Mason
Appleton
C · DET · Limited · Very poor
- PAL
- 1
- WAR
- -0.1
- Value
- 1
- PTS
- 14
2025-26№ 480 / 615
Mason Appleton (Detroit Red Wings) stats and profile: offensive production, ice time, advanced stats, WAR and PAL rating.
Mason Appleton
#22CPlays: Winger · 3% of faceoffs
Detroit Red Wings
HEIGHT : 188 cm · WEIGHT : 88 kg · SHOOTS : R
Born : January 14, 1996 · Green Bay, United States
Drafted : 2015 · WPG · round 6, pick #168
Contract : $2,900,000 · 2025-26 → 2026-27 · Standard Contract · UFA
NHL record
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | Detroit Red Wings | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2025-26 | Detroit Red Wings | 65 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 44 |
| 2024-25 | Winnipeg Jets | 71 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 22 |
| 2023-24 | Winnipeg Jets | 82 | 14 | 22 | 36 | 26 |
| 2022-23 | Winnipeg Jets | 41 | 5 | 11 | 16 | 8 |
| 2021-22 | Winnipeg Jets | 19 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 16 |
| 2021-22 | Seattle Kraken | 49 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 14 |
| 2020-21 | Winnipeg Jets | 56 | 12 | 13 | 25 | 14 |
| 2019-20 | Winnipeg Jets | 46 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 20 |
| 2018-19 | Winnipeg Jets | 36 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 4 |
| NHL totals | 467 | 63 | 89 | 152 | 168 | |
Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-25 | Winnipeg Jets | 13 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 14 |
| 2023-24 | Winnipeg Jets | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| 2022-23 | Winnipeg Jets | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2020-21 | Winnipeg Jets | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| 2019-20 | Winnipeg Jets | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Playoff totals | 32 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 22 | |
Mason Appleton: our analysis
2025-26 season: 65 GP, 6 G, 8 A, 14 PTS, -4 +/-, 13:31 TOI. WAR -0.1 (480th of 615) · PAL 1, very poor.
In 2025-26, Mason Appleton, 30, posts a PAL Rating of 1 out of 100 (very poor), and his WAR of -0.1 ranks 480th among 615 regulars, in the bottom quarter.
His strengths: penalty kill (64, above average). On the other hand, shooting (1, among the weakest in the league) and creation (2, among the weakest in the league) hold him back.
Breaking down his WAR (goals above average), his biggest contribution: penalties (+0.2); his biggest cost: EV defense (-1.8).
A marked decline: his PAL was 11 in 2024-25, against 1 now; his WAR went from 0.3 to -0.1.
Contract-wise, his Value score of 1 (very poor return) weighs his output against what he costs: 50 is what that salary should buy.
Mason Appleton's story
Growing up in Green Bay, Mason Appleton spent his youth climbing through the local hockey ranks before moving on to junior and collegiate competition. Those formative seasons in his hometown area set the stage for a steady development curve rather than a sudden jump to elite levels.
After standout years at high school, Appleton played the 2014–15 season in the USHL with the Tri-City Storm. That single USHL campaign put him among the team’s leading contributors and opened the door to NCAA hockey; he enrolled at Michigan State for 2015–16 and quickly became the Spartans’ top rookie playmaker, leading freshmen in points and earning his squad’s Outstanding Rookie Award.
Appleton was chosen in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, 6th round, 168th overall, by the Winnipeg Jets. He left Michigan State after two seasons and signed a three-year entry-level contract with Winnipeg. Assigned to the AHL’s Manitoba Moose for 2017–18, he began on a fourth line role but soon moved into a top-line position, finishing the season as the Moose’s leading scorer and setting single-season rookie franchise marks for assists and points.
That first professional season brought league-wide recognition: AHL All-Rookie Team, First All-Star Team, an appearance in the AHL All-Star Classic and the Dudley “Red” Garrett Memorial Award as the league’s top rookie. Appleton made his NHL debut on December 1, 2018, recording an assist, and opened his NHL goal ledger on December 20, 2018.
Career movements followed: selected by the Seattle Kraken in the 2021 expansion draft, traded back to Winnipeg on March 20, 2022, and later agreeing to a two-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings on July 2, 2025. On the ice he is characterised by reliable centre play—good vision, playmaking ability and the versatility that allowed him to translate junior and AHL production into NHL opportunities.
