PuckSleuth
Gage Goncalves93

Tampa Bay Lightning · Center · Shoots L

Gage Goncalves

Age 25 · 6'2" · 193 lb · Born in Mission, CAN

Cap hit

$1.2M

1.2% of $104M cap

Term

1 yr

Through 2026-27, then RFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

+$2.893M

vs. $4.093M market estimate

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2026-27 regular season

GP

2

Goals

0

Assists

0

0 primary

Points

0

0.00 per game

TOI/GP

13:58

PP 1:55 · PK 0:00

Plus/minus

-2

Hits

2

Blocks 0

PIM

0

Game Score

-0.13

per game

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

GameGASOGHITBLKTOIPPPKFOOZS%GVTK+/-GS
Oct 3
vs WSH · W 3-1
0001015:470:330:000-16710-1-0.13
Oct 1
@ NYR · L 5-1
0001012:093:160:00——20-1-0.14
May 3
vs MTL · L 2-1
0131114:330:540:000-15000-1+0.70
May 1
@ MTL · W 1-0
1021015:260:500:000-110000+1+1.25
Apr 29
vs MTL · L 3-2
0121013:511:130:220-110010-1+0.66

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 · 853 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards

xGF%57.1%

94th percentile

Relative xGF%+3.6

81st percentile

HDCF%56.5%

83rd percentile

CF%53.0%

82nd percentile

Relative CF%-0.1

51st percentile

FF%52.1%

74th percentile

GF%62.8%

96th percentile

CF/6055.7

50th percentile

CA/6049.3

93rd percentile

ixG/600.73

28th percentile

Goals above expected+0.5

66th percentile

IPP49.2%

11th percentile

PDO105.8

98th percentile

OZS%66.5%

88th 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 styleDefensive-minded center

Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26

Goncalves is a responsible two-way player who excels at shutting down opponents and limiting scoring chances. He generates decent rush chances and competes hard in the trenches, but doesn't shoot often and tends to lose the puck in transition.

defensive anchorsolid forecheckinglimited shot volume
Shooting volume
19
Playmaking
49
Zone entries(est.)
61
Forechecking
64
Physicality
56
Defensive impact
84
Puck management
21
Speed
52

Where he shoots from

Slot 60% · Mid-range 25% · Perimeter 15%(113 unblocked shots)

Strengths

  • Elite defensive impact at 84th percentile protects the net effectively
  • Strong forechecking at 64th percentile wins pucks in opponent territory
  • Good rush chances at 61st percentile creates transition opportunities

Watch-outs

  • Shooting volume at 19th percentile means he rarely generates offense himself
  • Puck management at 21st percentile shows careless possession decisions

Similar style: Yanni Gourde (TBL), Emmitt Finnie (DET)

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

SeasonLeagueTeamGPGAP+/-PIM
2015-16CSSHL U15Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep236511—4
2015-16 (playoffs)CSSHL U15Yale Hockey Academy U15 Prep4101—4
2016-17CSSHL U16Yale Hockey Academy Elite 15s30131730—22
2016-17CSSHL U18Yale Hockey Academy U18 Prep1000—0
2016-17 (playoffs)CSSHL U16Yale Hockey Academy Elite 15s3011—2
2017-18BCEHL U18Fraser Valley Thunderbirds U1840304171—52
2017-18BCHLChilliwack Chiefs411204
2017-18WHLEverett Silvertips100002
2017-18 (playoffs)BCEHL U18Fraser Valley Thunderbirds U1875914—10
2018-19WHLEverett Silvertips6711415+1026
2018-19 (playoffs)WHLEverett Silvertips10246+42
2019-20WHLEverett Silvertips60333871+3244
2020-21AHLSyracuse Crunch2011-30
2020-21WHLEverett Silvertips23122234+1712
2021-22AHLSyracuse Crunch70171532-239
2021-22 (playoffs)AHLSyracuse Crunch5011-10
2022-23AHLSyracuse Crunch71134154+634
2022-23 (playoffs)AHLSyracuse Crunch5325+110
2023-24NHLTampa Bay Lightning200006
2023-24AHLSyracuse Crunch69134558-843
2023-24 (playoffs)AHLSyracuse Crunch7156+30
2024-25NHLTampa Bay Lightning6081220+714
2024-25AHLSyracuse Crunch1451318-510
2024-25 (playoffs)NHLTampa Bay Lightning5134-22
2025-26NHLTampa Bay Lightning74112233+2641
2025-26 (playoffs)NHLTampa Bay Lightning7123-50
2026-27NHLTampa Bay Lightning2000-20

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

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 +0.19 per game over these 10.

Where his Game Score comes from

+0.48 per game

2025-26 · 74 GP

Season total +35.7, or +0.48 per game.

Scoring
+23.8
Shooting
+5.8
5-on-5 goals
+3.6
Defense
+1.3
Physical play
+3.1
Puck battles
-2.0
Penalties
+0.2
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
23.3 mph
93rd pct
20+ mph bursts
40
Hardest shot
84.2 mph
46th pct
Distance
154.9 mi
OZ time
42.0%
50th pct
DZ time
39.6%

Usage

Last game: vs WSH, Oct 3

Line 1 with Nikita Kucherov and Brayden Point (9:58 together at 5-on-5) · PP2

From the NHL's shift chart.

Age curve

At 25: 100% of peak

NHL forwards · production index

202937

At 25, forwards typically produce 100% 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

SeasonTeamCap hit% of cap
2026-27TBL$1.2M1.2%

RFA after 2026-27. $1.2M 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).