Washington Capitals · Defense · Shoots R

Dylan McIlrath

Age 34 · 6'5" · 245 lb · Born in Winnipeg, CAN

Cap hit

$850K

0.8% of $104M cap

Term

1 yr

Through 2026-27, then UFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

—

needs 40 recent games

Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched

2025-26 regular season

Goals

0.0% shooting

Assists

0 primary

Points

0.00 per game

TOI/GP

9:19

PP 0:00 · PK 0:10

Plus/minus

-1

Hits

Blocks 9

PIM

Game Score

+0.09

per game

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

Game	SOG	HIT	BLK	TOI	PP	PK	FO	OZS%	GV	+/-	GS
Apr 14 @ CBJ · W 2-1	1	3	2	13:04	0:00	0:24	—	50	0	0	+0.25
Mar 3 vs UTA · L 3-2	0	0	1	6:55	0:00	0:00	—	33	1	0	+0.01
Jan 31 vs CAR · W 4-3	2	3	0	9:15	0:00	0:00	—	50	0	-1	+0.01
Jan 27 @ SEA · L 5-1	0	3	1	11:53	0:00	0:56	—	33	0	0	+0.05
Jan 15 vs SJS · L 3-2	0	2	0	6:05	0:00	0:00	—	—	0	0	+0.07

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 · 118 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen

xGF%46.6%

28th percentile

Relative xGF%+0.5

57th percentile

HDCF%52.9%

68th percentile

CF%42.3%

4th percentile

Relative CF%-6.5

7th percentile

FF%42.7%

5th percentile

GF%33.3%

4th percentile

CF/6040.8

0th percentile

CA/6055.6

65th percentile

ixG/600.16

36th percentile

Goals above expected-0.3

37th percentile

IPP0.0%

0th percentile

PDO98.7

30th percentile

OZS%22.6%

0th 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 depth defenseman

Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26

McIlrath is a high-impact defensive presence and physical force who overwhelms opponents in the trenches. His limited offensive skill means he rarely creates or initiates attack, but his elite positioning and aggression make him valuable in a support role.

PhysicalDefensively eliteDepth option

Shooting volume: 34
Playmaking: 0
Zone entries(est.): 16
Forechecking: 99
Physicality: 99
Defensive impact: 100
Puck management: 7
Speed: 23

Where he shoots from

Slot 0% · Mid-range 20% · Perimeter 80%(10 unblocked shots)

Strengths

Near-perfect defensive impact positioning and reads (100th percentile)
Exceptional physicality and contact willingness in all situations (99th percentile)
Relentless forechecking intensity and pursuit (99th percentile)

Watch-outs

Minimal playmaking ability, rarely facilitates breakouts or transitions (0th percentile)
Very limited rush chance generation and entry creation (16th percentile)
Ineffective with the puck, minimal handling and passing ability (7th percentile)

Similar style: Arber Xhekaj (MTL), Vincent Desharnais (WSH)

