Dennis
Gilbert
D · BUF · Balanced · Below average
- PAL
- 29
- WAR
- -0.0
- Value
- 51
- PTS
- 1
2024-25№ 218 / 314
Dennis Gilbert (Buffalo Sabres) stats and profile: offensive production, ice time, advanced stats, WAR and PAL rating.
Dennis Gilbert
#44D
Buffalo Sabres
HEIGHT : 188 cm · WEIGHT : 98 kg · SHOOTS : L
Born : October 29, 1996 · Buffalo, United States
Drafted : 2015 · CHI · round 3, pick #91
Contract : $850,000 · 2026-27 → 2026-27 · Standard Contract · UFA
NHL record
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | Buffalo Sabres | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| 2025-26 | Ottawa Senators | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 2024-25 | Ottawa Senators | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2024-25 | Buffalo Sabres | 25 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 50 |
| 2023-24 | Calgary Flames | 34 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 16 |
| 2022-23 | Calgary Flames | 23 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 27 |
| 2020-21 | Colorado Avalanche | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 2019-20 | Chicago Blackhawks | 21 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 38 |
| 2018-19 | Chicago Blackhawks | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| NHL totals | 124 | 4 | 19 | 23 | 146 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | Ottawa Senators | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Playoff totals | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | |
Dennis Gilbert: our analysis
2024-25 season: 4 GP, 0 G, 1 A, 1 PTS, 0 +/-, 13:02 TOI. WAR -0.0 (218th of 314) · PAL 29, below average.
In 2024-25, Dennis Gilbert, 30, posts a PAL Rating of 29 out of 100 (below average), and his WAR of -0.0 ranks 218th among 314 regulars, in the bottom half.
His strengths: power play (70, above average) and defense (65, above average). On the other hand, creation (8, among the weakest in the league) and shooting (14, among the weakest in the league) hold him back.
Breaking down his WAR (goals above average), his biggest contribution: EV defense (+0.4); his biggest cost: penalties (-0.5).
A marked decline: his PAL was 51 in 2023-24, against 29 now; his WAR went from 0.2 to -0.0.
Contract-wise, his Value score of 51 (fair value) weighs his output against what he costs: 50 is what that salary should buy.
Dennis Gilbert's story
Born in Buffalo on October 30, 1996, Gilbert split his youth between several sports, deliberately not playing hockey year-round so he could also play lacrosse and football. As a high school sophomore he served as a backup quarterback, a detail that underlines the athletic versatility he brought to hockey as he climbed the development ladder.
He moved up through local junior ranks, skating for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres in the OJHL before joining the Chicago Steel in the USHL. After one USHL season he committed to Notre Dame, where he developed over three collegiate seasons. At Notre Dame he played in NCAA tournament runs and reached the Frozen Four, earning recognition within Hockey East for his defensive play as he became a consistent presence on the blue line.
Gilbert turned pro on April 14, 2018, when he signed a three-year entry-level deal with the Chicago Blackhawks and began splitting time between the NHL and the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs. In October 2020 he was included in a trade to the Colorado Avalanche; his tenure there included NHL appearances, an assignment to the Colorado Eagles and a re-signing for a one-year deal before moving on as a free agent.
Calgary signed Gilbert to a two-year contract in July 2022, and he spent time between the Flames and their AHL affiliate, the Wranglers, registering his first goal for Calgary in February 2023. Subsequent seasons saw short stints with Buffalo and a trade to Ottawa in March 2025, followed by further movement between NHL clubs and AHL affiliates, including playoff action with the Senators organization in 2026.
On the ice, Gilbert is defined by a pragmatic defensive approach: he focuses on clearing danger, making safe outlet passes and providing reliable minutes in defensive deployments. His game leans toward structure and steadiness rather than flashy offence, qualities that have kept him in demand as teams shuffle rosters between the NHL and the AHL.
Facts drawn from Wikipédia, told in our own words.
