PuckSleuth
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Vancouver Canucks · Center · Shoots L

Max Sasson

Age 26 · 6'1" · 181 lb · Born in Birmingham, USA

Cap hit

$1M

1.0% of $104M cap

Term

2 yrs

Through 2027-28, then UFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

+$1.71M

vs. $2.71M market estimate

Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched

2026-27 regular season

GP

2

Goals

1

50.0% shooting

Assists

1

1 primary

Points

2

1.00 per game

TOI/GP

15:07

PP 0:06 · PK 2:13

xGF%

44.6

5v5, +1.4 vs. last yr

Game Score

+0.49

per game, goals above average

Faceoff %

—

9 W · 13 L

Plus/minus

-1

Blocks 2 · Hits 0

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

GameGASOGHITBLKTOIPPPKFOOZS%GVTK+/-GS
Oct 1
vs EDM · L 9-7
0000013:360:112:275-3020-2+0.08
Sep 29
@ EDM · W 6-5
1120216:370:001:584-102511+1+0.91
Apr 11
@ SJS · W 4-3
0001012:240:000:00—100100-0.12
Apr 9
@ LAK · L 4-1
0030012:430:000:00—10011-2-0.32
Apr 7
vs VGK · L 2-1
1011110:570:000:001-0—00+1+0.67

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 · 713 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards

xGF%43.2%

11th percentile

Relative xGF%-0.9

45th percentile

HDCF%41.7%

15th percentile

CF%49.3%

51st percentile

Relative CF%+1.9

74th percentile

FF%48.1%

39th percentile

GF%36.2%

11th percentile

CF/6053.1

32nd percentile

CA/6054.6

73rd percentile

ixG/600.68

20th percentile

Goals above expected+5.0

91st percentile

IPP76.2%

86th percentile

PDO96.4

13th percentile

OZS%61.7%

77th 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 styleSpeedster energy player

Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26

Max Sasson is an elite-level skater who can create separation and get up the ice quickly, but struggles to generate consistent offense and impact plays with the puck. He's a high-motor forward whose primary value comes from his rare foot speed rather than tangible contributions in shooting, playmaking, or possession.

Elite skaterLow volume scorerDepth forward
Shooting volume
23
Playmaking
17
Zone entries(est.)
61
Forechecking
19
Physicality
40
Defensive impact
46
Puck management
39
Speed
95

Where he shoots from

Slot 49% · Mid-range 35% · Perimeter 15%(93 unblocked shots)

Strengths

  • Elite speed (95th percentile) gets him into plays and down the ice quickly
  • Solid rush chances (61st percentile) shows he uses his skating to create transition opportunities
  • High shot volume from dangerous areas (93rd percentile on unblocked shots) with 49% from the slot

Watch-outs

  • Rarely shoots overall (23rd percentile) and doesn't generate goal-scoring chances
  • Struggles to create for others (17th percentile playmaking) limits his offensive impact
  • Light forechecking activity (19th percentile) suggests minimal engagement in puck pursuit

Similar style: Marat Khusnutdinov (BOS), Fedor Svechkov (COL)

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 · 66 GP · goals above average

Season total -1.3 goals, or -0.02 per game.

Even strength offense
-0.7
Even strength defense
-0.9
Power play
-0.4
Penalty kill
-0.1
Finishing
+5.0
Playmaking
-2.5
Penalties
-1.1
Faceoffs
-0.5

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

SeasonTeamGPGAP+/-SOGTOI/GPFO%GS/GP
2026-27VAN2112-1215:07—+0.49
2025-26VAN6613619-136211:4342.1%-0.02
2024-25VAN29347+13110:2042.7%+0.04

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 26, forwards typically produce 98% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 27, when the typical level is 96%.

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
22.8 mph
97th pct
20+ mph bursts
8
Hardest shot
58.9 mph
29th pct
Distance
2.9 mi
OZ time
36.9%
14th pct
DZ time
43.8%