PuckSleuthCap hit
$870K
0.8% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27, then RFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$2.911M
vs. $3.781M market estimate
Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched
2026-27 regular season
GP
2
Goals
0
Assists
1
1 primary
Points
1
0.50 per game
TOI/GP
14:35
PP 0:02 · PK 1:40
xGF%
39.3
5v5, -7.6 vs. last yr
Game Score
-0.10
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
7 W · 10 L
Plus/minus
-1
Blocks 1 · Hits 2
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 vs TBL · W 5-1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 16:14 | 0:03 | 3:19 | 3-7 | 33 | 1 | 0 | +1 | +0.20 |
| Sep 29 @ BOS · L 3-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12:56 | 0:00 | 0:00 | 4-3 | 43 | 0 | 0 | -2 | -0.40 |
| Apr 15 @ TBL · W 4-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11:27 | 0:00 | 0:47 | 2-6 | 50 | 3 | 0 | -1 | -0.07 |
| Apr 13 @ FLA · L 3-2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 11:04 | 0:02 | 0:32 | 3-2 | 100 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +0.30 |
| Apr 11 @ DAL · L 2-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 16:25 | 0:10 | 3:28 | 3-2 | 50 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -0.23 |
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 · 846 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
31st percentile
42nd percentile
45th percentile
21st percentile
20th percentile
19th percentile
67th percentile
21st percentile
31st percentile
35th percentile
26th percentile
40th percentile
83rd percentile
31st 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 styleForechecking depth center
Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26
Laba plays a physical, up-tempo game with excellent speed and strong forechecking intensity that creates turnovers. He struggles to generate offense through both shooting and playmaking, limiting his impact despite solid underlying metrics and defensive reliability.
- Shooting volume
- 20
- Playmaking
- 28
- Zone entries(est.)
- 18
- Forechecking
- 70
- Physicality
- 70
- Defensive impact
- 67
- Puck management
- 59
- Speed
- 86
Where he shoots from
Slot 50% · Mid-range 36% · Perimeter 14%(117 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Speed ranks 86th percentile, enabling aggressive forecheck pursuit
- Forechecking and physicality both at 70th percentile, driving possession via pressure
- Defensive impact at 67th percentile shows reliable backcheck commitment
Watch-outs
- Shooting volume only 20th percentile, rarely threatens offensively
- Zone entries at 18th percentile indicate trouble generating rush chances
- Playmaking at 28th percentile limits secondary scoring creation
Similar style: Ben Meyers (SEA), Zemgus Girgensons (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 · 74 GP · goals above average
Season total -5.7 goals, or -0.08 per game.
- Even strength offense
- -1.4
- Even strength defense
- +0.7
- Power play
- -0.3
- Penalty kill
- +0.4
- Finishing
- -2.3
- Playmaking
- -2.3
- Penalties
- -0.4
- 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 | NYR | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 0 | 14:35 | — | -0.10 |
| 2025-26 | NYR | 74 | 9 | 15 | 24 | +2 | 73 | 13:28 | 50.8% | -0.08 |
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 23, forwards typically produce 99% 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
2026-27, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 20.0 mph
- 27th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 1
- Hardest shot
- —
- Distance
- 2.2 mi
- OZ time
- 35.8%
- 10th pct
- DZ time
- 44.3%