Advanced stats
- TOI/GP
- 9:55
- PP TOI/GP
- 0:00
- SH TOI/GP
- 0:40
- Pts/GP
- 0.40
- EV points
- 2
- Hits
- 7
- Blocks
- 2
- Takeaways
- 1
- Corsi % (SAT)
- 44.5 %
- Off. zone starts
- 17.5 %
Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)
2026-27 projection
Projected points
5between 2 and 12 (80% range)
- Goals
- 2
- Assists
- 4
- Games
- 23
So far: 2 pts in 5 games. The team has played 17 of 84 games. Projected pace: 0.18 pts per game (last season: 0.13).
The projection follows last season's pace. Tested on 2,265 player seasons (2022-23 to 2025-26): average miss of 9 points over 82 games; for players at 0.9 points per game and up, it ran 5 points high on average.
Trend
Slight decline
- Points per game: 0.21 in 23-24, 0.21 in 24-25
- PAL Rating: 51 → 29
Outlook, age included
↘ Slight declineAge 29: prime years
This is only a projection. It knows nothing about injuries, trades or role changes; one player in five finishes outside the range.
Player ratings, 2024-25
All ratings →Fourteen ratings from 0 to 100 drawn from data, never by hand: 75 = established NHL player, 95+ = elite.
OV · OverallConfidence 49 %
70
Established NHL
- SK
- Skating
- 63
- Confidence 67 %
- ST
- Strength
- 87
- Confidence 55 %
- EN
- Endurance
- 35
- Confidence 75 %
- DU
- Durability
- 47
- Confidence 67 %
- CK
- Checking
- 89
- Confidence 55 %
- FG
- Fighting
- 91
- Confidence 35 %
- DI
- Discipline
- 73
- Confidence 55 %
- FO
- Faceoffs
- —
- PA
- Passing
- 78
- Confidence 49 %
- SC
- Scoring
- 66
- Confidence 49 %
- DF
- Defense
- 79
- Confidence 44 %
- PS
- Penalty shot
- 76
- Confidence 0 %
- EX
- Experience
- 50
- Confidence 100 %
Why these ratings?Hide details
SK — Skating63
- Top speed (35 %)34.2 · 59
- Bursts > 20 mph /60 (30 %)1.399 · 68
- Distance /60 (20 %)14.2 · 73
- Speed consistency (15 %)33.5 · 63
ST — Strength87
- Contact absorbed /60 (50 %)6.37 · 85
- Body mass (50 %)0.796 · 81
EN — Endurance35
- Ice time per game (45 %)14.5 · 35
- Total ice time (20 %)282 · 35
- Shift length (15 %)41.3 · 47
- Lowest recent ice time per game (15 %)12 · 35
- Special-teams time per game (5 %)1.336 · 57
DU — Durability47
- Share of games played (100 %)0.597 · 47
CK — Checking89
- Hits /60 (70 %)7.403 · 90
- Lowest seasonal rate (20 %)6.075 · 89
- Season volume (10 %)4.111 · 75
FG — Fighting91
- Fights per 82 games (100 %)2.157 · 91
DI — Discipline73
- Net penalty value /60 (50 %)-0.044 · 72
- Penalties taken /60 (30 %)0.926 · 59
- Penalties drawn /60 (20 %)0.672 · 93
PA — Passing78
- Primary assists /60 (40 %)0.329 · 71
- Secondary assists /60 (20 %)0.628 · 87
- Offensive creation (RAPM) (20 %)-0.03 · 72
- Power-play points /60 (10 %)4.431 · 81
- Assist consistency (10 %)0.14 · 61
SC — Scoring66
- Goals /60 (25 %)0.164 · 68
- Individual xG /60 (20 %)0.164 · 65
- Finishing (goals − xG per shot) (20 %)0.041 · 74
- High-danger chances /60 (15 %)0.058 · 66
- xG per shot (10 %)0.034 · 74
- Shot attempts /60 (10 %)8.539 · 64
DF — Defense79
- RAPM defense /60 (35 %)0.07 · 79
- Relative xG against (20 %)-0.035 · 75
- On-ice xG against /60 (15 %)2.613 · 74
- Penalty kill /60 (10 %)-0.014 · 74
- Takeaways − giveaways /60 (10 %)-1.384 · 80
- Shot attempts against /60 (5 %)58.6 · 76
- Blocked shots /60 (5 %)5.799 · 87
PS — Penalty shot76
- Shootouts (60 %)32.7 · 76
- Penalty shots (40 %)29.3 · 76
EX — Experience50
- Career regular-season games (65 %)67
- Career playoff games (25 %)0
- NHL seasons (10 %)71
OV — Overall70
- DF · Defense (30 %)79
- PA · Passing (22 %)78
- SK · Skating (12 %)63
- SC · Scoring (12 %)66
- EN · Endurance (9 %)35
- ST · Strength (6 %)87
- DI · Discipline (5 %)73
- CK · Checking (4 %)89
| Season | OV | SK | SC | DF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | 70 | 63 | 66 | 79 |
| 2023-24 | 75 | 70 | 71 | 83 |
| 2022-23 | 78 | 74 | 75 | 82 |
The bars show confidence (sample size), not player quality. — : not enough data, not a zero. Engine version 1.0.
