Austin
Watson
L · Balanced · Very poor
- PAL
- 13
- WAR
- -0.1
- PTS
- 4
2023-24№ 475 / 608
Austin Watson stats, profile and latest news: offensive production, ice time, advanced stats and headlines.
Austin Watson
Retired 2026#24L
HEIGHT : 193 cm · WEIGHT : 92 kg · SHOOTS : R
Born : January 12, 1992 · Ann Arbor, United States
Drafted : 2010 · NSH · round 1, pick #18
NHL record
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Detroit Red Wings | 13 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 17 |
| 2023-24 | Tampa Bay Lightning | 33 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 93 |
| 2022-23 | Ottawa Senators | 75 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 123 |
| 2021-22 | Ottawa Senators | 67 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 91 |
| 2020-21 | Ottawa Senators | 34 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 40 |
| 2019-20 | Nashville Predators | 53 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 65 |
| 2018-19 | Nashville Predators | 37 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 39 |
| 2017-18 | Nashville Predators | 76 | 14 | 5 | 19 | 123 |
| 2016-17 | Nashville Predators | 77 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 99 |
| 2015-16 | Nashville Predators | 57 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 32 |
| 2012-13 | Nashville Predators | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| NHL totals | 528 | 63 | 58 | 121 | 722 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | Nashville Predators | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 2018-19 | Nashville Predators | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 2017-18 | Nashville Predators | 13 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 12 |
| 2016-17 | Nashville Predators | 22 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 28 |
| Playoff totals | 45 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 48 | |
Austin Watson: our analysis
2023-24 season: 33 GP, 2 G, 2 A, 4 PTS, +2 +/-, 7:16 TOI. WAR -0.1 (475th of 608) · PAL 13, very poor.
In 2023-24, Austin Watson, 34, posts a PAL Rating of 13 out of 100 (very poor), and his WAR of -0.1 ranks 475th among 608 regulars, in the bottom quarter.
His strengths: defense (70, above average). On the other hand, discipline (2, among the weakest in the league) and possession (9, among the weakest in the league) hold him back.
Breaking down his WAR (goals above average), his biggest contribution: finishing (+0.6); his biggest cost: EV offense (-1.3).
A marked decline: his PAL was 29 in 2022-23, against 13 now; his WAR, though, went from -0.1 to -0.1.
Austin Watson's story
Growing up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Austin Watson made a name for himself early with quick skating and an instinct for the physical side of the wing. As a youth he skated in the Quebec pee‑wee tournament with Detroit Compuware before choosing the OHL route over a verbal commitment to the University of Maine.
Watson joined the Windsor Spitfires for 2008‑09, contributing to the club’s run to the J. Ross Robertson Cup and the Memorial Cup title. A mid‑season trade sent him to the Peterborough Petes, where increased opportunity followed despite a broken ankle sustained at the CHL Top Prospects Game. His OHL work led to him being selected 18th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Nashville Predators.
Turning pro in 2012‑13, Watson split time between the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals and the Predators, scoring his first NHL goal on April 23, 2013. He developed into a bottom‑six winger known for penalty killing and physical play, and played a role in Nashville’s 2016‑17 run to the Stanley Cup Final. Nashville re‑signed him to a three‑year deal following that stretch.
Watson later joined the Ottawa Senators, where he was regularly used on the fourth line and on the penalty kill, before earning a one‑year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning after a successful professional tryout. He then accepted a training‑camp invitation from the Detroit Red Wings and was assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, while making several recalls to Detroit during the season.
Internationally, Watson represented the United States at under‑18 tournaments, appearing at the 2009 Ivan Hlinka event and at the 2010 World U18 Championships, where the U.S. won gold; he was assessed an early game ejection in the title contest. On the ice he is defined by physical wing play, forechecking willingness and a consistent role on the penalty kill.
Facts drawn from Wikipédia, told in our own words.
Advanced stats
- TOI/GP
- 7:51
- PP TOI/GP
- 0:04
- SH TOI/GP
- 0:00
- Pts/GP
- 0.23
- EV points
- 3
- Hits
- 36
- Blocks
- 2
- Takeaways
- 1
- Corsi % (SAT)
- 49.7 %
- Off. zone starts
- 35.8 %
- Faceoffs
- 66.7 %
Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)
Player ratings, 2023-24
All ratings →Fourteen ratings from 0 to 100 drawn from data, never by hand: 75 = established NHL player, 95+ = elite.
