PuckSleuth
29Cap hit
$2.917M
2.8% of $104M cap
Term
6 yrs
Through 2031-32, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
−$1.469M
vs. $1.448M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
1
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
0
0.00 per game
TOI/GP
8:11
PP 0:00 · PK 0:32
xGF%
29.0
5v5, -17.5 vs. last yr
Game Score
-0.07
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
-2
Blocks 1 · Hits 4
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 @ CBJ · L 6-3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 8:11 | 0:00 | 0:32 | — | 29 | 1 | 0 | -2 | -0.07 |
| May 18 vs MTL · OTL 3-2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 10:42 | 0:01 | 0:57 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | -0.12 |
| May 16 @ MTL · W 8-3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8:22 | 0:00 | 2:27 | — | 33 | 1 | 1 | -1 | +0.04 |
| May 14 vs MTL · L 6-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 9:21 | 0:00 | 1:23 | — | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.10 |
| May 12 @ MTL · W 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 10:52 | 0:00 | 6:29 | 0-1 | 50 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -0.51 |
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 · 740 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
28th percentile
17th percentile
22nd percentile
20th percentile
18th percentile
31st percentile
43rd percentile
22nd percentile
28th percentile
16th percentile
44th percentile
9th percentile
38th 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 grinder
Trait percentiles vs. NHL wingers · 2025-26
Malenstyn plays a physical, aggressive game anchored by elite forechecking and relentless checking pressure. He rarely carries offensive volume but compensates with speed, strength, and solid defense to wear down opponents.
- Shooting volume
- 11
- Playmaking
- 23
- Zone entries(est.)
- 57
- Forechecking
- 92
- Physicality
- 98
- Defensive impact
- 88
- Puck management
- 73
- Speed
- 96
Where he shoots from
Slot 55% · Mid-range 23% · Perimeter 22%(109 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Exceptional forechecking at 92nd percentile drives play disruption
- 99th percentile physicality and 96th percentile speed enable relentless pursuit
- 88th percentile defensive impact shows real value in limiting chances
Watch-outs
- Shooting volume at 11th percentile limits goal-scoring upside
- Playmaking at 23rd percentile reduces offensive playmaking ability
Similar style: Brandon Duhaime (TOR), Cole Smith (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.
Where his Game Score comes from
2025-26 · 81 GP · goals above average
Season total -2.3 goals, or -0.03 per game.
- Even strength offense
- -1.5
- Even strength defense
- +0.8
- Penalty kill
- +0.3
- Finishing
- -0.9
- Playmaking
- -2.8
- Penalties
- +1.9
- Faceoffs
- -0.1
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 | BUF | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | 1 | 8:11 | — | -0.07 |
| 2025-26 | BUF | 81 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 72 | 11:15 | — | -0.03 |
| 2024-25 | BUF | 76 | 4 | 6 | 10 | -16 | 67 | 10:32 | — | -0.05 |
| 2023-24 | WSH | 81 | 6 | 15 | 21 | -1 | 98 | 14:15 | 45.1% | -0.09 |
| 2022-23 | WSH | 9 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 9:55 | — | +0.01 |
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 -0.13 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 24.9 mph
- 100th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 197
- Hardest shot
- 86.5 mph
- 60th pct
- Distance
- 147.8 mi
- OZ time
- 39.2%
- 14th pct
- DZ time
- 43.1%
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
At 28, forwards typically produce 93% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 33, when the typical level is 69%.
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
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | BUF | $2.917M | 2.8% |
| 2027-28 | BUF | $2.917M | 2.6% |
| 2028-29 | BUF | $2.917M | — |
| 2029-30 | BUF | $2.917M | — |
| 2030-31 | BUF | $2.917M | — |
| 2031-32 | BUF | $2.917M | — |
UFA after 2031-32. $17.5M 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).