PuckSleuthCap hit
$850K
0.8% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$2.675M
vs. $3.525M market estimate
Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched
2026-27 regular season
GP
1
Goals
0
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
0
0.00 per game
TOI/GP
12:54
PP 0:00 · PK 1:05
xGF%
43.7
5v5, -5.4 vs. last yr
Game Score
-0.08
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
-1
Blocks 2 · Hits 0
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 @ CBJ · L 6-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12:54 | 0:00 | 1:05 | — | 100 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -0.08 |
| May 18 vs MTL · OTL 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3:25 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.03 |
| May 16 @ MTL · W 8-3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12:19 | 0:33 | 0:17 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | +0.86 |
| Apr 15 vs DAL · OTL 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14:43 | 1:28 | 1:03 | — | 67 | 1 | 1 | -1 | -0.04 |
| Apr 9 vs CBJ · W 5-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19:26 | 0:02 | 5:12 | — | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.00 |
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 · 439 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
46th percentile
34th percentile
88th percentile
23rd percentile
25th percentile
25th percentile
99th percentile
32nd percentile
19th percentile
47th percentile
61st percentile
14th percentile
99th percentile
53rd 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 styleDefensive rush specialist
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Metsa is a defensive defenseman who generates chances through aggressive forechecking and carries the puck into the zone with unusual skill for his position. He plays a low-event style focused on defense and pressure rather than offensive generation.
- Shooting volume
- 21
- Playmaking
- 0
- Zone entries(est.)
- 85
- Forechecking
- 70
- Physicality
- 11
- Defensive impact
- 72
- Puck management
- 16
- Speed
- 22
Where he shoots from
Slot 11% · Mid-range 26% · Perimeter 63%(35 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Elite at pushing the puck into the zone via rush chances (85th percentile)
- Strong defensive impact and presence when on ice (72nd percentile)
- Active and intense on the forecheck (70th percentile)
Watch-outs
- Virtually no playmaking ability from the back end (0th percentile)
- Rarely shoots the puck or contributes offense (21st percentile shooting volume)
- Limited physical engagement for a defenseman (11th percentile physicality)
Similar style: Dennis Cholowski, Dmitry Kulikov (FLA)
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 · 43 GP · goals above average
Season total -1.0 goals, or -0.02 per game.
- Even strength offense
- -0.2
- Penalty kill
- +0.2
- Finishing
- +0.6
- Playmaking
- -1.6
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 | BUF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 12:54 | — | -0.08 |
| 2025-26 | BUF | 43 | 2 | 4 | 6 | +16 | 24 | 10:58 | — | -0.02 |
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
At 27, defensemen typically produce 97% 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
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 21.1 mph
- 28th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 9
- Hardest shot
- 92.0 mph
- 59th pct
- Distance
- 67.6 mi
- OZ time
- 40.7%
- 34th pct
- DZ time
- 40.2%