PuckSleuth
36Not on an NHL roster · Defense · Shoots R
Steven Santini
Age 31 · 6'3" · 215 lb · Born in Bronxville, USA
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
GP
12
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
1
1 primary
Points
1
0.08 per game
TOI/GP
10:20
PP 0:01 · PK 0:11
Plus/minus
+1
Hits
9
Blocks 7
PIM
2
Game Score
+0.11
per game
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 15 vs NYR · L 4-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8:49 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | -0.10 |
| Mar 28 vs OTT · W 4-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1:49 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.01 |
| Mar 10 vs CBJ · L 5-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 9:21 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.06 |
| Dec 27 @ FLA · W 4-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 7:58 | 0:07 | 1:18 | — | — | 0 | 0 | +1 | +0.01 |
| Dec 15 vs FLA · L 5-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12:00 | 0:00 | 0:07 | — | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.00 |
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 · 122 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
20th percentile
11th percentile
10th percentile
25th percentile
1st percentile
3rd percentile
83rd percentile
2nd percentile
92nd percentile
15th percentile
39th percentile
14th percentile
92nd percentile
72nd 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 shot-blocker
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Santini is a stay-at-home defenseman who excels at shutting down opponents and protecting the crease with elite defensive positioning. He rarely generates offense, avoiding offensive chances and playmaking equally, making him a pure defense-first option.
- Shooting volume
- 10
- Playmaking
- 77
- Zone entries(est.)
- 0
- Forechecking
- 0
- Physicality
- 58
- Defensive impact
- 99
- Puck management
- 9
- Speed
- 17
Where he shoots from
Slot 13% · Mid-range 0% · Perimeter 88%(8 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- 99th percentile defensive impact stops plays consistently
- 77th percentile playmaking sets up occasional scoring chances
- 58th percentile physicality delivers solid on-ice presence
Watch-outs
- 0th percentile forechecking doesn't engage in offensive transition
- 10th percentile shooting volume avoids offensive shot attempts
- 17th percentile speed limits mobility and positioning range
Similar style: Kevin Korchinski (CHI), Colton White
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 | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-21 | St. Louis Blues | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.0 | 14:16 | — |
| 2021-22 | St. Louis Blues | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 3:08 | — |
| Career | 2 seasons | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.0 | 10:33 | — |
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
Average +0.10 per game over these 10.
Where his Game Score comes from
+0.11 per game
2025-26 · 12 GP
Season total +1.3, or +0.11 per game.
- Scoring
- +0.7
- Shooting
- +0.3
- 5-on-5 goals
- +0.1
- Defense
- +0.2
- Physical play
- +0.5
- 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
- 20.4 mph
- 13th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 3
- Hardest shot
- 88.3 mph
- 38th pct
- Distance
- 19.0 mi
- OZ time
- 40.2%
- 27th pct
- DZ time
- 42.0%
Age curve
At 31: 86% of peak
NHL defensemen · production index
At 31, defensemen typically produce 86% 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 | TBL | $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).