PuckSleuth
4New York Islanders · Defense · Shoots R
Matthew Kessel
Age 26 · 6'3" · 215 lb · Born in Bloomfield Hills, USA
Cap hit
$850K
0.8% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$2.151M
vs. $3.001M market estimate
Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched
2025-26 regular season
GP
29
Goals
2
10.0% shooting
Assists
1
1 primary
Points
3
0.10 per game
TOI/GP
12:32
PP 0:00 · PK 0:24
xGF%
44.1
5v5, -7.7 vs. last yr
Game Score
+0.19
per game
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
+1
Blocks 26 · Hits 22
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 14 vs PIT · W 7-5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 12:54 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 100 | 0 | 0 | -1 | +0.07 |
| Mar 26 vs SJS · W 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 13:07 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 17 | 1 | 0 | -1 | +0.33 |
| Mar 8 @ ANA · W 4-0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 18:21 | 0:05 | 3:10 | — | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.12 |
| Mar 6 @ SJS · W 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 14:21 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 100 | 2 | 0 | +1 | -0.03 |
| Mar 4 @ SEA · W 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 13:10 | 0:00 | 2:02 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.40 |
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 · 344 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
13th percentile
7th percentile
6th percentile
20th percentile
62nd percentile
28th percentile
65th percentile
4th percentile
82nd percentile
25th percentile
71st percentile
14th percentile
82nd percentile
91st 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 styleStay-at-home defenseman
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Kessel is a steady defensive presence who plays a straightforward game without excelling in any particular area. He focuses on basic defensive responsibilities and physical play while rarely initiating offense or creating scoring chances.
- Shooting volume
- 44
- Playmaking
- 21
- Zone entries(est.)
- 41
- Forechecking
- 44
- Physicality
- 59
- Defensive impact
- 50
- Puck management
- 49
- Speed
- 53
Where he shoots from
Slot 9% · Mid-range 28% · Perimeter 63%(32 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Physicality in the 59th percentile shows he can hold his own in board battles
- Balanced speed and puck management allow solid two-way play
- Defensive impact at 50th percentile means he breaks up plays consistently
Watch-outs
- Playmaking in just the 21st percentile, he rarely creates scoring opportunities
- Shooting volume and rush chances are both underwhelming for offensive production
- Perimeter-heavy shot pattern (62%) limits high-danger scoring chances
Similar style: Jake Bean, Scott Mayfield (NYI)
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 · 29 GP
Season total +5.6, or +0.19 per game.
- Scoring
- +2.7
- Shooting
- +1.5
- 5-on-5 goals
- +0.1
- Defense
- +0.2
- Penalty kill
- +0.2
- Physical play
- +1.7
- Puck battles
- -0.7
- Penalties
- -0.2
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% | GS/GP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | St. Louis Blues | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.0 | 15:10 | — | +0.12 |
| 2023-24 | St. Louis Blues | 39 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 3.6 | 16:48 | — | +0.24 |
| 2024-25 | St. Louis Blues | 29 | 0 | 3 | 3 | -3 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 0.0 | 13:08 | — | +0.11 |
| 2025-26 | St. Louis Blues | 29 | 2 | 1 | 3 | +1 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 20 | 10.0 | 12:32 | — | +0.19 |
| Career | 4 seasons | 99 | 3 | 10 | 13 | -3 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 68 | 4.4 | 14:27 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.
Usage
Last game: @ TOR, Sep 30
Not on a regular line last game.
From the NHL's shift chart.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- New York Islanders vs. Toronto Maple Leafs season opener game thread
lighthousehockey.com · Sep 30
- Former Blues duo heading to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame
bleedinblue.com · Sep 10
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 +0.18 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 21.5 mph
- 44th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 17
- Hardest shot
- 95.2 mph
- 80th pct
- Distance
- 54.1 mi
- OZ time
- 40.7%
- 35th pct
- DZ time
- 40.7%
Age curve
NHL defensemen · production index
At 26, defensemen typically produce 98% 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 | NYI | $850K | 0.8% |
UFA after 2026-27. $850K 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).