Tom
Willander
D · VAN · Limited · Very poor
- PAL
- 6
- WAR
- -0.1
- Value
- 18
- PTS
- 21
2025-26№ 259 / 325
Tom Willander (Vancouver Canucks) stats and profile: offensive production, ice time, advanced stats, WAR and PAL rating.
Tom Willander
HEIGHT : 185 cm · WEIGHT : 82 kg · SHOOTS : R
Born : February 8, 2005 · Stockholm, Sweden
Drafted : 2023 · VAN · round 1, pick #11
Contract : $950,000 · 2025-26 → 2027-28 · Entry-Level Contract · RFA · Signing bonus $95,000
NHL record
| Year | Team | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-27 | Vancouver Canucks | 16 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| 2025-26 | Vancouver Canucks | 70 | 5 | 16 | 21 | 28 |
| NHL totals | 86 | 5 | 19 | 24 | 32 | |
Tom Willander: our analysis
2025-26 season: 70 GP, 5 G, 16 A, 21 PTS, -23 +/-, 16:59 TOI. WAR -0.1 (259th of 325) · PAL 6, very poor.
In 2025-26, Tom Willander, 21, posts a PAL Rating of 6 out of 100 (very poor), and his WAR of -0.1 ranks 259th among 325 regulars, in the bottom quarter.
His strengths: discipline (67, above average). On the other hand, possession (2, among the weakest in the league) and defense (10, among the weakest in the league) hold him back.
Breaking down his WAR (goals above average), his biggest contribution: finishing (+2.1); his biggest cost: EV offense (-2.9).
Contract-wise, his Value score of 18 (very poor return) weighs his output against what he costs: 50 is what that salary should buy.
Tom Willander's story
Born in Stockholm on 9 February 2005, Tom Willander emerged from the Swedish club ranks and earned a first-round selection at the 2023 NHL entry draft. A left-leaning thread through his early career runs from the Rögle BK lineup in the SHL to being picked 11th overall by the Vancouver Canucks, marking the moment North American teams took a serious interest in his development.
Instead of remaining in Sweden immediately after the draft, Willander committed to Boston University for his post-draft season. He indicated that the college route would better serve his development than staying in the SHL, and he spent time with the Boston Terriers before turning pro—using the NCAA environment to gain ice time and adjust to a different style of play.
Internationally, Willander represented Sweden at the 2024 World Junior Championship, where he scored the game-winning goal against Team Canada during the group stage and helped Sweden reach the tournament final; the team took silver. That performance highlighted his ability to contribute in decisive moments on the international stage.
Willander concluded his collegiate career on 15 May 2025 by signing a three-year, entry-level contract with the Vancouver Canucks. He made his NHL debut on 28 October 2025 versus the New York Rangers, and on 6 December 2025 he recorded his first NHL goal against the Minnesota Wild, tying the game at 1–1 in a contest the Canucks ultimately won 4–2.
What stands out in Willander's pathway is a defence-oriented player who has shown a knack for key offensive interventions—decisive scoring at the World Juniors and his early NHL goal are part of that pattern—combined with a deliberate choice to use the collegiate ranks to refine his game before stepping into a full-time professional role.
Facts drawn from Wikipédia, told in our own words.
Advanced stats
- TOI/GP
- 20:25
- PP TOI/GP
- 0:53
- SH TOI/GP
- 0:28
- Pts/GP
- 0.19
- EV points
- 3
- Hits
- 10
- Blocks
- 17
- Takeaways
- 1
- Corsi % (SAT)
- 47.3 %
- Off. zone starts
- 26.2 %
Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)
Prospect value
Scout Report Center →Rank
19
among all 32 teams' prospects
Rating
99/ 100
percentile among prospects at his position
Potential
75/ 80
First line or top pair
Ceiling: 6.5 WAR from age 21 to 26
NHL probability
82 %
of playing 200 NHL games from age 21 to 26
Expected WAR, age 21-26
2.6
the most likely outcome
NHLe
15
NHL points over 82 games, from 2025-26 (AHL, 5 games)
2026-27 projection
Projected points
20between 9 and 30 (80% range)
- Goals
- 4
- Assists
- 16
- Games
- 71
So far: 3 pts in 16 games. The team has played 19 of 84 games. Projected pace: 0.31 pts per game (last season: 0.30).
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.
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.
