PuckSleuth
54Not on an NHL roster · Center · Shoots L
Justin Kirkland
Age 30 · 6'3" · 183 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
+$1.279M
vs. $2.129M market estimate
Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched
2025-26 regular season
GP
20
Goals
1
9.1% shooting
Assists
1
1 primary
Points
2
0.10 per game
TOI/GP
9:49
PP 0:02 · PK 1:37
xGF%
47.9
5v5, +5.1 vs. last yr
Game Score
-0.06
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
50.0
63 W · 63 L
Plus/minus
+1
Blocks 10 · Hits 29
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 29 @ MIN · L 4-1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10:35 | 0:00 | 0:34 | 2-2 | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.15 |
| Jan 25 vs ANA · OTL 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 12:02 | 0:00 | 1:05 | 5-5 | 50 | 2 | 0 | +1 | -0.40 |
| Jan 21 vs PIT · L 4-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9:51 | 0:02 | 0:57 | 2-1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | -0.06 |
| Jan 19 vs NJD · OTL 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 11:58 | 0:02 | 0:14 | 1-3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.14 |
| Jan 17 vs NYI · W 4-2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 10:45 | 0:15 | 0:53 | 1-4 | — | 1 | 0 | +1 | +0.72 |
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 · 163 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
39th percentile
52nd percentile
38th percentile
66th percentile
39th percentile
79th percentile
73rd percentile
69th percentile
50th percentile
8th percentile
52nd percentile
2nd percentile
66th percentile
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 styleForechecking depth center
Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26
Kirkland is a physical, relentless checker who generates offense through tenacious forechecking and on-ice activity. He struggles to create chances through playmaking or puck movement, limiting his offensive ceiling at even strength.
- Shooting volume
- 9
- Playmaking
- 16
- Zone entries(est.)
- 11
- Forechecking
- 86
- Physicality
- 81
- Defensive impact
- 55
- Puck management
- 5
- Speed
- 16
Where he shoots from
Slot 50% · Mid-range 35% · Perimeter 15%(20 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Forechecking intensity in 86th percentile drives engagement
- Physical presence at 81st percentile sets physical tone
- Decent defensive impact at 55th percentile with grit
Watch-outs
- Puck management at 5th percentile, prone to turnovers
- Shooting volume at 9th percentile, rarely threatens
- Speed at 16th percentile limits rush chances creation
Similar style: Juuso Parssinen, Ben Jones
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 · 20 GP · goals above average
Season total -1.2 goals, or -0.06 per game.
- Even strength offense
- -0.2
- Even strength defense
- +0.1
- Penalty kill
- +0.2
- Finishing
- -0.5
- Playmaking
- -0.6
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | CGY | 20 | 1 | 1 | 2 | +1 | 11 | 9:49 | 50.0% | -0.06 |
| 2024-25 | CGY | 21 | 2 | 6 | 8 | +6 | 9 | 9:42 | 42.9% | +0.06 |
| 2023-24 | ARI | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7:14 | — | -0.09 |
| 2022-23 | ANA | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -3 | 5 | 7:13 | — | -0.06 |
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 -0.06 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 21.4 mph
- 19th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 11
- Hardest shot
- 87.0 mph
- 63rd pct
- Distance
- 32.5 mi
- OZ time
- 39.1%
- 13th pct
- DZ time
- 43.2%
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
At 30, forwards typically produce 84% 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 | MIN | $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).