Nashville Predators · Defense · Shoots R

Ilya Lyubushkin

Age 32 · 6'2" · 206 lb · Born in Moscow, RUS

Cap hit

$3.25M

3.1% of $104M cap

Term

1 yr

Through 2026-27, then UFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

+$920K

vs. $4.17M market estimate

Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched

2025-26 regular season

Goals

3.0% shooting

Assists

4 primary

Points

0.17 per game

TOI/GP

15:44

PP 0:01 · PK 1:28

xGF%

46.4

5v5, -1.9 vs. last yr

Game Score

+0.21

per game

Faceoff %

—

Plus/minus

Blocks 90 · Hits 68

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

Game	A	SOG	HIT	BLK	TOI	PP	PK	FO	OZS%	GV	TK	+/-	GS
Apr 30 @ MIN · L 5-2	1	1	3	1	14:32	0:00	0:00	—	0	1	1	0	+0.71
Apr 28 vs MIN · L 4-2	0	0	1	1	12:30	0:00	0:07	—	100	0	0	0	+0.15
Apr 15 @ BUF · W 4-3	1	1	1	2	15:39	0:00	2:21	—	50	0	1	0	+0.76
Apr 13 @ TOR · W 6-5	0	1	0	1	16:48	0:01	0:34	—	0	0	0	-1	+0.03
Apr 11 vs NYR · W 2-0	0	1	0	2	16:40	0:00	2:28	—	—	1	0	0	+0.24

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 · 737 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen

xGF%46.4%

27th percentile

Relative xGF%-7.2

7th percentile

HDCF%55.3%

78th percentile

CF%42.5%

4th percentile

Relative CF%-6.2

7th percentile

FF%44.2%

9th percentile

GF%48.9%

48th percentile

CF/6043.2

1st percentile

CA/6058.4

46th percentile

ixG/600.09

6th percentile

Goals above expected-0.2

44th percentile

IPP39.1%

70th percentile

PDO101.0

66th percentile

OZS%35.6%

11th 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 stay-at-home defenseman

Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26

Lyubushkin is a rugged, physical presence who uses his size and strength to wear down opponents and defend the blue line. He doesn't generate much offense or speed, keeping his game simple and focused on heavy, shutdown play.

PhysicalDefensiveStay-at-home

Shooting volume: 3
Playmaking: 43
Zone entries(est.): 35
Forechecking: 22
Physicality: 89
Defensive impact: 59
Puck management: 29
Speed: 14

Where he shoots from

Slot 6% · Mid-range 30% · Perimeter 64%(47 unblocked shots)

Strengths

Elite physicality at the 89th percentile brings constant hard hits
Solid defensive impact at 59th percentile limits prime scoring chances
Neutral expected goals share shows reliable defensive commitment

Watch-outs

Minimal shooting volume in the 3rd percentile limits scoring chances
Very low speed at 14th percentile restricts mobility and gap control
Weak puck management at 29th percentile leads to turnovers under pressure

Similar style: Colton White, Jonas Siegenthaler (NJD)

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 · 53 GP

Season total +11.2, or +0.21 per game.

Scoring: +5.8
Shooting: +2.5
5-on-5 goals: -0.1
Defense: +0.7
Penalty kill: +0.2
Physical play: +5.9
Puck battles: -1.9
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

NHL regular season NHL playoffs All leagues

Season	League	Team	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM
2010-11	Russia U17	Rus Moskva U16	29	7	10	17	—	54
2010-11 (playoffs)	Russia U17 Finals	Spartak Moskva U16	6	2	2	4	—	10
2011-12	MHL	Kuznetskie Medvedi	26	0	1	1	-1	34
2011-12	MHL	Loko Yaroslavl	21	3	1	4	+4	26
2011-12 (playoffs)	MHL	Loko Yaroslavl	3	1	0	1	-4	2
2012-13	VHL	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl-2	42	1	4	5	+6	26
2012-13	MHL	Loko Yaroslavl	4	0	0	0	+3	0
2012-13 (playoffs)	VHL	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl-2	5	1	0	1	0	4
2012-13 (playoffs)	Jr Super Series	Russian Selects U20	3	0	0	0	-4	14
2013-14	KHL	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	32	1	1	2	0	18
2013-14	WJC-20	Russia U20	7	0	4	4	+4	6
2013-14	MHL	Loko Yaroslavl	11	1	1	2	+10	36
2013-14 (playoffs)	KHL	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	18	0	0	0	-1	47
2014-15	KHL	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	60	1	6	7	+4	30
2014-15 (playoffs)	KHL	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	6	0	0	0	-3	8
2015-16	KHL	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	55	4	7	11	+15	68
2015-16	EHT	Russia	5	0	0	0	-4	4
2015-16 (playoffs)	KHL	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	5	0	0	0	-2	0
2016-17	KHL	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	60	3	4	7	+4	69
2016-17	EHT	Russia	8	0	1	1	+3	2
2016-17 (playoffs)	KHL	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	15	0	1	1	0	26
2017-18	KHL	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	50	3	6	9	+14	73
2017-18	EHT	Russia	5	0	0	0	+2	0
2017-18 (playoffs)	KHL	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	9	1	0	1	0	4
2018-19	NHL	Arizona Coyotes	41	0	4	4	-9	13
2019-20	NHL	Arizona Coyotes	51	0	4	4	+4	18
2019-20	AHL	Tucson Roadrunners	2	0	0	0	0	2
2020-21	NHL	Arizona Coyotes	42	1	1	2	-13	10
2020-21	KHL	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	5	0	0	0	-4	2
2021-22	NHL	Arizona Coyotes	46	0	9	9	-6	26
2021-22	NHL	Toronto Maple Leafs	31	2	4	6	+4	25
2021-22 (playoffs)	NHL	Toronto Maple Leafs	7	0	1	1	-1	18
2022-23	NHL	Buffalo Sabres	68	2	12	14	-2	38
2023-24	NHL	Anaheim Ducks	55	0	4	4	-13	51
2023-24	NHL	Toronto Maple Leafs	19	0	4	4	+2	6
2023-24 (playoffs)	NHL	Toronto Maple Leafs	7	0	3	3	+4	2
2024-25	NHL	Dallas Stars	80	1	13	14	+5	32
2024-25 (playoffs)	NHL	Dallas Stars	14	0	3	3	-7	4
2025-26	NHL	Dallas Stars	53	1	8	9	+1	40
2025-26 (playoffs)	NHL	Dallas Stars	2	0	1	1	0	0

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

Usage

Last game: vs MIN, Oct 1

Not on a regular line last game.

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

+0.2

+0.2BOS3/31

+0.3

+0.3WPG4/2

+0.1

+0.1COL4/4

-0.4CGY4/7

+0.3

+0.3MIN4/9

+0.2

+0.2NYR4/11

+0.0

+0.0TOR4/13

+0.8

+0.8BUF4/15

+0.2

+0.2MIN4/28

+0.7

+0.7MIN4/30

Average +0.23 per game over these 10.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2025-26, as of Oct 2

Top speed: 20.9 mph; 23rd pct
20+ mph bursts: 5
Hardest shot: 87.8 mph; 36th pct
Distance: 113.8 mi
OZ time: 40.6%; 33rd pct
DZ time: 41.9%

Age curve

NHL defensemen · production index

202937

At 32, defensemen typically produce 81% 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	$3.25M	3.1%

UFA after 2026-27. $3.25M 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).