PuckSleuth
26Cap hit
$3.6M
3.5% of $104M cap
Term
3 yrs
Through 2028-29, then UFA
Clause
M-NTC
15-team no-trade list
Surplus value
+$1.902M
vs. $5.502M market estimate
Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched
2026-27 regular season
GP
3
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
0
0.00 per game
TOI/GP
20:48
PP 1:03 · PK 3:27
Plus/minus
-3
Hits
5
Blocks 6
PIM
4
Game Score
+0.15
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 @ PHI · W 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 24:10 | 0:32 | 3:29 | — | 67 | 1 | 1 | -1 | +0.28 |
| Oct 2 vs WSH · L 5-2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 19:05 | 2:15 | 1:14 | — | 50 | 1 | 0 | -2 | -0.12 |
| Sep 29 vs FLA · OTL 1-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 19:10 | 0:23 | 5:37 | — | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +0.31 |
| Jun 14 @ VGK · W 3-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 23:50 | 0:25 | 1:46 | — | 80 | 0 | 0 | +2 | +0.18 |
| Jun 11 vs VGK · W 4-2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 20:05 | 0:14 | 1:23 | — | 50 | 3 | 2 | +1 | +0.80 |
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 · 1,443 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
96th percentile
66th percentile
90th percentile
100th percentile
78th percentile
99th percentile
51st percentile
99th percentile
99th percentile
91st percentile
20th percentile
59th percentile
8th percentile
82nd 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 styleOffensive two-way defenseman
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Walker plays an aggressive, high-energy game that emphasizes shot volume and applying pressure deep in the offensive zone. While he contributes consistently across most areas, his playmaking and puck handling are more workmanlike than dynamic.
- Shooting volume
- 93
- Playmaking
- 53
- Zone entries(est.)
- 94
- Forechecking
- 94
- Physicality
- 71
- Defensive impact
- 62
- Puck management
- 59
- Speed
- 80
Where he shoots from
Slot 7% · Mid-range 32% · Perimeter 61%(262 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Exceptional shooting volume at 93rd percentile, firing 262 unblocked shots
- Dominant forechecking and rush entry creation both at 94th percentile
- Strong physical play and speed in the 71st and 80th percentiles
Watch-outs
- Playmaking at 53rd percentile limits pure playmaker potential
- Puck management in the 59th percentile suggests occasional careless handling
- Defensive impact at 62nd percentile indicates room to improve his back-end effect
Similar style: Josh Manson (COL), Nikita Zadorov (BOS)
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 | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | Los Angeles Kings | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 13:44 | — |
| 2023-24 | Colorado Avalanche | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -5 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0.0 | 18:04 | — |
| 2024-25 | Carolina Hurricanes | 12 | 1 | 2 | 3 | +1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 4.2 | 18:24 | — |
| 2025-26 | Carolina Hurricanes | 19 | 0 | 3 | 3 | +11 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 0.0 | 22:39 | — |
| Career | 4 seasons | 44 | 1 | 5 | 6 | +6 | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 68 | 1.5 | 19:56 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
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 +0.19 per game over these 10.
Where his Game Score comes from
+0.50 per game
2025-26 · 81 GP
Season total +40.4, or +0.50 per game.
- Scoring
- +22.0
- Shooting
- +13.4
- 5-on-5 goals
- -0.1
- Defense
- +1.2
- Penalty kill
- +0.5
- Physical play
- +9.1
- Puck battles
- -3.1
- Penalties
- -2.5
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
2026-27, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 19.8 mph
- 59th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 0
- Hardest shot
- 76.8 mph
- 42nd pct
- Distance
- 2.8 mi
- OZ time
- 36.6%
- 10th pct
- DZ time
- 45.1%
Usage
Last game: @ PHI, Oct 3
Pair 2 with K'Andre Miller (16:35 together at 5-on-5)
From the NHL's shift chart.
Age curve
At 31: 86% of peak
NHL defensemen · production index
At 31, defensemen typically produce 86% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 33, when the typical level is 76%.
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
3 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | CAR | $3.6M | 3.5% |
| 2027-28 | CAR | $3.6M | 3.2% |
| 2028-29 | CAR | $3.6M | — |
UFA after 2028-29. M-NTC (15-team list). $10.8M 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).