Day-to-day· Lower Body· expected back November 9
OV · OverallConfidence 54 %
62
Depth
- SK
- Skating
- 82
- Confidence 40 %
- ST
- Strength
- 59
- Confidence 59 %
- EN
- Endurance
- 70
- Confidence 50 %
- DU
- Durability
- 75
- Confidence 40 %
- CK
- Checking
- 70
- Confidence 59 %
- FG
- Fighting
- 76
- Confidence 30 %
- DI
- Discipline
- 80
- Confidence 59 %
- FO
- Faceoffs
- —
- PA
- Passing
- 69
- Confidence 54 %
- SC
- Scoring
- 76
- Confidence 54 %
- DF
- Defense
- 61
- Confidence 49 %
- PS
- Penalty shot
- 76
- Confidence 0 %
- EX
- Experience
- 41
- Confidence 100 %
Why these ratings?Hide details
SK — Skating82
- Top speed (35 %)35.8 · 80
- Bursts > 20 mph /60 (30 %)2.774 · 84
- Distance /60 (20 %)14.2 · 75
- Speed consistency (15 %)35.4 · 86
ST — Strength59
- Contact absorbed /60 (50 %)4.702 · 71
- Body mass (50 %)-1.127 · 56
EN — Endurance70
- Ice time per game (45 %)17.6 · 68
- Total ice time (20 %)1,169 · 71
- Shift length (15 %)45.8 · 68
- Lowest recent ice time per game (15 %)17.1 · 74
- Special-teams time per game (5 %)1.988 · 70
DU — Durability75
- Share of games played (100 %)0.815 · 75
CK — Checking70
- Hits /60 (70 %)2.348 · 68
- Lowest seasonal rate (20 %)2.43 · 73
- Season volume (10 %)3.584 · 69
FG — Fighting76
- Fights per 82 games (100 %)0.85 · 76
DI — Discipline80
- Net penalty value /60 (50 %)-0.025 · 80
- Penalties taken /60 (30 %)0.524 · 80
- Penalties drawn /60 (20 %)0.377 · 75
PA — Passing69
- Primary assists /60 (40 %)0.312 · 69
- Secondary assists /60 (20 %)0.531 · 83
- Offensive creation (RAPM) (20 %)-0.108 · 62
- Power-play points /60 (10 %)3.467 · 60
- Assist consistency (10 %)0.259 · 77
SC — Scoring76
- Goals /60 (25 %)0.255 · 78
- Individual xG /60 (20 %)0.176 · 69
- Finishing (goals − xG per shot) (20 %)0.513 · 84
- High-danger chances /60 (15 %)0.076 · 70
- xG per shot (10 %)0.034 · 72
- Shot attempts /60 (10 %)8.609 · 66
DF — Defense61
- RAPM defense /60 (35 %)-0.069 · 63
- Relative xG against (20 %)0.083 · 68
- On-ice xG against /60 (15 %)2.891 · 55
- Penalty kill /60 (10 %)-0.011 · 74
- Takeaways − giveaways /60 (10 %)-2.251 · 67
- Shot attempts against /60 (5 %)59 · 70
- Blocked shots /60 (5 %)4.216 · 72
PS — Penalty shot76
- Shootouts (60 %)32.7 · 76
- Penalty shots (40 %)26.7 · 76
EX — Experience41
- Career regular-season games (65 %)60
- Career playoff games (25 %)0
- NHL seasons (10 %)24
OV — Overall62
- DF · Defense (30 %)61
- PA · Passing (22 %)69
- SK · Skating (12 %)82
- SC · Scoring (12 %)76
- EN · Endurance (9 %)70
- ST · Strength (6 %)59
- DI · Discipline (5 %)80
- CK · Checking (4 %)70
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
259 of 325
PAL Rating
6/ 100
Performance · Very poor
232 of 250 at the position
Value Rating
18/ 100
Very poor return
0.95 M$ · expected PAL 39
ProfileLimitedBelow average at both ends
- Offense
- 22
- Defense
- 4
See full detailsHide details
- Offense
- 57
- Creation
- 26
- Shooting
- 55
- Possession
- 2
- Defense
- 10
- Discipline
- 67
- Power play
- 50
- Penalty kill
- 23
From 0 to 100; 50 is the average player at the same position, adjusted for ice time.
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
31/ 100
Below average
better than 31% of defensemen, offense and defense combined
Offensive IQ
16/ 100
Low
passing, shots, puck
Defensive IQ
47/ 100
Average
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, 155 of 225 defensemen.