OV · OverallConfidence 50 %
49
Replacement or prospect
- SK
- Skating
- 72
- Confidence 67 %
- ST
- Strength
- 81
- Confidence 55 %
- EN
- Endurance
- 35
- Confidence 67 %
- DU
- Durability
- 65
- Confidence 67 %
- CK
- Checking
- 88
- Confidence 55 %
- FG
- Fighting
- 96
- Confidence 40 %
- DI
- Discipline
- 56
- Confidence 55 %
- FO
- Faceoffs
- —
- PA
- Passing
- 50
- Confidence 50 %
- SC
- Scoring
- 64
- Confidence 50 %
- DF
- Defense
- 81
- Confidence 45 %
- PS
- Penalty shot
- 76
- Confidence 0 %
- EX
- Experience
- 84
- Confidence 100 %
Why these ratings?Hide details
SK — Skating72
- Top speed (35 %)35.8 · 73
- Bursts > 20 mph /60 (30 %)5.184 · 75
- Distance /60 (20 %)15.7 · 70
- Speed consistency (15 %)34.7 · 65
ST — Strength81
- Contact absorbed /60 (50 %)5.399 · 80
- Body mass (50 %)0.307 · 79
EN — Endurance35
- Ice time per game (45 %)10.9 · 47
- Total ice time (20 %)236 · 35
- Shift length (15 %)39.2 · 45
- Lowest recent ice time per game (15 %)9.436 · 35
- Special-teams time per game (5 %)1.613 · 66
DU — Durability65
- Share of games played (100 %)0.727 · 65
CK — Checking88
- Hits /60 (70 %)10.8 · 89
- Lowest seasonal rate (20 %)9.078 · 87
- Season volume (10 %)4.454 · 77
FG — Fighting96
- Fights per 82 games (100 %)3.421 · 96
DI — Discipline56
- Net penalty value /60 (50 %)-0.045 · 57
- Penalties taken /60 (30 %)1.143 · 57
- Penalties drawn /60 (20 %)0.874 · 79
PA — Passing50
- Primary assists /60 (40 %)0.445 · 56
- Secondary assists /60 (20 %)0.322 · 60
- Offensive creation (RAPM) (20 %)-0.115 · 53
- Power-play points /60 (10 %)4.492 · 78
- Assist consistency (10 %)0.325 · 57
SC — Scoring64
- Goals /60 (25 %)0.805 · 70
- Individual xG /60 (20 %)0.674 · 56
- Finishing (goals − xG per shot) (20 %)0.242 · 79
- High-danger chances /60 (15 %)0.917 · 55
- xG per shot (10 %)0.076 · 65
- Shot attempts /60 (10 %)12.6 · 65
DF — Defense81
- RAPM defense /60 (35 %)0.013 · 76
- Relative xG against (20 %)-0.161 · 82
- On-ice xG against /60 (15 %)2.576 · 81
- Penalty kill /60 (10 %)0.013 · 80
- Takeaways − giveaways /60 (10 %)0.209 · 74
- Shot attempts against /60 (5 %)56.9 · 85
- Blocked shots /60 (5 %)3.631 · 93
PS — Penalty shot76
- Shootouts (60 %)31.9 · 76
- Penalty shots (40 %)30.9 · 76
EX — Experience84
- Career regular-season games (65 %)88
- Career playoff games (25 %)72
- NHL seasons (10 %)87
OV — Overall49
- SC · Scoring (28 %)64
- PA · Passing (22 %)50
- DF · Defense (18 %)81
- SK · Skating (12 %)72
- EN · Endurance (8 %)35
- DI · Discipline (5 %)56
- ST · Strength (4 %)81
- CK · Checking (3 %)88
| Season | OV | SK | SC | DF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 49 | 72 | 64 | 81 |
| 2022-23 | 48 | 66 | 60 | 80 |
The bars show confidence (sample size), not player quality. — : not enough data, not a zero. Engine version 1.0.
WAR and PAL ratings, 2023-24
How we rate →PAL Rating scores performance from 0 to 100 against players at the same position (50 = average player), starting from the player's strength, offensive or defensive. Value Rating compares that performance with what the player costs: 50 means paid what the play is worth.
PAL Rating
13/ 100
Performance · Very poor
400 of 464 at the position
Value Rating
—/ 100
Season cap hit unknown
ProfileBalancedNeither end dominates
- Offense
- 11
- Defense
- 48
See full detailsHide details
- Offense
- 23
- Creation
- 9
- Shooting
- 29
- Possession
- 9
- Defense
- 70
- Discipline
- 2
- Power play
- 40
- Penalty kill
- 29
From 0 to 100; 50 is the average player at the same position, adjusted for ice time.
| Season | Team | WAR | PAL | Value | Cap hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | TBL | -0.1 | 13 | — | — |
| 2022-23 | OTT | -0.1 | 29 | — | — |
WAR, 2024-25
How it's calculated →Wins added to the team, compared with a replacement-level player called up from the AHL.