WAR and PAL ratings, 2024-25
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
29/ 100
Performance · Below average
174 of 253 at the position
Value Rating
51/ 100
Fair value
0.83 M$ · expected PAL 29
ProfileBalancedNeither end dominates
- Offense
- 23
- Defense
- 47
See full detailsHide details
- Offense
- 55
- Creation
- 8
- Shooting
- 14
- Possession
- 23
- Defense
- 65
- Discipline
- 55
- Power play
- 70
- Penalty kill
- 31
From 0 to 100; 50 is the average player at the same position, adjusted for ice time.
| Season | Team | WAR | PAL | Value | Cap hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | OTT | -0.0 | 29 | 51 | 0.83 M$ |
| 2023-24 | CGY | 0.2 | 51 | 64 | 0.76 M$ |
| 2022-23 | CGY | 0.4 | 59 | 73 | 0.76 M$ |
Hockey IQ, 2024-25
Rankings and method →The quality of the player's decisions with and against the puck at 5-on-5, against regulars at the same position (50 = average). PAL measures output; IQ measures how the player plays.
Overall IQ
43/ 100
Average
better than 43% of defensemen, offense and defense combined
Offensive IQ
98/ 100
Elite
passing, shots, puck
Defensive IQ
2/ 100
Low
takeaways, discipline, own zone
Overall IQ isn't an average of the two scores: it's the player's rank with offense and defense combined, 131 of 231 defensemen.
See full detailsHide details
Offense
- Playmaking passes
- 74
- Shot selection
- 57
- Penalties drawn
- 100
- Puck management
- 75
Defense
- Takeaways
- 71
- Discipline
- 0
- Safe zone exits
- 23
Percentiles: 80 means better than 80% of regulars at the same position. Play without the puck (positioning, coverage) isn't measured: the NHL doesn't publish that data.
| Season | Team | IQ | Off. | Def. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | OTT | 43 | 98 | 2 |
| 2023-24 | CGY | 45 | 21 | 71 |
| 2022-23 | CGY | 53 | 32 | 73 |
WAR, 2025-26
How it's calculated →Wins added to the team, compared with a replacement-level player called up from the AHL.
-0.0
wins above replacement
-0.1 to 0.0 — 90% interval
222 of 325 defensemen
-0.1 goals above replacement
Full leaderboard →See full detailsHide details
- EV offense
- -0.1
- EV defense
- +0.1
- Power play
- 0.0
- Penalty kill
- 0.0
- Shooting
- -0.1
- Penalties
- -0.2
- Average → replacement
- +0.2
In goals.
| Season | Team | GP | WAR | 90% interval | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | OTT | 8 | -0.0 | -0.1 to 0.0 | 222/325 |
| 2024-25 | OTT | 28 | -0.0 | -0.2 to 0.1 | 218/314 |
| 2023-24 | CGY | 34 | 0.2 | -0.0 to 0.7 | 123/316 |
| 2022-23 | CGY | 23 | 0.4 | 0.1 to 0.7 | 96/334 |
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
- 122.1 km/h7th percentileleague avg. 139.7 km/h
- Top skating speed
- 32.9 km/h20th percentileleague avg. 34.0 km/h
- Bursts over 20 mph, season
- 222nd percentileleague avg. 8
- Offensive zone time
- 41.7 %53rd percentileleague avg. 42.4 %
See full detailsHide details
- Total distance, season
- 11.1 km9th percentileleague avg. 56.1 km
- Distance, single-game high
- 2.46 km2nd percentileleague avg. 4.98 km
- Offensive zone at 5v5
- 41.7 %43rd percentileleague avg. 42.8 %
- Neutral zone time
- 18.2 %56th percentileleague avg. 16.9 %
- Defensive zone time
- 40.1 %54th percentileleague avg. 40.8 %
Shooting
| Shots on goal | Goals | Shooting % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 18th percentile | 172nd percentile | 100.0 %100th percentile |
| High danger | 051st percentile | 084th percentile | 0.0 %0th percentile |
| Mid range | 020th percentile | 073rd percentile | 0.0 %0th percentile |
| Long range | 115th percentile | 195th percentile | 100.0 %100th percentile |
Shots on goal by zone
2026-2027 regular season. Measured by puck and player tracking chips; the percentile ranks the player within the league.
