PuckSleuth
39Not on an NHL roster · Center · Shoots R
Waltteri Merela
Age 28 · 6'3" · 210 lb · Born in Ylojarvi, FIN
No contract on file.
2023-24 regular season
GP
19
Goals
1
5.9% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
1
0.05 per game
TOI/GP
9:49
PP 0:01 · PK 0:49
Plus/minus
+2
Hits
32
Blocks 6
PIM
4
Game Score
+0.23
per game
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 27 vs NJD · W 6-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 9:37 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 75 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.14 |
| Jan 25 vs ARI · W 6-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 7:18 | 0:00 | 0:00 | 0-2 | 50 | 0 | 0 | +2 | +0.37 |
| Jan 21 @ DET · L 2-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6:32 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 100 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.10 |
| Jan 20 @ BUF · W 3-1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7:29 | 0:00 | 0:00 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | +0.08 |
| Jan 18 vs MIN · W 7-3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 7:26 | 0:00 | 0:00 | 1-0 | 67 | 0 | 0 | +1 | +1.27 |
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 · 2023-24 · 168 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
49th percentile
46th percentile
96th percentile
54th percentile
43rd percentile
39th percentile
98th percentile
8th percentile
98th percentile
7th percentile
48th percentile
1st percentile
93rd percentile
35th 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 style
Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2023-24
- Shooting volume
- 10
- Playmaking
- 0
- Zone entries(est.)
- 4
- Forechecking
- 88
- Physicality
- 85
- Defensive impact
- 100
- Puck management
- 32
- Speed
- —
Where he shoots from
Slot 53% · Mid-range 42% · Perimeter 5%(19 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Defensive impact: 100th percentile among centers.
- Forechecking: 88th percentile among centers.
- Physicality: 85th percentile among centers.
Watch-outs
- Playmaking: 0th percentile among centers.
- Zone entries: 4th percentile among centers (estimate).
Similar style: Ben Meyers (SEA), Nikita Alexandrov
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. A written scouting summary appears once Claude play-style writing is switched on.
Career stats
From the NHL's player records
No seasons on record yet.
Every league he has played in, from the NHL's records, regular season and playoffs.
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 +0.28 per game over these 10.
Where his Game Score comes from
+0.23 per game
2023-24 · 19 GP
Season total +4.3, or +0.23 per game.
- Scoring
- +1.0
- Shooting
- +1.3
- 5-on-5 goals
- +0.3
- Defense
- +0.4
- Physical play
- +0.9
- 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
No NHL EDGE data yet. It refreshes weekly.
Age curve
At 28: 93% of peak
NHL forwards · production index
At 28, forwards typically produce 93% 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
No contract on file
No contract on file.