PuckSleuth
Kevin Bahl7

Calgary Flames · Defense · Shoots L

Kevin Bahl

Age 26 · 6'6" · 230 lb · Born in New Westminster, CAN

Cap hit

$5.35M

5.1% of $104M cap

Term

5 yrs

Through 2030-31, then UFA

Clause

M-NTC

8-team no-trade list

Surplus value

−$256K

vs. $5.094M 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

21:07

PP 0:00 · PK 3:42

xGF%

44.1

5v5, +0.4 vs. last yr

Game Score

+0.08

per game

Faceoff %

—

Plus/minus

0

Blocks 1 · Hits 0

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

GameGASOGHITBLKTOIPPPKFOOZS%GVTK+/-GS
Oct 1
vs SEA · L 6-1
0010121:070:003:42—71000+0.08
Apr 7
@ DAL · OTL 4-3
000101:150:000:00——100-0.04
Apr 4
@ ANA · W 5-3
0100224:170:003:11—3310+2+0.54
Apr 2
@ VGK · L 6-3
0002123:050:314:27—1321-1-0.25
Mar 30
@ COL · L 9-2
0001123:100:002:45—000-2-0.57

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 · 1,345 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen

xGF%43.7%

11th percentile

Relative xGF%-5.1

13th percentile

HDCF%44.4%

22nd percentile

CF%46.6%

24th percentile

Relative CF%-4.7

12th percentile

FF%45.3%

14th percentile

GF%46.8%

37th percentile

CF/6055.1

43rd percentile

CA/6063.2

13th percentile

ixG/600.11

7th percentile

Goals above expected+1.6

78th percentile

IPP28.8%

28th percentile

PDO100.6

60th percentile

OZS%38.5%

21st 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 stylePhysical depth defenseman

Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26

Bahl is a hard-nosed, heavy hitter who plays a grinding forechecking game and manages the puck well in transition, but struggles to create offense and make an impact on defense. He's a complementary player best used in limited, match-up heavy minutes.

Forecheck-focusedPhysical presenceTransition player
Shooting volume
1
Playmaking
17
Zone entries(est.)
61
Forechecking
93
Physicality
57
Defensive impact
11
Puck management
80
Speed
51

Where he shoots from

Slot 8% · Mid-range 21% · Perimeter 70%(84 unblocked shots)

Strengths

  • Elite forechecking at 93rd percentile drives puck recovery
  • Excellent puck management at 80th percentile supports clean exits
  • Solid rush chance generation at 61st percentile moves play forward

Watch-outs

  • Shooting volume at 1st percentile shows almost no offensive threat
  • Defensive impact at 11th percentile limits his on-ice effectiveness
  • Playmaking at 17th percentile means few offensive contributions

Similar style: Zach Bogosian (MIN), Nicolas Hague (NSH)

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 · 76 GP

Season total +16.4, or +0.22 per game.

Scoring
+11.8
Shooting
+4.3
5-on-5 goals
-1.1
Defense
-1.3
Penalty kill
-0.2
Physical play
+7.2
Puck battles
-2.4
Penalties
-1.9

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

SeasonLeagueTeamGPGAP+/-PIM
2014-15 (playoffs)OHL CupToronto Marlboros Mn Mdgt AAA2000—2
2015-16GTHL U16Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA5692736—33
2015-16OGC-16Team GTHL Blue5033—4
2016-17OHLOttawa 67's57134-1453
2016-17WHC-17Canada Red U175011—6
2016-17 (playoffs)OHLOttawa 67's6000-40
2017-18Ivan Hlinka MemorialCanada U185112—6
2017-18OHLOttawa 67's5811718-2176
2017-18WJC-18Canada U185123+32
2017-18 (playoffs)OHLOttawa 67's5000-14
2018-19OHLOttawa 67's6862834+5087
2018-19 (playoffs)OHLOttawa 67's1511011+118
2019-20OHLOttawa 67's5462531+4083
2019-20WJC-20Canada U207011+46
2020-21NHLNew Jersey Devils702200
2020-21AHLBinghamton Devils27145-612
2021-22NHLNew Jersey Devils17134-610
2021-22AHLUtica Comets5431316+1552
2021-22 (playoffs)AHLUtica Comets5000+210
2022-23NHLNew Jersey Devils42268+435
2022-23AHLUtica Comets3011+22
2022-23 (playoffs)NHLNew Jersey Devils11011-131
2023-24NHLNew Jersey Devils8211011+182
2024-25NHLCalgary Flames7331720-635
2025-26NHLCalgary Flames7641418+247
2026-27NHLCalgary Flames100002

Every league he has played in, from the NHL's records, regular season and playoffs.

Usage

Last game: vs SEA, Oct 1

Pair 1 with Simon Nemec (14:15 together at 5-on-5)

From the NHL's shift chart.

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 -0.00 per game over these 10.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2025-26, as of Oct 2

Top speed
21.7 mph
50th pct
20+ mph bursts
38
Hardest shot
95.5 mph
82nd pct
Distance
235.7 mi
OZ time
39.3%
16th pct
DZ time
42.4%

Age curve

NHL defensemen · production index

202937

At 26, defensemen typically produce 98% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 30, when the typical level is 89%.

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

SeasonTeamCap hit% of cap
2026-27CGY$5.35M5.1%
2027-28CGY$5.35M4.7%
2028-29CGY$5.35M—
2029-30CGY$5.35M—
2030-31CGY$5.35M—

UFA after 2030-31. M-NTC (8-team list). $26.75M 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).