PuckSleuth
48Not on an NHL roster · Defense · Shoots L
Dennis Gilbert
Age 29 · 6'2" · 216 lb · Born in Buffalo, 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
8
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
1
0 primary
Points
1
0.13 per game
TOI/GP
12:41
PP 0:00 · PK 0:15
xGF%
56.9
5v5, +13 vs. last yr
Game Score
-0.04
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
0
Blocks 12 · Hits 10
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 25 vs CAR · L 4-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5:47 | 0:00 | 0:28 | — | — | 1 | 0 | -1 | -0.14 |
| Apr 20 @ CAR · OTL 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 15:24 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.07 |
| Apr 18 @ CAR · L 2-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 8:26 | 0:00 | 0:18 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.43 |
| Apr 15 vs TOR · W 3-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 15:32 | 0:00 | 0:30 | — | 50 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.01 |
| Apr 12 @ NJD · OTL 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 17:46 | 0:00 | 1:32 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.07 |
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 · 2024-25 · 269 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
13th percentile
12th percentile
17th percentile
22nd percentile
3rd percentile
13th percentile
32nd percentile
27th percentile
24th percentile
1st percentile
42nd percentile
78th percentile
68th percentile
47th 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 style
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2024-25
- Shooting volume
- 4
- Playmaking
- 65
- Zone entries(est.)
- 3
- Forechecking
- 100
- Physicality
- 99
- Defensive impact
- 22
- Puck management
- 91
- Speed
- —
Where he shoots from
Slot 0% · Mid-range 18% · Perimeter 82%(17 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Forechecking: 100th percentile among defensemen.
- Physicality: 99th percentile among defensemen.
- Puck management: 91st percentile among defensemen.
Watch-outs
- Zone entries: 3rd percentile among defensemen (estimate).
- Shooting volume: 4th percentile among defensemen.
Similar style: Jordan Harris, David Savard
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. A written scouting summary appears once Claude play-style writing is switched on.
Where his Game Score comes from
2024-25 · 29 GP · goals above average
Season total -1.5 goals, or -0.05 per game.
- Even strength offense
- -0.3
- Even strength defense
- -0.3
- Penalty kill
- -0.1
- Finishing
- -0.3
- Penalties
- -0.6
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 | OTT | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 12:41 | — | -0.04 |
| 2024-25 | BUF, OTT | 29 | 0 | 6 | 6 | -3 | 9 | 10:29 | — | -0.05 |
| 2023-24 | CGY | 34 | 1 | 6 | 7 | -7 | 23 | 12:17 | — | -0.05 |
| 2022-23 | CGY | 23 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 13 | 11:44 | — | +0.04 |
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Sabres Place Olen Zellweger On IR, Reassign Dennis Gilbert
NHL Rumors - ProHockeyRumors.com · Oct 2
- Sabres recall St. Joe’s alum Dennis Gilbert ahead of season opener at Columbus
buffalonews.com · Oct 1
- Sabres recall veteran from Rochester Amerks before opener
buffalohockeybeat.com · Oct 1
- Sabres’ Olen Zellweger placed on injured reserve; Dennis Gilbert recalled
Daily Faceoff · Oct 1
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.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 20.0 mph
- 9th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 1
- Hardest shot
- 89.2 mph
- 43rd pct
- Distance
- 14.1 mi
- OZ time
- 44.1%
- 84th pct
- DZ time
- 39.3%
Age curve
NHL defensemen · production index
At 29, defensemen typically produce 93% 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 | BUF | $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).