PuckSleuth
78Tampa Bay Lightning · Defense · Shoots L
Emil Lilleberg
Age 25 · 6'3" · 210 lb · Born in Sarpsborg, NOR
Cap hit
$800K
0.8% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$3.744M
vs. $4.544M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2025-26 regular season
GP
50
Goals
4
9.3% shooting
Assists
8
3 primary
Points
12
0.24 per game
TOI/GP
17:18
PP 0:02 · PK 1:37
xGF%
54.6
5v5, +5.8 vs. last yr
Game Score
+0.00
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
Plus/minus
+15
Blocks 45 · Hits 96
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 3 vs MTL · L 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 15:42 | 0:00 | 1:16 | — | 63 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.02 |
| May 1 @ MTL · W 1-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 16:26 | 0:00 | 2:46 | — | 67 | 2 | 0 | +1 | +0.04 |
| Apr 29 vs MTL · L 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 15:47 | 0:00 | 1:44 | — | 60 | 0 | 0 | -2 | -0.03 |
| Apr 26 @ MTL · W 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 13:43 | 0:02 | 2:33 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.08 |
| Apr 24 @ MTL · OTL 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14:27 | 0:00 | 2:19 | — | 100 | 0 | 0 | -2 | -0.24 |
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 · 760 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
86th percentile
48th percentile
86th percentile
72nd percentile
30th percentile
71st percentile
88th percentile
41st percentile
90th percentile
50th percentile
75th percentile
30th percentile
89th percentile
72nd 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 stylePhysical transition defender
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Lilleberg plays a grinding, physical style anchored by strong defensive instincts and excellent ability to jump into the rush with speed and timing. He generates chances through attacking transitions rather than passing or shooting, but offers limited offensive creation from the blue line.
- Shooting volume
- 32
- Playmaking
- 27
- Zone entries(est.)
- 87
- Forechecking
- 20
- Physicality
- 80
- Defensive impact
- 77
- Puck management
- 36
- Speed
- 60
Where he shoots from
Slot 15% · Mid-range 13% · Perimeter 72%(71 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Exceptional rush chances generator at 87th percentile, leading the transition game
- Elite defensive impact at 77th percentile with strong positioning and gap control
- Commanding physicality at 80th percentile sets the tone on the back end
Watch-outs
- Weak forechecking at 20th percentile limits his ability to generate offensive possession
- Minimal playmaking touch at 27th percentile, rarely setting up chances from the point
- Low shooting volume at 32nd percentile means few direct scoring threats
Similar style: Jonathan Aspirot (BOS), Jake Bean
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 · 50 GP · goals above average
Season total +0.0 goals, or +0.00 per game.
- Even strength offense
- +0.3
- Even strength defense
- +0.8
- Penalty kill
- +0.3
- Finishing
- +1.4
- Playmaking
- -1.4
- Penalties
- -1.5
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 37 | 0 | 5 | 5 | -15 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 0.0 | 16:12 | — | -0.08 |
| 2024-25 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 76 | 1 | 18 | 19 | -1 | 105 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 46 | 2.2 | 15:17 | — | -0.06 |
| 2025-26 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 50 | 4 | 8 | 12 | +15 | 61 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 43 | 9.3 | 17:18 | — | +0.00 |
| 2026-27 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 10:30 | — | — |
| Career | 4 seasons | 164 | 5 | 32 | 37 | -1 | 187 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 121 | 4.1 | 16:05 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.
Usage
Last game: @ NYR, Oct 1
Not on a regular line last game.
From the NHL's shift chart.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Every Tampa Bay Lightning Milestone To Watch During The 2026-27 Season
boltsbreakdown.substack.com · Sep 28
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 +0.00 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 21.8 mph
- 54th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 32
- Hardest shot
- 89.7 mph
- 45th pct
- Distance
- 119.5 mi
- OZ time
- 40.4%
- 31st pct
- DZ time
- 41.0%
Age curve
NHL defensemen · production index
At 25, defensemen 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
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | TBL | $800K | 0.8% |
$800K 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).