0.3
wins above replacement
-0.1 to 0.8 — 90% interval
267 of 596 forwards
+1.7 goals above replacement
Full leaderboard →See full detailsHide details
- EV offense
- -0.4
- EV defense
- -0.0
- Power play
- 0.0
- Penalty kill
- 0.0
- Shooting
- +2.1
- Penalties
- -0.2
- Average → replacement
- +0.2
In goals.
| Season | Team | GP | WAR | 90% interval | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | DET | 10 | 0.3 | -0.1 to 0.8 | 267/596 |
| 2023-24 | TBL | 33 | -0.1 | -0.5 to 0.5 | 475/608 |
| 2022-23 | OTT | 75 | -0.1 | -1.0 to 0.7 | 463/617 |
Player tracking (NHL EDGE)
League EDGE leaderboards →Speed, shot power, distance covered, time by zone: measured by chips in the puck and shoulder pads. 90th percentile = better than 90% of players.
- Hardest shot
- 119.9 km/h8th percentileleague avg. 135.1 km/h
- Top skating speed
- 34.8 km/h23rd percentileleague avg. 35.7 km/h
- Bursts over 20 mph, season
- 816th percentileleague avg. 76
- Offensive zone time
- 37.1 %2nd percentileleague avg. 42.3 %
See full detailsHide details
- Total distance, season
- 27.9 km18th percentileleague avg. 204.5 km
- Distance, single-game high
- 3.82 km24th percentileleague avg. 4.67 km
- Offensive zone at 5v5
- 36.7 %0th percentileleague avg. 41.3 %
- Neutral zone time
- 19.1 %99th percentileleague avg. 17.8 %
- Defensive zone time
- 43.8 %8th percentileleague avg. 39.8 %
Shooting
| Shots on goal | Goals | Shooting % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 1321st percentile | 331st percentile | 23.1 %100th percentile |
| High danger | 316th percentile | 230th percentile | 66.7 %100th percentile |
| Mid range | 523rd percentile | 133rd percentile | 20.0 %94th percentile |
| Long range | 115th percentile | 00th percentile | 0.0 %0th percentile |
Shots on goal by zone
2024-2025 regular season. Measured by puck and player tracking chips; the percentile ranks the player within the league.
Last 5 games
| Date | Opponent | G | A | PTS | +/- | TOI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 17, 2025 | @ TOR | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14:00 |
| April 16, 2025 | @ NJD | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7:12 |
| April 14, 2025 | vs DAL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10:14 |
| April 11, 2025 | @ TBL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9:52 |
| April 10, 2025 | @ FLA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11:31 |
Austin Watson: frequently asked questions
How many goals does Austin Watson have in 2024-25?
Austin Watson has 3 goals and 3 points (0 assists) in 13 games in 2024-25.
How old is Austin Watson?
Austin Watson is 34 years old: he was born on January 13, 1992.
How tall is Austin Watson, and how much does he weigh?
Austin Watson is 6'4" (193 cm) and weighs 203 lb (92 kg).
Where is Austin Watson from?
United States: Austin Watson was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States.
How good is Austin Watson?
Austin Watson produced 0.3 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2024-25, 267th of 596 players at his position in the NHL.
Is Austin Watson a top-10 player at his position?
No: by WAR, he ranks 267th of 596 players at his position in the NHL in 2024-25. Our comparison tool puts him side by side with any other player.
Is Austin Watson getting better?
No, he is slipping: his PAL rating went from 29 in 2022-23 to 13 in 2023-24 (out of 100, 50 = average player at his position).
What are Austin Watson's career stats?
Over his NHL career, Austin Watson has 528 games, 63 goals, 58 assists and 121 points. His best season: 2017-18, with 19 points in 76 games.
Where was Austin Watson drafted?
Austin Watson was drafted 18th overall (round 1) by Nashville Predators in 2010.
How does Austin Watson perform in the playoffs?
In the playoffs, Austin Watson has 45 games and 19 points in his career. His pace (0.42 points per game) is higher than his regular-season pace (0.23).
Is Austin Watson married?
Yes, married to Jenn Watson (2023).
What is Austin Watson's nationality?
Austin Watson is American. Internationally: United States — selected to the U.S. national U18 select team (2009 Ivan Hlinka Tournament); selected to the U.S. national team at the 2010 IIHF World U18 Championship (United States won gold).
What awards has Austin Watson won?
Wayne Gretzky 99 Award (OHL Playoff MVP) — with the London Knights.
How many championships has Austin Watson won?
3: J. Ross Robertson Cup (OHL) — won with the Windsor Spitfires; Memorial Cup (CHL champions) — with the Windsor Spitfires; J. Ross Robertson Cup (OHL) — won with the London Knights.
Where did Austin Watson play before turning pro?
Windsor Spitfires (played until traded on January 11, 2010), Peterborough Petes (traded January 11, 2010; played until traded January 9, 2012), London Knights (traded January 9, 2012).
NHL.com ↗ · Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)