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

NHL regular season NHL playoffs All leagues

Season	League	Team	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2007-08	Minor-MB	Wpg. Warriors	34	5	17	22	—	68
2008-09	WHL	Moose Jaw	53	1	3	4	-22	102
2009-10	WHL	Moose Jaw	65	7	17	24	+20	169
2009-10 (playoffs)	WHL	Moose Jaw	7	0	1	1	-3	21
2010-11	WHL	Moose Jaw	62	5	18	23	0	153
2010-11	AHL	Connecticut	2	0	0	0	-1	7
2010-11 (playoffs)	WHL	Moose Jaw	6	0	0	0	0	15
2011-12	WHL	Moose Jaw	52	3	20	23	+7	127
2011-12 (playoffs)	WHL	Moose Jaw	14	0	6	6	+3	12
2011-12 (playoffs)	AHL	Connecticut	5	0	0	0	-1	9
2012-13	AHL	Connecticut	45	0	5	5	+7	125
2013-14	NHL	New York Rangers	2	0	0	0	-1	7
2013-14	AHL	Hartford	62	6	11	17	+2	165
2014-15	NHL	New York Rangers	1	0	0	0	0	9
2014-15	AHL	Hartford	73	6	11	17	+5	165
2014-15 (playoffs)	AHL	Hartford	15	0	2	2	+2	23
2015-16	NHL	New York Rangers	34	2	2	4	+7	64
2015-16 (playoffs)	NHL	New York Rangers	1	0	0	0	+1	0
2016-17	NHL	New York Rangers	1	0	0	0	0	4
2016-17	NHL	Florida Panthers	5	1	0	1	-2	10
2016-17	AHL	Hartford Wolf Pack	4	0	0	0	-3	11
2016-17	AHL	Springfield Thunderbirds	18	1	3	4	0	28
2016-17	AHL	Grand Rapids Griffins	21	0	4	4	-3	42
2016-17 (playoffs)	AHL	Grand Rapids Griffins	19	0	5	5	+10	25
2017-18	AHL	Grand Rapids Griffins	76	7	10	17	+8	119
2017-18 (playoffs)	AHL	Grand Rapids Griffins	5	0	0	0	+1	4
2018-19	NHL	Detroit Red Wings	7	0	0	0	+2	4
2018-19	AHL	Grand Rapids Griffins	52	1	9	10	+13	98
2018-19 (playoffs)	AHL	Grand Rapids Griffins	4	0	0	0	+1	10
2019-20	NHL	Detroit Red Wings	16	0	0	0	-4	23
2019-20	AHL	Grand Rapids Griffins	44	0	8	8	-5	73
2020-21	AHL	Grand Rapids Griffins	29	2	6	8	+2	70
2021-22	AHL	Hershey Bears	74	4	6	10	+4	99
2021-22 (playoffs)	AHL	Hershey Bears	3	1	0	1	-1	4
2022-23	NHL	Washington Capitals	6	0	1	1	-6	7
2022-23	AHL	Hershey Bears	60	0	13	13	+6	102
2022-23 (playoffs)	AHL	Hershey Bears	20	1	1	2	-1	44
2023-24	NHL	Washington Capitals	3	0	1	1	+1	5
2023-24	AHL	Hershey Bears	58	3	6	9	+6	100
2023-24 (playoffs)	NHL	Washington Capitals	4	0	0	0	+2	10
2023-24 (playoffs)	AHL	Hershey Bears	20	0	3	3	+5	14
2024-25	NHL	Washington Capitals	17	0	2	2	-3	28
2025-26	NHL	Washington Capitals	13	0	0	0	-1	10

Every league he has played in, from the NHL's records, regular season and playoffs.

Latest news

Headlines from news outlets and team blogs

No news about him in the last 30 days.

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

+0.0

+0.0CBJ12/7

+0.3

+0.3NYR12/31

-0.2ANA1/5

+0.0

+0.0DAL1/7

+0.1

+0.1MTL1/13

+0.1

+0.1SJS1/15

+0.1

+0.1SEA1/27

+0.0

+0.0CAR1/31

+0.0

+0.0UTA3/3

+0.3

+0.3CBJ4/14

Average +0.07 per game over these 10.

Where his Game Score comes from

+0.09 per game

2025-26 · 13 GP

Season total +1.1, or +0.09 per game.

Shooting: +0.4
5-on-5 goals: -0.1
Defense: +0.1
Physical play: +1.0
Puck battles: -0.3
Penalties: +0.2

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

2025-26, as of Oct 2

Top speed: 21.3 mph; 34th pct
20+ mph bursts: 2
Hardest shot: 90.5 mph; 50th pct
Distance: 17.6 mi
OZ time: 37.0%; 0th pct
DZ time: 44.7%

Usage

Last game: @ TBL, Oct 3

Not on a regular line last game.

From the NHL's shift chart.

Age curve

At 34: 71% of peak

NHL defensemen · production index

202937

At 34, defensemen typically produce 71% 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	WSH	$850K	0.8%

UFA after 2026-27. $850K 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).