PuckSleuth
49Dallas Stars · Center · Shoots L
Justin Hryckowian
Age 25 · 5'11" · 198 lb · Born in L'Ile-Bizard, CAN
Cap hit
$950K
0.9% of $104M cap
Term
2 yrs
Through 2027-28, then UFA
Clause
None
Surplus value
+$2.553M
vs. $3.503M market estimate
Contract details from our records; public announcement not yet matched
2026-27 regular season
GP
1
Goals
0
0.0% shooting
Assists
0
0 primary
Points
0
0.00 per game
TOI/GP
17:12
PP 3:05 · PK 1:05
xGF%
66.1
5v5, +14.3 vs. last yr
Game Score
-0.09
per game, goals above average
Faceoff %
—
8 W · 0 L
Plus/minus
-1
Blocks 0 · Hits 2
Game log
Last 5 games · NHL API
| Game | G | A | SOG | HIT | BLK | TOI | PP | PK | FO | OZS% | GV | TK | +/- | GS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2 vs STL · L 4-0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 17:12 | 3:05 | 1:05 | 8-0 | 80 | 2 | 0 | -1 | -0.09 |
| Apr 30 @ MIN · L 5-2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 15:35 | 0:02 | 1:31 | 5-10 | 43 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.25 |
| Apr 28 vs MIN · L 4-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14:28 | 0:05 | 0:00 | 3-1 | 33 | 1 | 0 | -1 | -0.12 |
| Apr 25 @ MIN · OTL 3-2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 20:10 | 0:00 | 0:25 | 6-1 | 50 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.04 |
| Apr 22 @ MIN · W 4-3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 19:15 | 1:42 | 0:54 | 4-4 | 50 | 0 | 0 | -1 | -0.40 |
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 · 885 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards
70th percentile
55th percentile
83rd percentile
38th percentile
61st percentile
50th percentile
70th percentile
8th percentile
88th percentile
41st percentile
72nd percentile
62nd percentile
61st percentile
23rd 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-minded puck handler
Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26
Hryckowian is a stay-at-home center who excels at puck management and defensive responsibility while generating offense through aggressive forechecking and rush chances. He lacks the shot volume and speed to consistently finish plays, relying on efficiency and positioning rather than high-end offensive skill.
- Shooting volume
- 20
- Playmaking
- 41
- Zone entries(est.)
- 72
- Forechecking
- 71
- Physicality
- 69
- Defensive impact
- 76
- Puck management
- 99
- Speed
- 38
Where he shoots from
Slot 64% · Mid-range 28% · Perimeter 8%(126 unblocked shots)
Strengths
- Exceptional puck management ranks 99th among NHL centers
- Strong defensive impact and forechecking effort both in top 30 percentile
- Gets high-danger chances near the net, 64% of shots from slot
Watch-outs
- Shooting volume in 20th percentile limits offensive upside
- Speed ranks only 38th among centers, affecting transition play
- Playmaking at 41st percentile suggests limited creative passing ability
Similar style: Fraser Minten (BOS), Adam Lowry (WPG)
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 · 81 GP · goals above average
Season total +0.6 goals, or +0.01 per game.
- Even strength offense
- -0.7
- Even strength defense
- +1.2
- Power play
- -0.2
- Penalty kill
- +0.4
- Finishing
- +1.2
- Playmaking
- -1.8
- Penalties
- +0.2
- Faceoffs
- +0.3
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Dallas Stars | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | +1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.0 | 7:53 | 60.0 | +0.04 |
| 2025-26 | Dallas Stars | 81 | 14 | 16 | 30 | +1 | 43 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 83 | 16.9 | 13:18 | 55.1 | +0.01 |
| 2026-27 | Dallas Stars | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 15:51 | 86.7 | -0.09 |
| Career | 3 seasons | 88 | 14 | 17 | 31 | +2 | 43 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 88 | 15.9 | 13:03 | — |
Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.
Usage
Last game: vs STL, Oct 2
Line 1 with Mikko Rantanen and Wyatt Johnston (7:27 together at 5-on-5) · PP2
From the NHL's shift chart.
Latest news
Headlines from news outlets and team blogs
- BONUS: How The Dallas Stars CONTROLLED The St. Louis Blues In Preseason Series
dlls-dallas-stars-podcast.simplecast.com · Sep 22
- Monday Dallas Stars Roundup: The Implications of Sam Steel’s Extension, Colin Blackwell and Matt Duchene Updates, and Dylan Talks Justin Hryckowian
starsthoughts.com · Sep 21
- Glen Gulutzan Talks Seguin, Steel & Hryckowian at Stars Media Day
dlls-dallas-stars-podcast.simplecast.com · Sep 18
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 -0.02 per game over these 10.
Skating · NHL EDGE
2025-26, as of Oct 2
- Top speed
- 22.2 mph
- 46th pct
- 20+ mph bursts
- 76
- Hardest shot
- 85.1 mph
- 52nd pct
- Distance
- 169.2 mi
- OZ time
- 41.1%
- 36th pct
- DZ time
- 41.2%
Age curve
NHL forwards · production index
At 25, forwards typically produce 100% of their peak (age 24). His contract runs through age 26, when the typical level is 98%.
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 | DAL | $950K | 0.9% |
| 2027-28 | DAL | $950K | 0.8% |
UFA after 2027-28. $1.9M 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).