PuckSleuth
3Vegas Golden Knights · Defense · Shoots L
Brayden McNabb
Age 35 · 6'4" · 215 lb · Born in Davidson, CAN
Cap hit
$3.65M
3.5% of $104M cap
Term
2 yrs
Through 2027-28, then UFA
Clause
NTC
Surplus value
+$312K
vs. $3.962M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
2
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
3
1 primary
Points
3
1.50 per game
TOI/GP
18:21
PP 0:00 · PK 2:00
xGF%
57.2
5v5, +2.8 vs. last yr
Game Score
+0.23
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
+3
Blocks 3 · Hits 2
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2 vs ANA · L 4-3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 17:57 | 0:00 | 2:07 | — | 100 | 2 | 0 | +1 | -0.08 |
| Sep 29 vs CHI · W 5-2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18:45 | 0:00 | 1:52 | — | 100 | 2 | 1 | +2 | +0.55 |
| Jun 14 vs CAR · L 3-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 20:12 | 0:08 | 2:37 | — | 67 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.13 |
| Jun 11 @ CAR · L 4-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 20:29 | 0:00 | 3:29 | — | 50 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.33 |
| Jun 9 vs CAR · L 5-3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 20:46 | 0:00 | 2:29 | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.39 |
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 · 1,075 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
88th percentile
56th percentile
93rd percentile
80th percentile
51st percentile
89th percentile
58th percentile
78th percentile
72nd percentile
62nd percentile
62nd percentile
13th percentile
23rd percentile
64th 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 stylePhysical shutdown defenseman
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
McNabb is a punishing, hard-nosed defender who controls play through physicality and positioning rather than skill. He moves the puck safely and forechecks aggressively, but lacks the speed and playmaking touch to drive offense.
- Shooting volume
- 65
- Playmaking
- 15
- Zone entries(est.)
- 38
- Forechecking
- 71
- Physicality
- 92
- Defensive impact
- 55
- Puck management
- 86
- Speed
- 8
Where he shoots from
Slot 10% · Mid-range 24% · Perimeter 66%(132 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Physicality in the 92nd percentile makes him a feared presence on the back end
- Puck management in the 86th percentile keeps turnovers minimal despite limited offensive instincts
- Forechecking at 71st percentile ensures he battles hard in the opponent's zone
Watch-outs
- Speed at just the 8th percentile limits his ability to recover and transition quickly
- Playmaking in the 15th percentile means he's not a threat to generate chances from the blue line
Similar style: Dante Fabbro (CBJ), Neal Pionk (WPG)
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 · 63 GP · goals above average
Season total +0.4 goals, or +0.01 per game.
- Even strength offense
- +0.6
- Even strength defense
- +1.3
- Penalty kill
- +0.8
- Finishing
- +0.6
- Playmaking
- -2.8
- Penalties
- -0.2
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 | VGK | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | +3 | 1 | 18:21 | — | +0.23 |
| 2025-26 | VGK | 63 | 5 | 7 | 12 | +2 | 81 | 20:31 | — | +0.01 |
| 2024-25 | VGK | 82 | 5 | 15 | 20 | +42 | 97 | 20:07 | — | -0.01 |
| 2023-24 | VGK | 82 | 4 | 22 | 26 | +18 | 86 | 19:21 | — | -0.01 |
| 2022-23 | VGK | 82 | 1 | 16 | 17 | +17 | 89 | 19:51 | — | -0.06 |
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- 🎥 PREGAME SOUND | Olofsson, McNabb & Craig
NHL.com · Oct 2
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 +0.17 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2026-27, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 18.5 mph
- 8th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 0
- Hardest shot
- 87.6 mph
- 84th pct
- Distance
- 2.6 mi
- OZ time
- 40.3%
- 36th pct
- DZ time
- 39.6%
Age curve
NHL defensemen · production index
At 35, defensemen typically produce 67% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 36, when the typical level is 62%.
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 | VGK | $3.65M | 3.5% |
| 2027-28 | VGK | $3.65M | 3.2% |
UFA after 2027-28. NTC. $7.3M 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).