PuckSleuth
Ville Koivunen41

Pittsburgh Penguins · Right wing · Shoots L

Ville Koivunen

Age 23 · 6'0" · 186 lb · Born in Oulu, FIN

Cap hit

$4M

3.8% of $104M cap

Term

5 yrs

Through 2030-31, then UFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

−$937K

vs. $3.063M 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

Plus/minus

+3

Hits

0

Blocks 0

PIM

0

Game Score

+1.66

per game

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

GameGASOGHITBLKTOIPPPKFOOZS%GVTK+/-GS
Sep 30
@ PHI · W 7-0
1020013:502:420:00—10000+3+1.66
Apr 14
@ STL · L 7-5
0020118:093:030:00—020-2+0.16
Apr 12
@ WSH · L 3-0
0010011:390:000:00—25130+0.24
Apr 11
vs WSH · L 6-3
0000017:490:000:00——11-1-0.14
Mar 28
vs DAL · L 6-3
0010011:361:310:00—10001-1+0.01

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 · 445 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards

xGF%57.7%

95th percentile

Relative xGF%+10.4

99th percentile

HDCF%55.2%

79th percentile

CF%57.2%

95th percentile

Relative CF%+7.9

99th percentile

FF%56.4%

94th percentile

GF%35.7%

10th percentile

CF/6067.1

92nd percentile

CA/6050.1

91st percentile

ixG/600.70

22nd percentile

Goals above expected-3.2

18th percentile

IPP30.0%

2nd percentile

PDO93.6

2nd percentile

OZS%67.3%

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.

Defensive anchorPuck-safeLow-volume scorer
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.

Career stats

From the NHL's player records

SeasonLeagueTeamGPGAP+/-PIM
2015-16WSI U13Finland Selects U1374711—6
2018-19U16 SM-sarjaKärpät U1618132740—4
2018-19 (playoffs)U16 SM-sarjaKärpät U16761218—0
2019-20U18 SM-sarjaKärpät U1837274471—20
2019-20WHC-17Finland U175022—2
2020-21U20 SM-sarjaKärpät U2038232649+2916
2020-21WJC-18Finland U1874610-20
2020-21 (playoffs)U20 SM-sarjaKärpät U20504400
2021-22LiigaKärpät53111829-1120
2021-22WJC-20Finland U206000+10
2021-22 (playoffs)LiigaKärpät610100
2022-23LiigaKärpät52121628+926
2022-23WJC-20Finland U205022+20
2022-23AHLChicago Wolves12101-34
2022-23 (playoffs)LiigaKärpät301100
2023-24LiigaKärpät59223456+726
2023-24EHTFinland2000+10
2023-24 (playoffs)LiigaKärpät125813+314
2023-24 (playoffs)AHLWilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins211202
2024-25NHLPittsburgh Penguins807704
2024-25AHLWilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins63213556+252
2024-25 (playoffs)AHLWilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins202202
2025-26NHLPittsburgh Penguins39257-1010
2025-26AHLWilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins34132841+1242
2025-26 (playoffs)AHLWilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins15459+46
2026-27NHLPittsburgh Penguins1101+30

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

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 +0.21 per game over these 10.

Where his Game Score comes from

+0.18 per game

2025-26 · 39 GP

Season total +7.1, or +0.18 per game.

Scoring
+4.7
Shooting
+2.7
5-on-5 goals
-1.2
Defense
+0.6
Physical play
+0.8
Puck battles
-0.3
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.

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%

Usage

Last game: vs MTL, Oct 3

Not on a regular line last game.

From the NHL's shift chart.

Age curve

At 23: 99% of peak

NHL forwards · production index

202937

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

SeasonTeamCap hit% of cap
2026-27PIT$4M3.8%
2027-28PIT$4M3.5%
2028-29PIT$4M—
2029-30PIT$4M—
2030-31PIT$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).