Facts drawn from Wikipédia, told in our own words.
Advanced stats
- TOI/GP
- 9:51
- PP TOI/GP
- 0:00
- SH TOI/GP
- 1:58
- Pts/GP
- 0.00
- EV points
- 0
- Hits
- 6
- Blocks
- 0
- Takeaways
- 0
- Corsi % (SAT)
- 68.1 %
- Off. zone starts
- 20.0 %
- Faceoffs
- 0.0 %
Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)
2026-27 projection
Projected points
10between 0 and 20 (80% range)
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 7
- Games
- 52
So far: 0 pts in 2 games. The team has played 18 of 84 games. Projected pace: 0.21 pts per game (last season: 0.22).
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
Declining
- Points per game: 0.44 in 23-24, 0.22 in 25-26
- PAL Rating: 11 → 1
Outlook, age included
↓ DecliningAge 30: 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, 2025-26
All ratings →Fourteen ratings from 0 to 100 drawn from data, never by hand: 75 = established NHL player, 95+ = elite.
Injured reserve· Undisclosed· expected back November 10
OV · OverallConfidence 79 %
55
Replacement or prospect
- SK
- Skating
- 75
- Confidence 73 %
- ST
- Strength
- 80
- Confidence 82 %
- EN
- Endurance
- 71
- Confidence 80 %
- DU
- Durability
- 74
- Confidence 77 %
- CK
- Checking
- 78
- Confidence 82 %
- FG
- Fighting
- 64
- Confidence 62 %
- DI
- Discipline
- 75
- Confidence 82 %
- FO
- Faceoffs
- —
- PA
- Passing
- 68
- Confidence 79 %
- SC
- Scoring
- 52
- Confidence 79 %
- DF
- Defense
- 68
- Confidence 76 %
- PS
- Penalty shot
- 76
- Confidence 0 %
- EX
- Experience
- 80
- Confidence 100 %
Why these ratings?Hide details
SK — Skating75
- Top speed (35 %)36.2 · 77
- Bursts > 20 mph /60 (30 %)6.466 · 77
- Distance /60 (20 %)16.1 · 67
- Speed consistency (15 %)35.5 · 76
ST — Strength80
- Contact absorbed /60 (50 %)5.18 · 84
- Body mass (50 %)-0.372 · 73
EN — Endurance71
- Ice time per game (45 %)14.4 · 72
- Total ice time (20 %)856 · 70
- Shift length (15 %)44.2 · 71
- Lowest recent ice time per game (15 %)13.3 · 73
- Special-teams time per game (5 %)1.622 · 63
DU — Durability74
- Share of games played (100 %)0.812 · 74
CK — Checking78
- Hits /60 (70 %)5.103 · 78
- Lowest seasonal rate (20 %)4.184 · 79
- Season volume (10 %)4.5 · 79
FG — Fighting64
- Fights per 82 games (100 %)0.695 · 64
DI — Discipline75
- Net penalty value /60 (50 %)0.016 · 75
- Penalties taken /60 (30 %)0.667 · 73
- Penalties drawn /60 (20 %)0.761 · 76
PA — Passing68
- Primary assists /60 (40 %)0.519 · 64
- Secondary assists /60 (20 %)0.348 · 64
- Offensive creation (RAPM) (20 %)0.045 · 76
- Power-play points /60 (10 %)4.878 · 81
- Assist consistency (10 %)0.381 · 69
SC — Scoring52
- Goals /60 (25 %)0.61 · 64
- Individual xG /60 (20 %)0.548 · 47
- Finishing (goals − xG per shot) (20 %)-0.134 · 76
- High-danger chances /60 (15 %)0.69 · 37
- xG per shot (10 %)0.076 · 54
- Shot attempts /60 (10 %)10.4 · 63
DF — Defense68
- RAPM defense /60 (35 %)-0.094 · 61
- Relative xG against (20 %)0.002 · 72
- On-ice xG against /60 (15 %)2.601 · 76
- Penalty kill /60 (10 %)-0.083 · 66
- Takeaways − giveaways /60 (10 %)-0.991 · 84
- Shot attempts against /60 (5 %)58.8 · 71
- Blocked shots /60 (5 %)2.603 · 75
PS — Penalty shot76
- Shootouts (60 %)32.7 · 76
- Penalty shots (40 %)26.7 · 76
EX — Experience80
- Career regular-season games (65 %)87
- Career playoff games (25 %)66
- NHL seasons (10 %)75
OV — Overall55
- SC · Scoring (20 %)52
- PA · Passing (20 %)68
- DF · Defense (20 %)68
- SK · Skating (12 %)75
- EN · Endurance (8 %)71
- DI · Discipline (5 %)75
- ST · Strength (3 %)80
- CK · Checking (2 %)78
| Season | OV | SK | SC | DF |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 55 | 75 | 52 | 68 |
| 2024-25 | 68 | 79 | 62 | 69 |
| 2023-24 | 73 | 79 | 62 | 73 |
| 2022-23 | 75 | 82 | 66 | 68 |
The bars show confidence (sample size), not player quality. — : not enough data, not a zero. Engine version 1.0.
