PuckSleuth
63Cap hit
$1M
1.0% of $104M cap
Term
2 yrs
Through 2027-28, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$1.878M
vs. $2.878M market estimate
Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched
2026-27 regular season
GP
2
Goals
1
50.0% shooting
Assists
1
1 primary
Points
2
1.00 per game
TOI/GP
15:07
PP 0:06 · PK 2:13
xGF%
44.6
5v5, +1.4 vs. last yr
Game Score
+0.71
per game
Faceoff %
—
9 W · 13 L
Plus/minus
-1
Blocks 2 · Hits 0
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1 vs EDM · L 9-7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13:36 | 0:11 | 2:27 | 5-3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | -2 | -0.26 |
| Sep 29 @ EDM · W 6-5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 16:37 | 0:00 | 1:58 | 4-10 | 25 | 1 | 1 | +1 | +1.68 |
| Apr 11 @ SJS · W 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12:24 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 100 | 1 | 0 | 0 | -0.02 |
| Apr 9 @ LAK · L 4-1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12:43 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 100 | 1 | 1 | -2 | -0.15 |
| Apr 7 vs VGK · L 2-1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10:57 | 0:00 | 0:00 | 1-0 | — | 0 | 0 | +1 | +1.22 |
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 · 713 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
11th percentile
45th percentile
15th percentile
51st percentile
74th percentile
39th percentile
11th percentile
32nd percentile
73rd percentile
20th percentile
91st percentile
86th percentile
13th percentile
77th 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 styleSpeedster energy player
Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26
Max Sasson is an elite-level skater who can create separation and get up the ice quickly, but struggles to generate consistent offense and impact plays with the puck. He's a high-motor forward whose primary value comes from his rare foot speed rather than tangible contributions in shooting, playmaking, or possession.
- Shooting volume
- 23
- Playmaking
- 17
- Zone entries(est.)
- 61
- Forechecking
- 19
- Physicality
- 40
- Defensive impact
- 46
- Puck management
- 39
- Speed
- 95
Where he shoots from
Slot 49% · Mid-range 35% · Perimeter 15%(93 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Elite speed (95th percentile) gets him into plays and down the ice quickly
- Solid rush chances (61st percentile) shows he uses his skating to create transition opportunities
- High shot volume from dangerous areas (93rd percentile on unblocked shots) with 49% from the slot
Watch-outs
- Rarely shoots overall (23rd percentile) and doesn't generate goal-scoring chances
- Struggles to create for others (17th percentile playmaking) limits his offensive impact
- Light forechecking activity (19th percentile) suggests minimal engagement in puck pursuit
Similar style: Marat Khusnutdinov (BOS), Fedor Svechkov (COL)
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 · 66 GP
Season total +17.5, or +0.27 per game.
- Scoring
- +16.8
- Shooting
- +4.7
- 5-on-5 goals
- -2.4
- Defense
- -0.9
- Penalty kill
- -0.1
- Physical play
- +2.4
- Puck battles
- -1.3
- Penalties
- -1.1
- Faceoffs
- -0.5
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Vancouver Canucks | 29 | 3 | 4 | 7 | +1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 9.7 | 10:20 | 42.7 | +0.34 |
| 2025-26 | Vancouver Canucks | 66 | 13 | 6 | 19 | -13 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 21.0 | 11:43 | 42.1 | +0.27 |
| 2026-27 | Vancouver Canucks | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 50.0 | 15:07 | 40.9 | +0.71 |
| Career | 3 seasons | 97 | 17 | 11 | 28 | -13 | 28 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 95 | 17.9 | 11:22 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.
Usage
Last game: vs EDM, Oct 1
Line 3 with Brendan Gallagher and Drew O'Connor (5:37 together at 5-on-5)
From the NHL's shift chart.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Max Sasson & the best undrafted Canucks of all time
WWLTV.com · Oct 1
- So Did I Just Watch Max Sasson Shut Down Connor McDavid?
nhltradetalk.com · Sep 30
- VAN@EDM: Sasson scores goal against Tristan Jarry
NHL.com · Sep 30
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 +0.46 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2026-27, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 22.8 mph
- 97th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 8
- Hardest shot
- 58.9 mph
- 29th pct
- Distance
- 2.9 mi
- OZ time
- 36.9%
- 14th pct
- DZ time
- 43.8%
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
At 26, forwards typically produce 98% 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
2 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | VAN | $1M | 1.0% |
| 2027-28 | VAN | $1M | 0.9% |
UFA after 2027-28. $2M 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).