53Cap hit
$2.5M
2.4% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
−$134K
vs. $2.366M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
2
Goals
1
25.0% shooting
Assists
1
1 primary
Points
2
1.00 per game
TOI/GP
11:47
PP 0:00 · PK 3:11
Plus/minus
+2
Hits
4
Blocks 0
PIM
0
Game Score
+1.26
per game
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3 vs NJD · W 6-0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 14:05 | 0:00 | 4:42 | 4-2 | 50 | 0 | 1 | +2 | +2.32 |
| Sep 30 @ TOR · L 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9:29 | 0:00 | 1:40 | 4-5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.20 |
| Apr 14 vs CAR · L 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 12:25 | 0:00 | 0:52 | 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.11 |
| Apr 12 vs MTL · L 4-1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11:24 | 0:00 | 1:26 | 2-2 | 50 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.95 |
| Apr 11 vs OTT · L 3-0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 13:29 | 0:09 | 3:46 | 1-2 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.68 |
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 · 810 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
43rd percentile
60th percentile
59th percentile
51st percentile
56th percentile
58th percentile
37th percentile
25th percentile
79th percentile
34th percentile
49th percentile
30th percentile
31st percentile
35th percentile
351 won · 291 lost (all strengths)
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 anchor center
Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26
Cizikas is a relentless forechecking presence who thrives on defensive assignments, ranking in the elite tier for both forechecking and defensive impact. He moves the puck conservatively from a limited possession touch, focusing his limited ice time on winning matchups rather than driving offense.
- Shooting volume
- 37
- Playmaking
- 42
- Zone entries(est.)
- 74
- Forechecking
- 87
- Physicality
- 86
- Defensive impact
- 98
- Puck management
- 22
- Speed
- 70
Where he shoots from
Slot 60% · Mid-range 26% · Perimeter 15%(129 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Elite defensive impact at 98th percentile anchors a shutdown role
- Outstanding forechecking at 87th percentile creates turnovers and pressure
- Strong physicality at 86th percentile enforces on every shift
Watch-outs
- Puck management at 22nd percentile limits playmaking upside from limited touches
- Shooting volume at 37th percentile reflects offensive role mismatch rather than prime years
- Minimal playmaking at 42nd percentile shows he sets up teammates sparingly
Similar style: Parker Kelly (COL), Zakhar Bardakov
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.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005-06 (playoffs) | Big Nickel Bantam | Mississauga Reps Bantam AAA | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2006-07 | GTHL | Miss. Reps | 77 | 46 | 60 | 106 | — | 88 |
| 2007-08 | OHL | St. Michael's | 62 | 18 | 23 | 41 | +12 | 41 |
| 2007-08 (playoffs) | OHL | St. Michael's | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 6 |
| 2008-09 | OHL | St. Michael's | 55 | 16 | 20 | 36 | -15 | 39 |
| 2008-09 (playoffs) | OHL | St. Michael's | 11 | 5 | 4 | 9 | +1 | 11 |
| 2009-10 | OHL | St. Michael's | 68 | 25 | 37 | 62 | +32 | 77 |
| 2009-10 (playoffs) | OHL | St. Michael's | 16 | 7 | 7 | 14 | -2 | 16 |
| 2010-11 | OHL | St. Michael's | 52 | 29 | 35 | 64 | +43 | 40 |
| 2010-11 | WJC-A | Canada | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | +1 | 6 |
| 2010-11 (playoffs) | OHL | St. Michael's | 16 | 5 | 14 | 19 | +11 | 14 |
| 2010-11 (playoffs) | M-Cup | St. Michael's | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | +2 | 2 |
| 2011-12 | NHL | New York Islanders | 15 | 0 | 4 | 4 | +1 | 6 |
