Not on an NHL roster · Defense · Shoots L

Ryan Graves

Age 31 · 6'5" · 225 lb · Born in Yarmouth, CAN

Cap hit

$4.5M

4.3% of $104M cap

Term

3 yrs

Through 2028-29, then UFA

Clause

M-NTC

Surplus value

−$1.7M

vs. $2.8M market estimate

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2025-26 regular season

Goals

4.8% shooting

Assists

0 primary

Points

0.05 per game

TOI/GP

15:18

PP 0:00 · PK 0:31

Plus/minus

-3

Hits

Blocks 38

PIM

Game Score

+0.17

per game

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

Game	SOG	HIT	BLK	TOI	PP	PK	FO	OZS%	GV	TK	+/-	GS
Apr 14 @ STL · L 7-5	1	5	1	14:20	0:00	0:55	—	60	3	1	0	+0.06
Apr 11 vs WSH · L 6-3	0	0	2	15:30	0:00	0:00	—	—	1	0	-2	-0.39
Mar 22 vs CAR · L 5-1	1	3	0	12:45	0:00	0:04	—	50	2	1	+1	+0.06
Jan 21 @ CGY · W 4-1	0	1	3	18:21	0:00	1:07	—	50	1	0	+1	+0.32
Jan 19 @ SEA · W 6-3	0	1	1	15:14	0:00	3:03	—	—	2	0	+1	+0.05

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 · 322 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen

xGF%51.0%

64th percentile

Relative xGF%+2.4

77th percentile

HDCF%48.8%

48th percentile

CF%52.3%

78th percentile

Relative CF%+2.1

77th percentile

FF%54.6%

90th percentile

GF%44.0%

24th percentile

CF/6057.6

59th percentile

CA/6052.5

86th percentile

ixG/600.23

59th percentile

Goals above expected-0.2

41st percentile

IPP9.1%

3rd percentile

PDO96.0

8th percentile

OZS%32.0%

4th 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

Graves is a defensive force who punishes opponents on the forecheck and excels at stopping scoring chances before they develop. He compensates for modest speed and playmaking by controlling play through physicality and elite defensive positioning.

Physical defenderPuck-stoppingAgitator

Shooting volume: 80
Playmaking: 0
Zone entries(est.): 99
Forechecking: 88
Physicality: 88
Defensive impact: 93
Puck management: 48
Speed: 33

Where he shoots from

Slot 2% · Mid-range 24% · Perimeter 73%(41 unblocked shots)

Strengths

Defensive impact in the 93rd percentile leads his shutdown effectiveness
Forechecking intensity at 88th percentile helps him pressure opponents early
Rush chances elite at 99th percentile, creating turnovers in transition

Watch-outs

Playmaking at 0th percentile means he rarely initiates offense from the blue line
Speed ranking 33rd percentile limits his mobility in lateral coverage
Puck management at 48th percentile shows occasional struggles moving the puck cleanly

Similar style: Cale Fleury (SEA), Nick Seeler (PHI)

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	Team	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	SOG	S%	TOI	FO%
2019-20	Colorado Avalanche	15	1	2	3	+9	6	33	3.0	20:11	—
2020-21	Colorado Avalanche	10	1	5	6	+5	10	15	6.7	18:31	—
2022-23	New Jersey Devils	10	0	1	1	-1	4	9	0.0	19:48	—
Career	3 seasons	35	2	8	10	+13	20	57	3.5	19:36	—

Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team.

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

+0.1

+0.1DAL12/7

+0.4

+0.4ANA12/9

+0.3

+0.3MTL12/11

+0.2

+0.2SJS12/13

-0.2UTA12/14

+0.0

+0.0SEA1/19

+0.3

+0.3CGY1/21

+0.1

+0.1CAR3/22

-0.4WSH4/11

+0.1

+0.1STL4/14

Average +0.08 per game over these 10.

Where his Game Score comes from

+0.17 per game

2025-26 · 22 GP

Season total +3.8, or +0.17 per game.

Scoring: +1.0
Shooting: +1.6
5-on-5 goals: -0.5
Defense: +0.2
Penalty kill: +0.1
Physical play: +2.4
Puck battles: -0.7
Penalties: -0.4

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; 38th pct
20+ mph bursts: 7
Hardest shot: 91.6 mph; 56th pct
Distance: 48.4 mi
OZ time: 42.5%; 63rd pct
DZ time: 38.5%

Age curve

At 31: 86% of peak

NHL defensemen · production index

202937

At 31, defensemen typically produce 86% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 33, when the typical level is 76%.

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

3 seasons left

Season	Team	Cap hit	% of cap
2026-27	PIT	$4.5M	4.3%
2027-28	PIT	$4.5M	4.0%
2028-29	PIT	$4.5M	—

UFA after 2028-29. M-NTC. $13.5M 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).