PuckSleuth
25Tampa Bay Lightning · Left wing · Shoots L
Jeffrey Viel
Age 29 · 6'0" · 218 lb · Born in Rimouski, CAN
Cap hit
$2.5M
2.4% of $104M cap
Term
5 yrs
Through 2030-31
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$638K
vs. $3.138M market estimate
Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched
2026-27 regular season
GP
1
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
0
0.00 per game
TOI/GP
8:49
PP 0:00 · PK 0:00
xGF%
33.9
5v5, -17.8 vs. last yr
Game Score
-0.23
per game
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
-2
Blocks 0 · 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 @ NYR · L 5-1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 8:49 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 33 | 1 | 0 | -2 | -0.23 |
| May 14 vs VGK · L 5-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 11:35 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 50 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +0.04 |
| May 12 @ VGK · OTL 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 13:39 | 0:00 | 0:00 | 1-0 | 33 | 1 | 1 | +1 | +0.33 |
| May 10 vs VGK · W 4-3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 12:56 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 33 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +1.23 |
| May 8 vs VGK · L 6-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 11:01 | 0:00 | 0:03 | 1-0 | 100 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -0.09 |
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 · 509 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
69th percentile
49th percentile
51st percentile
85th percentile
68th percentile
90th percentile
36th percentile
96th percentile
26th percentile
51st percentile
8th percentile
6th percentile
15th percentile
46th 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 styleRelentless forechecking winger
Trait percentiles vs. NHL wingers · 2025-26
Viel is a tireless physical presence who thrives in transition with elite rush chances and aggressive forechecking, but his defensive positioning and puck handling limit his impact at 5v5. He plays a direct, north-south game centered on pressure and speed rather than playmaking finesse.
- Shooting volume
- 64
- Playmaking
- 45
- Zone entries(est.)
- 98
- Forechecking
- 88
- Physicality
- 88
- Defensive impact
- 19
- Puck management
- 28
- Speed
- 62
Where he shoots from
Slot 59% · Mid-range 27% · Perimeter 14%(99 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Nearly elite rush chance generation with 98th percentile zone entries
- Dominant forechecking and physicality both at 88th percentile
- Exceptional shooting efficiency from high-percentage areas despite modest volume
Watch-outs
- Defensive impact ranks just 19th percentile among wingers
- Below-average puck management at 28th percentile limits possession utility
- Playmaking at 45th percentile suggests limited playmaking upside
Similar style: Alex Laferriere (LAK), Arttu Hyry (DAL)
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 · 45 GP
Season total +12.1, or +0.27 per game.
- Scoring
- +7.5
- Shooting
- +4.7
- 5-on-5 goals
- -0.6
- Defense
- -0.7
- Physical play
- +3.5
- Puck battles
- -1.1
- Penalties
- -1.1
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.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Anaheim Ducks | 12 | 2 | 2 | 4 | +1 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 11.8 | 12:10 | 35.7 |
| Career | 1 seasons | 12 | 2 | 2 | 4 | +1 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 11.8 | 12:10 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team.
Usage
Last game: @ NYR, Oct 1
Line 4 with Zemgus Girgensons and Pontus Holmberg (4:59 together at 5-on-5)
From the NHL's shift chart.
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 +0.38 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 22.8 mph
- 77th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 52
- Hardest shot
- 82.8 mph
- 35th pct
- Distance
- 82.6 mi
- OZ time
- 42.7%
- 56th pct
- DZ time
- 38.6%
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
At 29, forwards typically produce 89% 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
5 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | TBL | $2.5M | 2.4% |
| 2027-28 | TBL | $2.5M | 2.2% |
| 2028-29 | TBL | $2.5M | — |
| 2029-30 | TBL | $2.5M | — |
| 2030-31 | TBL | $2.5M | — |
$12.5M 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).