PuckSleuth
79Nashville Predators · Center · Shoots L
Ross Colton
Age 30 · 6'0" · 194 lb · Born in Robbinsville, USA
Cap hit
$4M
3.8% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$286K
vs. $4.286M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
2
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
0
0.00 per game
TOI/GP
13:47
PP 0:39 · PK 0:00
Plus/minus
0
Hits
9
Blocks 2
PIM
2
Game Score
+0.20
per game
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3 vs DAL · W 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 15:19 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 50 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.13 |
| Oct 1 vs MIN · L 3-1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 12:15 | 1:18 | 0:00 | — | 50 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +0.28 |
| May 26 @ VGK · L 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8:50 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.04 |
| May 24 @ VGK · L 5-3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 8:29 | 0:00 | 0:00 | 0-2 | 100 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.27 |
| May 22 vs VGK · L 3-1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 8:18 | 0:00 | 0:00 | 1-0 | 100 | 1 | 0 | +1 | +1.15 |
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 · 835 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
97th percentile
58th percentile
95th percentile
98th percentile
85th percentile
98th percentile
76th percentile
100th percentile
78th percentile
77th percentile
1st percentile
17th percentile
30th percentile
31st percentile
51 won · 57 lost (all strengths)
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 styleRelentless two-way forward
Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26
Colton is a high-octane scorer who lives at the perimeter, ripping shots constantly while hunting pucks aggressively down low. His engine never stops, but he struggles to protect the puck and can get caught out of position defensively.
- Shooting volume
- 99
- Playmaking
- 64
- Zone entries(est.)
- 78
- Forechecking
- 89
- Physicality
- 81
- Defensive impact
- 47
- Puck management
- 36
- Speed
- 90
Where he shoots from
Slot 41% · Mid-range 40% · Perimeter 19%(240 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Shooting volume in the 99th percentile, constantly putting pucks toward goal
- Forechecking in the 89th percentile, winning puck battles down low consistently
- Speed in the 90th percentile helps him apply constant pressure on opponents
Watch-outs
- Puck management in the 36th percentile, turning it over more than peers
- Defensive impact in the 47th percentile, not consistently stopping scoring chances
Similar style: Bobby McMann (SEA), Boone Jenner (WSH)
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
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-10 | AYHL 13U | Mercer Chiefs 13U AAA | 37 | 31 | 42 | 73 | — | 34 |
| 2010-11 | AYHL 14U | Mercer Chiefs 14U AAA | 30 | 19 | 28 | 47 | — | 26 |
| 2011-12 | AYHL 15U | Mercer Chiefs 16UA | 19 | 19 | 5 | 24 | 0 | 12 |
| 2012-13 | AYHL 16U | New Jersey Rockets 16U | 22 | 22 | 18 | 40 | 0 | 14 |
| 2013-14 | High-CT | Taft Rhinos | 24 | 25 | 18 | 43 | — | — |
| 2014-15 | USHL | Cedar Rapids | 58 | 18 | 15 | 33 | +14 | 22 |
| 2014-15 (playoffs) | USHL | Cedar Rapids | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -4 | 0 |
| 2015-16 | USHL | Cedar Rapids | 55 | 35 | 31 | 66 | +32 | 79 |
| 2015-16 | WJAC-19 | USA U19 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 | — | 0 |
| 2015-16 (playoffs) | USHL | Cedar Rapids | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 2 |
| 2016-17 | NCAA | Univ. of Vermont | 33 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 0 | 22 |
| 2017-18 | NCAA | Univ. of Vermont | 36 | 16 | 7 | 23 | -11 | 47 |
| 2018-19 | AHL | Syracuse Crunch | 66 | 14 | 17 | 31 | +9 | 36 |
| 2018-19 (playoffs) | AHL | Syracuse Crunch | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -5 | 2 |
| 2019-20 | AHL | Syracuse Crunch | 62 | 11 | 31 | 42 | -2 | 64 |
| 2020-21 | NHL | Tampa Bay Lightning | 30 | 9 | 3 | 12 | +3 | 16 |
| 2020-21 | AHL | Syracuse Crunch | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | +1 | 0 |
| 2020-21 (playoffs) | NHL | Tampa Bay Lightning | 23 | 4 | 2 | 6 | +4 | 12 |
| 2021-22 | NHL | Tampa Bay Lightning | 79 | 22 | 17 | 39 | +4 | 24 |
| 2021-22 (playoffs) | NHL | Tampa Bay Lightning | 23 | 5 | 4 | 9 | -2 | 13 |
| 2022-23 | NHL | Tampa Bay Lightning | 81 | 16 | 16 | 32 | -8 | 50 |
| 2022-23 (playoffs) | NHL | Tampa Bay Lightning | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| 2023-24 | NHL | Colorado Avalanche | 80 | 17 | 23 | 40 | -8 | 61 |
| 2023-24 (playoffs) | NHL | Colorado Avalanche | 11 | 1 | 3 | 4 | +2 | 2 |
| 2024-25 | NHL | Colorado Avalanche | 61 | 16 | 13 | 29 | -1 | 18 |
| 2024-25 (playoffs) | NHL | Colorado Avalanche | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | NHL | Colorado Avalanche | 73 | 9 | 15 | 24 | +9 | 13 |
| 2025-26 (playoffs) | NHL | Colorado Avalanche | 11 | 2 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 16 |
| 2026-27 | NHL | Nashville Predators | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Every league he has played in, from the NHL's records, regular season and playoffs.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Morning Skate: Ross Colton
NHL.com · Oct 3
- Media Availability: Ross Colton
NHL.com · Sep 30
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 +0.51 per game over these 10.
Where his Game Score comes from
+0.50 per game
2025-26 · 73 GP
Season total +36.5, or +0.50 per game.
- Scoring
- +18.5
- Shooting
- +11.5
- 5-on-5 goals
- +1.2
- Defense
- +0.8
- Penalty kill
- +0.1
- Physical play
- +4.4
- Puck battles
- -1.6
- Penalties
- +1.7
- Faceoffs
- -0.1
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
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 23.1 mph
- 89th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 194
- Hardest shot
- 94.1 mph
- 95th pct
- Distance
- 159.1 mi
- OZ time
- 43.2%
- 65th pct
- DZ time
- 38.3%
Usage
Last game: vs DAL, Oct 3
Line 2 with Jonathan Marchessault and Mavrik Bourque (8:32 together at 5-on-5)
From the NHL's shift chart.
Age curve
At 30: 84% of peak
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 | NSH | $4M | 3.8% |
UFA after 2026-27. $4M 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).