WAR and PAL ratings, 2025-26
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.
WAR
-0.1
wins above replacement
480 of 615
PAL Rating
1/ 100
Performance · Very poor
470 of 476 at the position
Value Rating
1/ 100
Very poor return
2.90 M$ · expected PAL 54
ProfileLimitedBelow average at both ends
- Offense
- 1
- Defense
- 13
See full detailsHide details
- Offense
- 9
- Creation
- 2
- Shooting
- 1
- Possession
- 3
- Defense
- 19
- Discipline
- 43
- Power play
- 24
- Penalty kill
- 64
From 0 to 100; 50 is the average player at the same position, adjusted for ice time.
| Season | Team | WAR | PAL | Value | Cap hit |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | DET | -0.1 | 1 | 1 | 2.90 M$ |
| 2024-25 | WPG | 0.3 | 11 | 8 | 2.17 M$ |
| 2023-24 | WPG | 0.9 | 23 | 21 | 2.17 M$ |
| 2022-23 | WPG | 0.2 | 32 | 26 | 2.17 M$ |
Hockey IQ, 2025-26
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
5/ 100
Low
better than 5% of forwards, offense and defense combined
Offensive IQ
11/ 100
Low
passing, shots, puck
Defensive IQ
14/ 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, 401 of 424 forwards.
See full detailsHide details
Offense
- Playmaking passes
- 28
- Shot selection
- 1
- Penalties drawn
- 68
- Puck management
- 72
Defense
- Takeaways
- 0
- Discipline
- 33
- Safe zone exits
- 64
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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | DET | 5 | 11 | 14 |
| 2024-25 | WPG | 29 | 5 | 71 |
| 2023-24 | WPG | 28 | 22 | 44 |
| 2022-23 | WPG | 55 | 80 | 32 |
WAR, 2025-26
How it's calculated →Wins added to the team, compared with a replacement-level player called up from the AHL.
-0.1
wins above replacement
-0.6 to 0.5 — 90% interval
480 of 615 forwards
-0.7 goals above replacement
Full leaderboard →See full detailsHide details
- EV offense
- -1.0
- EV defense
- -1.8
- Power play
- 0.0
- Penalty kill
- -0.1
- Shooting
- -0.2
- Penalties
- +0.2
- Average → replacement
- +2.2
In goals.
| Season | Team | GP | WAR | 90% interval | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | DET | 65 | -0.1 | -0.6 to 0.5 | 480/615 |
| 2024-25 | WPG | 68 | 0.3 | -0.4 to 1.3 | 271/596 |
| 2023-24 | WPG | 82 | 0.9 | 0.1 to 2.0 | 164/608 |
| 2022-23 | WPG | 41 | 0.2 | -0.3 to 0.6 | 272/617 |
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
- 124.7 km/h22nd percentileleague avg. 130.1 km/h
- Top skating speed
- 34.0 km/h19th percentileleague avg. 35.2 km/h
- Bursts over 20 mph, season
- 26th percentileleague avg. 21
- Offensive zone time
- 38.1 %12th percentileleague avg. 43.1 %
See full detailsHide details
- Total distance, season
- 5.2 km2nd percentileleague avg. 52.2 km
- Distance, single-game high
- 2.74 km5th percentileleague avg. 4.52 km
- Offensive zone at 5v5
- 42.0 %67th percentileleague avg. 42.4 %
- Neutral zone time
- 17.5 %23rd percentileleague avg. 16.8 %
- Defensive zone time
- 44.4 %10th percentileleague avg. 40.1 %
Shooting
| Shots on goal | Goals | Shooting % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 15th percentile | 024th percentile | 0.0 %3rd percentile |
| High danger | 08th percentile | 034th percentile | 0.0 %0th percentile |
| Mid range | 010th percentile | 054th percentile | 0.0 %0th percentile |
| Long range | 153rd percentile | 092nd percentile | 0.0 %87th 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
WPG
NYRMason Appleton: frequently asked questions
How many goals does Mason Appleton have in 2026-27?
