Score comes from

+0.27 per game

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.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2026-27, as of Oct 5

Top speed: 20.1 mph; 39th pct
20+ mph bursts: 1
Hardest shot: 81.3 mph; 55th pct
Distance: 4.3 mi
OZ time: 36.1%; 12th pct
DZ time: 45.7%

Usage

Last 2 games this season

Pair 1 with Tyler Myers (11:45 together per game at 5-on-5)

From the NHL's shift charts, averaged over this season's last 10 games.

Age curve

At 22: 98% of peak

NHL defensemen · production index

202937

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).