| 2011-12 | AHL | Bridgeport | 52 | 15 | 30 | 45 | +26 | 30 |
| 2011-12 (playoffs) | AHL | Bridgeport | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | 20 |
| 2012-13 | NHL | New York Islanders | 45 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 0 | 14 |
| 2012-13 | AHL | Bridgeport | 31 | 10 | 11 | 21 | -15 | 35 |
| 2012-13 (playoffs) | NHL | New York Islanders | 6 | 2 | 2 | 4 | +1 | 12 |
| 2013-14 | NHL | New York Islanders | 80 | 6 | 10 | 16 | -12 | 30 |
| 2014-15 | NHL | New York Islanders | 70 | 9 | 9 | 18 | -2 | 24 |
| 2014-15 (playoffs) | NHL | New York Islanders | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | +1 | 0 |
| 2015-16 | NHL | New York Islanders | 80 | 8 | 21 | 29 | +4 | 31 |
| 2015-16 (playoffs) | NHL | New York Islanders | 11 | 0 | 3 | 3 | -1 | 16 |
| 2016-17 | NHL | New York Islanders | 59 | 8 | 17 | 25 | +9 | 30 |
| 2017-18 | NHL | New York Islanders | 64 | 7 | 10 | 17 | -12 | 23 |
| 2018-19 | NHL | New York Islanders | 73 | 20 | 13 | 33 | +22 | 36 |
| 2018-19 (playoffs) | NHL | New York Islanders | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -6 | 6 |
| 2019-20 | NHL | New York Islanders | 48 | 10 | 4 | 14 | +12 | 41 |
| 2019-20 (playoffs) | NHL | New York Islanders | 18 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 8 |
| 2020-21 | NHL | New York Islanders | 56 | 7 | 7 | 14 | -2 | 27 |
| 2020-21 (playoffs) | NHL | New York Islanders | 19 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 2 |
| 2021-22 | NHL | New York Islanders | 74 | 10 | 6 | 16 | -3 | 48 |
| 2022-23 | NHL | New York Islanders | 81 | 6 | 15 | 21 | 0 | 54 |
| 2022-23 (playoffs) | NHL | New York Islanders | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -2 | 16 |
| 2023-24 | NHL | New York Islanders | 70 | 10 | 13 | 23 | -2 | 22 |
| 2023-24 (playoffs) | NHL | New York Islanders | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 14 |
| 2024-25 | NHL | New York Islanders | 82 | 7 | 10 | 17 | -13 | 51 |
| 2025-26 | NHL | New York Islanders | 81 | 10 | 8 | 18 | -3 | 20 |
| 2026-27 | NHL | New York Islanders | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | +2 | 0 |
Every league he has played in, from the NHL's records, regular season and playoffs.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- TURNAROUND: New York Islanders DOMINATE Devils — Horvat, Cizikas, and Sorokin CREATE Momentum
WNEP · Oct 5
- NJD@NYI: Cizikas scores SHG against Nicolas Daws
NHL.com · Oct 4
- Casey Cizikas scores short-handed goal for New York Islanders
espn.com · Oct 4
- Why the Islanders' Casey Cizikas is not playing a traditional fourth-line role
Newsday · Oct 2
- Why Casey Cizikas is not playing a traditional fourth-line role for Islanders
Newsday · 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 +0.49 per game over these 10.
Where his Game Score comes from
+0.31 per game
2025-26 · 81 GP
Season total +25.1, or +0.31 per game.
- Scoring
- +15.6
- Shooting
- +6.0
- 5-on-5 goals
- -0.6
- Defense
- +1.1
- Penalty kill
- -0.5
- Physical play
- +5.9
- Puck battles
- -1.9
- Penalties
- -1.1
- Faceoffs
- +0.6
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.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2026-27, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 20.3 mph
- 36th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 1
- Hardest shot
- —
- Distance
- 1.6 mi
- OZ time
- 38.3%
- 23rd pct
- DZ time
- 43.5%
Usage
Last game: vs NJD, Oct 3
Line 4 with Ondrej Palat and Matias Maccelli (6:55 together at 5-on-5)
From the NHL's shift chart.
Age curve
At 35: 56% of peak
NHL forwards · production index
At 35, forwards typically produce 56% 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.
Contract by season
1 season left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | NYI | $2.5M | 2.4% |
UFA after 2026-27. $2.5M 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).