Mason Appleton has 0 goals and 0 points (0 assists) in 2 games in 2026-27.
How old is Mason Appleton?
Mason Appleton is 30 years old: he was born on January 15, 1996.
How tall is Mason Appleton, and how much does he weigh?
Mason Appleton is 6'2" (188 cm) and weighs 194 lb (88 kg).
Where is Mason Appleton from?
United States: Mason Appleton was born in Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States.
What team does Mason Appleton play for?
Mason Appleton plays for the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL, at C, wearing number 22.
Is Mason Appleton injured?
Yes: Mason Appleton is on injured reserve (undisclosed). He is expected back around November 10.
How good is Mason Appleton?
Mason Appleton produced -0.1 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2025-26, 480th of 615 players at his position in the NHL. His PAL rating is 1 out of 100: very poor for his position.
How much does Mason Appleton make?
Mason Appleton earns $2.9M for the 2025-26 season. His Value Rating is 1 out of 100 (very poor return): it measures the on-field return for that salary, compared with players at his position.
When does Mason Appleton's contract end?
Mason Appleton's contract runs through the 2026-27 season; he will then be an unrestricted free agent.
Is Mason Appleton overpaid?
Yes, his output falls short of what his salary should buy. His Value rating is 1 out of 100 (very poor return), where 50 is the output expected for his salary, compared with players at his position.
Is Mason Appleton a top-10 player at his position?
No: by WAR, he ranks 480th of 615 players at his position in the NHL in 2025-26. Our comparison tool puts him side by side with any other player.
Is Mason Appleton getting better?
No, he is slipping: his PAL rating went from 11 in 2024-25 to 1 in 2025-26 (out of 100, 50 = average player at his position).
What are Mason Appleton's career stats?
Over his NHL career, Mason Appleton has 467 games, 63 goals, 89 assists and 152 points. His best season: 2023-24, with 36 points in 82 games.
Where was Mason Appleton drafted?
Mason Appleton was drafted 168th overall (round 6) by Winnipeg Jets in 2015.
How does Mason Appleton perform in the playoffs?
In the playoffs, Mason Appleton has 32 games and 12 points in his career. His pace (0.38 points per game) is similar to his regular-season pace (0.33).
Which player is most similar to Mason Appleton?
Tomas Nosek: he is the player at his position whose PAL profile (the 0-to-100 dimensions) is closest to his in 2025-26.
Tomas Nosek's page →Is Mason Appleton a good fantasy pick?
Probably not, except in deep leagues: our projection has him at 10 points in 2026-27, or 0.19 points per game.
Is Mason Appleton related to anyone famous?
Yes: Collin (cousin); Jim et Kim (parents).
What is Mason Appleton's nationality?
Mason Appleton is American.
What awards has Mason Appleton won?
CCM/AHL Player of the Week (week of November 20) ; AHL All-Rookie Team (2018) ; Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award – AHL Rookie of the Year (2018) ; AHL First All-Star Team (2018) ; Team Outstanding Rookie Award (Michigan State, 2015–16) ; Team MVP and Outstanding Offensive Player (Michigan State, 2016–17).
How many championships has Mason Appleton won?
1: Helped the Notre Dame Academy Tritons win their first state championship (Wisconsin state championship).
Where did Mason Appleton play before turning pro?
Tri-City Storm (USHL) — one season; Michigan State Spartans — joined in 2015, two seasons (2015–2017).
How many points is Mason Appleton projected to score in 2026-27?
Our projection has him at 10 points in 52 games in 2026-27 (0 to 20 points, 80% interval), based on his recent seasons, age and role.
See also: his Detroit Red Wings teammates
Full roster →
NHL.com ↗ · Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)