PuckSleuth
54Not on an NHL roster · Center · Shoots R
Gavin Brindley
Age 21 · 5'8" · 173 lb · Born in Fort Myers, USA
Cap hit
$875K
0.8% of $104M cap
Term
2 yrs
Through 2027-28, then RFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$1.672M
vs. $2.547M market estimate
Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched
2025-26 regular season
GP
56
Goals
6
9.7% shooting
Assists
7
3 primary
Points
13
0.23 per game
TOI/GP
9:33
PP 1:02 · PK 0:03
xGF%
48.9
5v5
Game Score
+0.31
per game
Faceoff %
—
13 W · 21 L
Plus/minus
+2
Blocks 15 · Hits 37
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 22 @ WSH · W 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:57 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | — | 0 | 0 | +1 | +0.20 |
| Mar 20 @ CHI · W 4-1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 12:29 | 1:10 | 0:00 | — | 33 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.09 |
| Mar 18 vs DAL · OTL 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3:50 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.09 |
| Mar 16 vs PIT · L 7-2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 10:20 | 2:17 | 0:00 | — | — | 1 | 1 | -1 | +0.57 |
| Mar 14 @ WPG · L 3-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5:26 | 1:06 | 0:00 | — | — | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.15 |
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 · 459 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
47th percentile
3rd percentile
47th percentile
84th percentile
14th percentile
78th percentile
82nd percentile
83rd percentile
74th percentile
46th percentile
44th percentile
11th percentile
58th percentile
69th 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 styleHigh-speed rush driver
Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26
Brindley is a fearless attacker who generates chances at an elite pace through explosive speed and aggressive rush entries. His playmaking and defensive work remain underdeveloped for a center, limiting his all-around contribution despite his electric offensive potential.
- Shooting volume
- 71
- Playmaking
- 19
- Zone entries(est.)
- 98
- Forechecking
- 54
- Physicality
- 44
- Defensive impact
- 11
- Puck management
- 56
- Speed
- 92
Where he shoots from
Slot 58% · Mid-range 37% · Perimeter 4%(91 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Exceptional speed and agility translates to 98th percentile rush chances for clean entries
- Shoots frequently and accurately from dangerous areas with 91st percentile unblocked shot rate
- Above-average forechecking energy and puck management despite limited overall defensive impact
Watch-outs
- Playmaking ranks just 19th percentile, suggesting limited ability to set up teammates
- Defensive impact at 11th percentile indicates struggles reading plays and supporting team defense
- Physicality at 44th percentile means he doesn't use his frame to win battles consistently
Similar style: Bobby McMann (SEA), Vinnie Hinostroza
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 · 56 GP
Season total +17.4, or +0.31 per game.
- Scoring
- +10.1
- Shooting
- +4.7
- 5-on-5 goals
- +0.9
- Physical play
- +1.5
- Puck battles
- -0.8
- Penalties
- +1.1
- Faceoffs
- -0.1
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Columbus Blue Jackets | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 12:20 | — | +0.02 |
| 2025-26 | Colorado Avalanche | 56 | 6 | 7 | 13 | +2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 62 | 9.7 | 9:33 | 38.2 | +0.31 |
| Career | 2 seasons | 57 | 6 | 7 | 13 | +2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 62 | 9.7 | 9:36 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Jared Bednar sheds light on why Gavin Brindley finished 2025-26 with Eagles
milehighsticking.com · Sep 24
- Gavin Brindley Shows He's Ready As Avalanche Start Preseason With 4-1 Win Over Utah
lockedonpodcasts.com · Sep 21
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 +0.09 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 23.2 mph
- 89th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 168
- Hardest shot
- 86.3 mph
- 58th pct
- Distance
- 92.3 mi
- OZ time
- 42.8%
- 58th pct
- DZ time
- 38.7%
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
At 21, forwards typically produce 96% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 22, when the typical level is 98%.
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
2 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | COL | $875K | 0.8% |
| 2027-28 | COL | $875K | 0.8% |
RFA after 2027-28. $1.75M 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).