PuckSleuth
41Cap hit
$4M
3.8% of $104M cap
Term
5 yrs
Through 2030-31, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
−$950K
vs. $3.05M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
1
Goals
1
50.0% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
1
1.00 per game
TOI/GP
13:50
PP 2:42 · PK 0:00
xGF%
90.9
5v5, +33.3 vs. last yr
Game Score
+1.00
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
+3
Blocks 0 · Hits 0
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 30 @ PHI · W 7-0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13:50 | 2:42 | 0:00 | — | 100 | 0 | 0 | +3 | +1.00 |
| Apr 14 @ STL · L 7-5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 18:09 | 3:03 | 0:00 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 | -2 | -0.11 |
| Apr 12 @ WSH · L 3-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11:39 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 25 | 1 | 3 | 0 | +0.02 |
| Apr 11 vs WSH · L 6-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 17:49 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | — | 1 | 1 | -1 | -0.19 |
| Mar 28 vs DAL · L 6-3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11:36 | 1:31 | 0:00 | — | 100 | 0 | 1 | -1 | -0.16 |
GS = our Game Score, goals above average. 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 · 445 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
95th percentile
99th percentile
79th percentile
95th percentile
99th percentile
94th percentile
10th percentile
92nd percentile
91st percentile
22nd percentile
18th percentile
2nd percentile
2nd percentile
90th 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 specialist winger
Trait percentiles vs. NHL wingers · 2025-26
Koivunen is a responsible two-way player who excels at shutting down opponents and controlling the puck with minimal mistakes. He struggles to generate offense, rarely shooting or creating chances despite solid underlying metrics.
- Shooting volume
- 9
- Playmaking
- 10
- Zone entries(est.)
- 40
- Forechecking
- 2
- Physicality
- 6
- Defensive impact
- 98
- Puck management
- 93
- Speed
- 24
Where he shoots from
Slot 50% · Mid-range 43% · Perimeter 7%(56 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Defensive impact at 98th percentile, elite at limiting opponent chances
- Puck management at 93rd percentile, excellent possession control and decision-making
- Strong expected goals share of 57.7% while on ice despite low shot volume
Watch-outs
- Forechecking at 2nd percentile, rarely disrupts opponents in the offensive zone
- Shooting volume at 9th percentile, almost never generates offense himself
- Speed at 24th percentile limits ability to create time and space
Similar style: Joona Koppanen, Tyson Foerster (PHI)
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 · 39 GP · goals above average
Season total -5.1 goals, or -0.13 per game.
- Even strength offense
- +0.5
- Even strength defense
- +0.6
- Power play
- -0.5
- Finishing
- -3.1
- Playmaking
- -2.4
- Penalties
- -0.2
Game Score adds up a player's impact in goals compared with an average player given the same ice time: his share of expected goals for and against at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill, plus finishing (goals minus expected goals), primary assists, penalties drawn and taken, and faceoffs. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 8 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0.0 | 18:07 | 100.0 | -0.02 |
| 2025-26 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 39 | 2 | 5 | 7 | -10 | 10 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 5.6 | 12:44 | 100.0 | -0.13 |
| 2026-27 | Pittsburgh Penguins | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | +3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 50.0 | 13:50 | — | +1.00 |
| Career | 3 seasons | 48 | 3 | 12 | 15 | -7 | 14 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 5.7 | 13:39 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.
Usage
Last game: @ PHI, Sep 30
Line 4 with Filip Hallander and Hendrix Lapierre (6:28 together at 5-on-5) · PP2
From the NHL's shift chart.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- The Penguins new-look defense will get its first big test this weekend
pensburgh.com · Oct 2
- Filip Hallander, Ville Koivunen and Hendrix Lapierre make things ‘fun’ for the Penguins
community.triblive.com · Oct 1
- Penguins Grades: Brilliant Performances and Great Third Line
pittsburghhockeynow.com · Oct 1
- PIT@PHI: Koivunen scores goal against Dan Vladar | Pittsburgh Penguins
NHL.com · Oct 1
- Penguins Forward Enters Training Camp in an Interesting Position
BrlanskyPods.podbean.com · Sep 11
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 -0.04 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2026-27, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 17.6 mph
- 0th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 0
- Hardest shot
- 30.1 mph
- 8th pct
- Distance
- 2.1 mi
- OZ time
- 48.4%
- 88th pct
- DZ time
- 37.0%
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
At 23, forwards typically produce 99% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 27, when the typical level is 96%.
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
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | PIT | $4M | 3.8% |
| 2027-28 | PIT | $4M | 3.5% |
| 2028-29 | PIT | $4M | — |
| 2029-30 | PIT | $4M | — |
| 2030-31 | PIT | $4M | — |
UFA after 2030-31. $20M 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).