PuckSleuth
21Cap hit
$2.5M
2.4% of $104M cap
Term
4 yrs
Through 2029-30, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$1.614M
vs. $4.114M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
2
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
1
1 primary
Points
1
0.50 per game
TOI/GP
16:07
PP 0:04 · PK 1:24
xGF%
75.4
5v5, +23.4 vs. last yr
Game Score
-0.09
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
+1
Blocks 0 · Hits 3
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2 vs ANA · L 4-3 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 14:58 | 0:07 | 1:21 | — | 83 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.11 |
| Sep 29 vs CHI · W 5-2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 17:16 | 0:00 | 1:27 | — | 29 | 0 | 0 | +1 | -0.30 |
| Jun 14 vs CAR · L 3-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 14:52 | 1:22 | 1:00 | 6-4 | 60 | 0 | 0 | -2 | -0.36 |
| Jun 11 @ CAR · L 4-2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 14:32 | 0:00 | 2:15 | 3-1 | 67 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -0.38 |
| Jun 9 vs CAR · L 5-3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 15:40 | 1:43 | 1:11 | 1-0 | 33 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +0.75 |
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 · 718 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
76th percentile
34th percentile
93rd percentile
61st percentile
19th percentile
69th percentile
37th percentile
50th percentile
68th percentile
37th percentile
81st percentile
35th percentile
16th percentile
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 styleSpeed-first depth center
Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26
Howden gets up the ice quickly with exceptional speed and creates opportunities through aggressive rush attacks, but struggles to finish plays or impact the game otherwise. He's a fast but streaky contributor who needs elite linemates to convert his chances.
- Shooting volume
- 22
- Playmaking
- 14
- Zone entries(est.)
- 77
- Forechecking
- 68
- Physicality
- 65
- Defensive impact
- 30
- Puck management
- 25
- Speed
- 93
Where he shoots from
Slot 64% · Mid-range 26% · Perimeter 10%(103 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- 93rd percentile speed creates consistent rush chances at 77th percentile
- 68th percentile forechecking effort generates early turnovers and scoring chances
- Reaches high-danger slot area on 64 percent of unblocked shots
Watch-outs
- 22nd percentile shooting volume limits goal potential despite quality chances
- 30th percentile defensive impact shows limited reliability away from puck
- 14th percentile playmaking means he doesn't set up many linemate chances
Similar style: Adam Edstrom (NSH), Emmitt Finnie (DET)
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 · 58 GP · goals above average
Season total +0.4 goals, or +0.01 per game.
- Even strength defense
- +0.7
- Power play
- -0.3
- Penalty kill
- +0.4
- Finishing
- +2.3
- Playmaking
- -3.1
- Penalties
- +0.4
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | VGK | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 6 | 16:07 | — | -0.09 |
| 2025-26 | VGK | 58 | 12 | 10 | 22 | -9 | 66 | 14:54 | 50.3% | +0.01 |
| 2024-25 | VGK | 80 | 23 | 17 | 40 | +17 | 125 | 14:52 | 52.7% | +0.03 |
| 2023-24 | VGK | 72 | 8 | 11 | 19 | -11 | 76 | 13:14 | 45.1% | -0.06 |
| 2022-23 | VGK | 54 | 6 | 7 | 13 | +5 | 53 | 13:04 | 51.5% | -0.11 |
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- 3 underrated Vegas Golden Knights to urgently pick up for your fantasy draft
vegashockeyknight.com · Sep 20
- Brett Howden has become a Central Division foe's worst nightmare
vegashockeyknight.com · Sep 8
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 +0.13 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2026-27, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 22.1 mph
- 91st pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 2
- Hardest shot
- 79.6 mph
- 78th pct
- Distance
- 2.7 mi
- OZ time
- 43.9%
- 63rd pct
- DZ time
- 39.4%
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
At 28, forwards typically produce 93% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 31, when the typical level is 80%.
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
4 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | VGK | $2.5M | 2.4% |
| 2027-28 | VGK | $2.5M | 2.2% |
| 2028-29 | VGK | $2.5M | — |
| 2029-30 | VGK | $2.5M | — |
UFA after 2029-30. $10M 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).