Vancouver Canucks · Defense · Shoots R

Tom Willander

Age 21 · 6'1" · 180 lb · Born in Stockholm, SWE

Cap hit

$950K

0.9% of $104M cap

Term

2 yrs

Through 2027-28, then RFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

+$4.775M

vs. $5.725M market estimate

Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched

2026-27 regular season

Goals

Assists

0 primary

Points

0.50 per game

TOI/GP

20:56

PP 1:29 · PK 1:01

xGF%

28.7

5v5, -11.2 vs. last yr

Game Score

-0.27

per game, goals above average

Faceoff %

—

Plus/minus

-2

Blocks 2 · Hits 0

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

Game	A	SOG	HIT	BLK	TOI	PP	PK	FO	OZS%	GV	TK	+/-	GS
Oct 1 vs EDM · L 9-7	1	0	0	1	21:11	1:52	1:19	—	100	0	1	-1	-0.07
Sep 29 @ EDM · W 6-5	0	0	0	1	20:40	1:06	0:42	—	40	0	0	-1	-0.46
Apr 16 @ EDM · L 6-1	0	0	1	1	17:29	0:16	0:33	—	40	0	0	-3	-0.21
Apr 14 vs LAK · W 4-3	1	3	3	1	21:20	0:39	2:28	—	20	0	0	-2	-0.26
Apr 12 @ ANA · W 4-3	0	1	2	1	22:03	0:26	1:35	—	40	3	0	0	-0.20

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 · 1,020 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen

xGF%39.9%

3rd percentile

Relative xGF%-3.8

23rd percentile

HDCF%40.4%

11th percentile

CF%42.8%

6th percentile

Relative CF%-5.4

9th percentile

FF%42.3%

4th percentile

GF%37.6%

9th percentile

CF/6046.5

5th percentile

CA/6062.0

16th percentile

ixG/600.19

44th percentile

Goals above expected+1.8

79th percentile

IPP34.3%

53rd percentile

PDO98.5

26th percentile

OZS%46.2%

46th 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 styleOffensive-minded skating defenseman

Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26

Willander is an excellent skater who moves the puck quickly up the ice, but he rarely generates shot volume and struggles to enter the zone cleanly. His game centers on speed and transition play rather than offensive creation or defensive grit.

Elite skaterTransition-firstLimited shot generation

Shooting volume: 37
Playmaking: 38
Zone entries(est.): 27
Forechecking: 11
Physicality: 33
Defensive impact: 40
Puck management: 44
Speed: 84

Where he shoots from

Slot 7% · Mid-range 23% · Perimeter 70%(100 unblocked shots)

Strengths

Speed percentile of 84 makes him a dangerous transition player
Puck management at 44th percentile keeps him efficient with limited touches
Shot selection stays perimeter-focused at 70%, avoiding low-percentage attempts

Watch-outs

Rush chances percentile of 27 shows difficulty creating clean zone entries
Forechecking at 11th percentile indicates he won't chase down pucks aggressively
Playmaking at 38th percentile limits his offensive zone creation despite elite speed

Similar style: Alex Vlasic (CHI), Nils Lundkvist (DAL)

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 · 70 GP · goals above average

Season total -3.2 goals, or -0.05 per game.

Even strength offense: -1.7
Even strength defense: -1.6
Power play: +0.2
Finishing: +1.8
Playmaking: -1.4
Penalties: -0.4

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	VAN	2	0	1	1	-2	0	20:56	—	-0.27
2025-26	VAN	70	5	16	21	-23	59	16:59	—	-0.05

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 defensemen · production index

202937

At 21, defensemen typically produce 97% 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.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2026-27, as of Oct 2

Top speed: 20.7 mph; 81st pct
20+ mph bursts: 3
Hardest shot: 78.1 mph; 43rd pct
Distance: 3.1 mi
OZ time: 37.9%; 18th pct
DZ time: 45.2%