PuckSleuth
Gustav Forsling42

Florida Panthers · Defense · Shoots L

Gustav Forsling

Age 30 · 6'1" · 199 lb · Born in Linkoping, SWE

Cap hit

$5.75M

5.5% of $104M cap

Term

6 yrs

Through 2031-32, then UFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

+$358K

vs. $6.108M market estimate

Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched

2026-27 regular season

GP

1

Goals

1

50.0% shooting

Assists

0

0 primary

Points

1

1.00 per game

TOI/GP

22:40

PP 2:33 · PK 5:37

Plus/minus

+1

Hits

3

Blocks 2

PIM

2

Game Score

+1.06

per game

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

GameGASOGHITBLKTOIPPPKFOOZS%GVTK+/-GS
Sep 29
@ CAR · W 1-0
1023222:402:335:37—000+1+1.06
Apr 13
vs NYR · W 3-2
0010213:581:031:11—33000+0.14
Apr 11
@ TOR · W 6-2
0021221:540:540:21—2000+2+0.44
Apr 9
@ OTT · L 5-1
0010427:050:000:00—2022-3-0.33
Apr 7
@ MTL · OTL 4-3
0110126:240:154:52—33010+1.14

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 · 1,421 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen

xGF%51.9%

72nd percentile

Relative xGF%+3.7

86th percentile

HDCF%50.5%

59th percentile

CF%53.4%

83rd percentile

Relative CF%+2.7

80th percentile

FF%52.5%

78th percentile

GF%47.4%

41st percentile

CF/6061.2

80th percentile

CA/6053.4

83rd percentile

ixG/600.20

47th percentile

Goals above expected-2.6

6th percentile

IPP36.9%

62nd percentile

PDO97.7

19th percentile

OZS%44.9%

41st 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 styleSmooth puck-moving defenseman

Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26

Forsling excels at moving the puck with precision and high-speed skating, controlling play from the backend with elite efficiency. He plays a perimeter-heavy game that limits shot volume and physical engagement, relying on finesse over force.

puck moverplaymakerperimeter player
Shooting volume
52
Playmaking
64
Zone entries(est.)
28
Forechecking
52
Physicality
19
Defensive impact
54
Puck management
96
Speed
91

Where he shoots from

Slot 7% · Mid-range 20% · Perimeter 73%(168 unblocked shots)

Strengths

  • Elite puck management (96th percentile) lets him transition cleanly and keep possession
  • Top-tier speed (91st percentile) enables him to chase and gap up effectively
  • Strong playmaking (64th percentile) creates chances from the point

Watch-outs

  • Very low physicality (19th percentile) means limited engagement in board battles
  • Conservative rush chances (28th percentile) shows reluctance to lead the attack
  • Most shots come from perimeter (73%), limiting high-danger scoring looks

Similar style: Lane Hutson (MTL), Bowen Byram (CHI)

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

SeasonTeamGPGAP+/-PIMPPGPPPSHGGWGSOGS%TOIFO%GS/GP
2016-17Chicago Blackhawks38235+340100484.214:49——
2017-18Chicago Blackhawks4131013-281401823.719:09——
2018-19Chicago Blackhawks43369-9300000575.317:05——
2020-21Florida Panthers4351217+1781400945.319:57——
2021-22Florida Panthers71102737+411800011456.921:13——
2022-23Florida Panthers82132841+194015032096.223:26—+0.62
2023-24Florida Panthers79102939+564312011606.322:09—+0.69
2024-25Florida Panthers80112031+331601111955.622:57—+0.57
2025-26Florida Panthers8022628-55102011121.822:38—+0.34
2026-27Florida Panthers1101+120001250.022:40—+1.06
Career10 seasons55860161221+1542204191911045.421:07—

Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.

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 +0.47 per game over these 10.

Where his Game Score comes from

+0.34 per game

2025-26 · 80 GP

Season total +27.1, or +0.34 per game.

Scoring
+17.4
Shooting
+8.4
5-on-5 goals
-1.1
Defense
+0.2
Physical play
+5.9
Puck battles
-1.5
Penalties
-2.3

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
22.1 mph
98th pct
20+ mph bursts
2
Hardest shot
88.6 mph
89th pct
Distance
3.2 mi
OZ time
40.2%
34th pct
DZ time
43.5%

Usage

Last game: @ SJS, Oct 1

Not on a regular line last game, but on PP2.

From the NHL's shift chart.

Age curve

At 30: 89% of peak

NHL defensemen · production index

202937

At 30, defensemen typically produce 89% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 35, when the typical level is 67%.

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

6 seasons left

SeasonTeamCap hit% of cap
2026-27FLA$5.75M5.5%
2027-28FLA$5.75M5.1%
2028-29FLA$5.75M—
2029-30FLA$5.75M—
2030-31FLA$5.75M—
2031-32FLA$5.75M—

UFA after 2031-32. $34.5M 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).