Game log, 2026-27
ANA
WSH
MTL
TORDennis Gilbert: frequently asked questions
How many goals does Dennis Gilbert have in 2026-27?
Dennis Gilbert has 1 goal and 2 points (1 assist) in 5 games in 2026-27.
How old is Dennis Gilbert?
Dennis Gilbert is 30 years old: he was born on October 30, 1996.
How tall is Dennis Gilbert, and how much does he weigh?
Dennis Gilbert is 6'2" (188 cm) and weighs 216 lb (98 kg).
Where is Dennis Gilbert from?
United States: Dennis Gilbert was born in Buffalo, New York, United States.
What team does Dennis Gilbert play for?
Dennis Gilbert plays for the Buffalo Sabres in the NHL, at D, wearing number 44.
Is Dennis Gilbert injured?
No: Dennis Gilbert is not on the latest NHL injury report. This answer is updated throughout the season.
How good is Dennis Gilbert?
Dennis Gilbert produced -0.0 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2025-26, 222nd of 325 players at his position in the NHL.
How much does Dennis Gilbert make?
Dennis Gilbert carries a cap hit of $850K per season, on a contract worth $850K in total over 1 years.
When does Dennis Gilbert's contract end?
Dennis Gilbert's contract runs through the 2026-27 season; he will then be an unrestricted free agent.
Is Dennis Gilbert a top-10 player at his position?
No: by WAR, he ranks 222nd of 325 players at his position in the NHL in 2025-26. Our comparison tool puts him side by side with any other player.
Is Dennis Gilbert getting better?
No, he is slipping: his PAL rating went from 51 in 2023-24 to 29 in 2024-25 (out of 100, 50 = average player at his position).
How has Dennis Gilbert played lately?
Over his last 5 games, Dennis Gilbert has 2 points (1 goal, 1 assist).
What are Dennis Gilbert's career stats?
Over his NHL career, Dennis Gilbert has 124 games, 4 goals, 19 assists and 23 points. His best season: 2023-24, with 7 points in 34 games.
Where was Dennis Gilbert drafted?
Dennis Gilbert was drafted 91st overall (round 3) by Chicago Blackhawks in 2015.
How does Dennis Gilbert perform in the playoffs?
In the playoffs, Dennis Gilbert has 3 games and 0 points in his career. His pace (0.00 points per game) is lower than his regular-season pace (0.19).
Is Dennis Gilbert a good fantasy pick?
Probably not, except in deep leagues: our projection has him at 5 points in 2026-27, or 0.22 points per game.
What is Dennis Gilbert's nationality?
Dennis Gilbert is American.
What awards has Dennis Gilbert won?
Named Hockey East's Best Defensive Defenseman (2016–17) ; Selected to the Hockey East Third Team All-Star (2016–17).
How many championships has Dennis Gilbert won?
1: Big Ten champions with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (2017–18).
Where did Dennis Gilbert play before turning pro?
Buffalo Jr. Sabres (Ontario Junior Hockey League), then Chicago Steel (USHL, 2014–15 season); committed to the University of Notre Dame for the 2015–16 season.
How many points is Dennis Gilbert projected to score in 2026-27?
Our projection has him at 5 points in 23 games in 2026-27 (2 to 12 points, 80% interval), based on his recent seasons, age and role.
See also: his Buffalo Sabres teammates
Full roster →
NHL.com ↗ · Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)