Not on an NHL roster · Defense · Shoots R

Joel Nystrom

Age 24 · 5'11" · 178 lb · Born in Karlstad, SWE

Cap hit

$1.225M

1.2% of $104M cap

Term

4 yrs

Through 2029-30, then UFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

—

needs 40 recent games

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2025-26 regular season

Goals

2.3% shooting

Assists

7 primary

Points

0.26 per game

TOI/GP

15:11

PP 0:03 · PK 1:07

Plus/minus

Hits

Blocks 22

PIM

Game Score

+0.30

per game

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

Game	G	A	SOG	HIT	BLK	TOI	PP	PK	FO	OZS%	GV	+/-	GS
Apr 14 @ NYI · W 2-1	0	1	0	1	1	15:51	0:00	1:04	—	60	1	+1	+1.06
Jan 24 @ OTT · W 4-1	0	0	1	0	0	9:40	0:00	0:08	—	50	1	+1	+0.30
Jan 22 vs CHI · OTL 4-3	1	0	2	0	0	10:43	0:00	0:00	—	100	0	0	+0.94
Jan 19 vs BUF · W 2-1	0	0	1	0	0	13:08	0:00	0:00	—	100	1	0	+0.07
Jan 17 @ NJD · W 4-1	0	0	1	0	0	12:10	0:00	0:00	—	67	1	0	-0.03

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 · 518 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen

xGF%58.8%

98th percentile

Relative xGF%+2.4

75th percentile

HDCF%59.6%

92nd percentile

CF%59.5%

98th percentile

Relative CF%+0.1

58th percentile

FF%57.4%

96th percentile

GF%59.5%

89th percentile

CF/6069.3

95th percentile

CA/6047.2

98th percentile

ixG/600.16

35th percentile

Goals above expected-0.4

34th percentile

IPP40.0%

71st percentile

PDO101.2

70th percentile

OZS%69.3%

99th 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 styleCreative rush playmaker

Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26

Nystrom is an elite distributor who creates offense through exceptional puck movement and rushing chances. He plays a finesse game from the perimeter, though his physical limitations and occasional sloppy possession work can slow his impact.

Elite playmakerRush specialistPerimeter shooter

Shooting volume: 70
Playmaking: 92
Zone entries(est.): 99
Forechecking: 40
Physicality: 1
Defensive impact: 55
Puck management: 21
Speed: 36

Where he shoots from

Slot 0% · Mid-range 22% · Perimeter 78%(63 unblocked shots)

Strengths

Exceptional playmaking ranks 92nd percentile, recording nine assists in 38 games
Outstanding rush chance creation at 99th percentile drives offensive opportunities
Above-average shooting volume at 70th percentile despite limited ice time

Watch-outs

Physical play ranks only 1st percentile, limiting his defensive deterrent value
Puck management at 21st percentile shows occasional careless possession decisions
Forechecking effort at 40th percentile means less pressure down low

Similar style: Mason Lohrei (BOS), Henri Jokiharju

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

NHL regular season NHL playoffs All leagues

No NHL playoff games yet.

Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team.

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

+0.4

+0.4MTL1/1

-0.2COL1/3

+0.4

+0.4NJD1/4

-0.0DAL1/6

+0.2

+0.2ANA1/8

-0.0NJD1/17

+0.1

+0.1BUF1/19

+0.9

+0.9CHI1/22

+0.3

+0.3OTT1/24

+1.1

+1.1NYI4/14

Average +0.30 per game over these 10.

Where his Game Score comes from

+0.30 per game

2025-26 · 38 GP

Season total +11.4, or +0.30 per game.

Scoring: +6.9
Shooting: +3.2
5-on-5 goals: +1.2
Defense: +0.4
Penalty kill: +0.1
Physical play: +1.3
Puck battles: -1.4
Penalties: -0.4

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: 21.3 mph; 37th pct
20+ mph bursts: 14
Hardest shot: 89.4 mph; 44th pct
Distance: 83.7 mi
OZ time: 44.7%; 89th pct
DZ time: 37.0%

Age curve

At 24: 100% of peak

NHL defensemen · production index

202937

At 24, defensemen typically produce 100% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 27, when the typical level is 97%.

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

4 seasons left

Season	Team	Cap hit	% of cap
2026-27	CAR	$1.225M	1.2%
2027-28	CAR	$1.225M	1.1%
2028-29	CAR	$1.225M	—
2029-30	CAR	$1.225M	—

UFA after 2029-30. $4.9M 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).