PuckSleuth
33Cap hit
$875K
0.8% of $104M cap
Term
1 yr
Through 2026-27, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$2.218M
vs. $3.093M market estimate
Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source
2026-27 regular season
GP
1
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
0
0.00 per game
TOI/GP
18:48
PP 0:00 · PK 4:08
Plus/minus
0
Hits
1
Blocks 1
PIM
0
Game Score
+0.01
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 @ TOR · W 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 18:48 | 0:00 | 4:08 | — | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +0.01 |
| Apr 25 vs CAR · L 4-2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 16:01 | 0:11 | 4:42 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.01 |
| Apr 23 vs CAR · L 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 19:21 | 0:00 | 4:02 | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | +0.31 |
| Apr 20 @ CAR · OTL 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 31:03 | 0:00 | 0:30 | — | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | +0.06 |
| Apr 18 @ CAR · L 2-0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 17:08 | 0:00 | 4:13 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.30 |
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 · 693 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen
71st percentile
17th percentile
96th percentile
17th percentile
2nd percentile
15th percentile
24th percentile
13th percentile
42nd percentile
30th percentile
13th percentile
4th percentile
29th percentile
47th 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 skating defenseman
Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26
Matinpalo is a quick, physically engaged defender who works hard to force turnovers and disrupt plays in the offensive zone. He moves the puck reliably but rarely initiates offense, fitting best as a steady third-pair contributor.
- Shooting volume
- 27
- Playmaking
- 34
- Zone entries(est.)
- 64
- Forechecking
- 86
- Physicality
- 61
- Defensive impact
- 56
- Puck management
- 65
- Speed
- 89
Where he shoots from
Slot 12% · Mid-range 27% · Perimeter 62%(60 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Elite 89th percentile speed allows quick gap closes and transition play
- Strong 86th percentile forechecking effort creates turnovers and offensive chances
- Solid 65th percentile puck management keeps plays moving through the neutral zone
Watch-outs
- Just 34th percentile playmaking limits his ability to create scoring chances
- Very low 27th percentile shooting volume means minimal direct offensive threat
- Moderate 56th percentile defensive impact suggests room to tighten coverage consistency
Similar style: Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Martin Fehérváry (WSH)
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% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Ottawa Senators | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.0 | 13:04 | — |
| 2025-26 | Ottawa Senators | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 20:53 | — |
| Career | 2 seasons | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0.0 | 16:12 | — |
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
Average +0.03 per game over these 10.
Where his Game Score comes from
+0.15 per game
2025-26 · 50 GP
Season total +7.7, or +0.15 per game.
- Scoring
- +3.1
- Shooting
- +2.8
- 5-on-5 goals
- -0.9
- Defense
- +0.9
- Penalty kill
- -0.2
- Physical play
- +3.7
- 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
- 23.1 mph
- 95th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 44
- Hardest shot
- 92.8 mph
- 65th pct
- Distance
- 105.9 mi
- OZ time
- 40.5%
- 32nd pct
- DZ time
- 42.2%
Usage
Last game: @ TOR, Oct 3
Pair 2 with Tyler Kleven (6:42 together at 5-on-5)
From the NHL's shift chart.
Age curve
At 28: 95% of peak
NHL defensemen · production index
At 28, defensemen typically produce 95% 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 | OTT | $875K | 0.8% |
UFA after 2026-27. $875K 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).