PuckSleuth
73Cap hit
$850K
0.8% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27, then a 1-year extension at $900K
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$2.817M
vs. $3.667M market estimate
Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched
2026-27 regular season
GP
2
Goals
0
Assists
1
1 primary
Points
1
0.50 per game
TOI/GP
10:41
PP 0:00 · PK 1:00
Plus/minus
+1
Hits
0
Blocks 3
PIM
5
Game Score
+0.54
per game
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 3 vs CHI · W 4-3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8:28 | 0:00 | 0:54 | — | 50 | 0 | 0 | +2 | +0.99 |
| Oct 1 @ CBJ · L 6-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12:54 | 0:00 | 1:05 | — | 100 | 1 | 0 | -1 | +0.08 |
| May 18 vs MTL · OTL 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3:25 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.04 |
| May 16 @ MTL · W 8-3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12:19 | 0:33 | 0:17 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | +1.01 |
| Apr 15 vs DAL · OTL 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 14:43 | 1:28 | 1:03 | — | 67 | 1 | 1 | -1 | -0.23 |
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 · 439 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
46th percentile
34th percentile
88th percentile
23rd percentile
25th percentile
25th percentile
99th percentile
32nd percentile
19th percentile
47th percentile
61st percentile
14th percentile
99th percentile
53rd 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 rush specialist
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Metsa is a defensive defenseman who generates chances through aggressive forechecking and carries the puck into the zone with unusual skill for his position. He plays a low-event style focused on defense and pressure rather than offensive generation.
- Shooting volume
- 21
- Playmaking
- 0
- Zone entries(est.)
- 85
- Forechecking
- 70
- Physicality
- 11
- Defensive impact
- 72
- Puck management
- 16
- Speed
- 22
Where he shoots from
Slot 11% · Mid-range 26% · Perimeter 63%(35 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Elite at pushing the puck into the zone via rush chances (85th percentile)
- Strong defensive impact and presence when on ice (72nd percentile)
- Active and intense on the forecheck (70th percentile)
Watch-outs
- Virtually no playmaking ability from the back end (0th percentile)
- Rarely shoots the puck or contributes offense (21st percentile shooting volume)
- Limited physical engagement for a defenseman (11th percentile physicality)
Similar style: Dennis Cholowski, Dmitry Kulikov (FLA)
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
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | GWG | SOG | S% | TOI | FO% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Buffalo Sabres | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100.0 | 7:52 | — |
| Career | 1 seasons | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100.0 | 7:52 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- Sabres rally for late win against shorthanded Blackhawks
diebytheblade.com · Oct 4
- Sabres’ Lindy Ruff after Zach Metsa fight: ‘I don’t even know what Olivier was thinking’ - The Athletic
nytimes.com · Oct 2
- Sabres’ Lindy Ruff after Zach Metsa fight: ‘I don’t even know what Olivier was thinking’
nytimes.com · Oct 2
- Metsa | Postgame at CBJ
nhl.com · Oct 2
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 +0.23 per game over these 10.
Where his Game Score comes from
+0.21 per game
2025-26 · 43 GP
Season total +8.9, or +0.21 per game.
- Scoring
- +4.0
- Shooting
- +1.8
- 5-on-5 goals
- +2.4
- Defense
- +0.1
- Penalty kill
- +0.2
- Physical play
- +1.6
- Puck battles
- -1.1
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
- 21.1 mph
- 28th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 9
- Hardest shot
- 92.0 mph
- 59th pct
- Distance
- 67.6 mi
- OZ time
- 40.7%
- 34th pct
- DZ time
- 40.2%
Usage
Last game: vs CHI, Oct 3
Pair 3 with Louis Crevier (6:48 together at 5-on-5)
From the NHL's shift chart.
Age curve
At 27: 97% of peak
NHL defensemen · production index
At 27, defensemen typically produce 97% 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
2 seasons left
| Season | Team | Cap hit | % of cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | BUF | $850K | 0.8% |
| 2027-28New deal | BUF | $900K | 0.8% |
$1.75M 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).