See full detailsHide details
Offense
- Playmaking passes
- 31
- Shot selection
- 34
- Penalties drawn
- 29
- Puck management
- 26
Defense
- Takeaways
- 30
- Discipline
- 68
- Safe zone exits
- 37
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.
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
-0.9 to 0.6 — 90% interval
259 of 325 defensemen
-0.7 goals above replacement
Full leaderboard →See full detailsHide details
- EV offense
- -2.9
- EV defense
- -2.0
- Power play
- +0.0
- Penalty kill
- 0.0
- Shooting
- +2.1
- Penalties
- -0.3
- Average → replacement
- +2.5
In goals.
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
- 134.1 km/h24th percentileleague avg. 139.7 km/h
- Top skating speed
- 36.2 km/h93rd percentileleague avg. 34.0 km/h
- Bursts over 20 mph, season
- 2695th percentileleague avg. 8
- Offensive zone time
- 39.3 %22nd percentileleague avg. 42.4 %
See full detailsHide details
- Total distance, season
- 75.8 km70th percentileleague avg. 56.1 km
- Distance, single-game high
- 5.53 km72nd percentileleague avg. 4.98 km
- Offensive zone at 5v5
- 39.1 %9th percentileleague avg. 42.8 %
- Neutral zone time
- 17.6 %23rd percentileleague avg. 16.9 %
- Defensive zone time
- 43.1 %15th percentileleague avg. 40.8 %
Shooting
| Shots on goal | Goals | Shooting % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 1246th percentile | 049th percentile | 0.0 %27th percentile |
| High danger | 051st percentile | 084th percentile | 0.0 %0th percentile |
| Mid range | 136th percentile | 073rd percentile | 0.0 %50th percentile |
| Long range | 1177th percentile | 077th percentile | 0.0 %67th 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
TOR
SJS
ANA
MIN
DET
CAR
TBL
FLA
NYI
NYR
NJD
VGK
CGY
EDMTom Willander: frequently asked questions
How many goals does Tom Willander have in 2026-27?
Tom Willander has 0 goals and 3 points (3 assists) in 16 games in 2026-27.
How old is Tom Willander?
Tom Willander is 21 years old: he was born on February 9, 2005.
How tall is Tom Willander, and how much does he weigh?
Tom Willander is 6'1" (185 cm) and weighs 181 lb (82 kg).
Where is Tom Willander from?
Sweden: Tom Willander was born in Stockholm, Sweden.
What team does Tom Willander play for?
Tom Willander plays for the Vancouver Canucks in the NHL, at D, wearing number 5.
Is Tom Willander injured?
Yes: Tom Willander is injured, day-to-day (lower body). He is expected back around November 9.
How good is Tom Willander?
Tom Willander produced -0.1 wins above replacement (WAR) in 2025-26, 259th of 325 players at his position in the NHL. His PAL rating is 6 out of 100: very poor for his position.
How much does Tom Willander make?
Tom Willander earns $950K for the 2025-26 season. His Value Rating is 18 out of 100 (very poor return): it measures the on-field return for that salary, compared with players at his position.
When does Tom Willander's contract end?
Tom Willander's contract runs through the 2027-28 season; he will then be a restricted free agent.
Is Tom Willander overpaid?
Yes, his output falls short of what his salary should buy. His Value rating is 18 out of 100 (very poor return), where 50 is the output expected for his salary, compared with players at his position.
Is Tom Willander a top-10 player at his position?
No: by WAR, he ranks 259th of 325 players at his position in the NHL in 2025-26. Our comparison tool puts him side by side with any other player.
How has Tom Willander played lately?
Over his last 10 games, Tom Willander has 0 points (0 goals, 0 assists).
What are Tom Willander's career stats?
Over his NHL career, Tom Willander has 86 games, 5 goals, 19 assists and 24 points. His best season: 2025-26, with 21 points in 70 games.
Where was Tom Willander drafted?
Tom Willander was drafted 11th overall (round 1) by Vancouver Canucks in 2023.
Is Tom Willander better at home or on the road?
At home: in 2026-27, he averages 0.43 points per game at home (3 in 7 games) and 0.00 on the road (0 in 9 games).
How does Tom Willander perform in the playoffs?
Tom Willander has not played in the NHL playoffs yet.
Which player is most similar to Tom Willander?
Declan Chisholm: he is the player at his position whose PAL profile (the 0-to-100 dimensions) is closest to his in 2025-26.
Declan Chisholm's page →Is Tom Willander a good fantasy pick?
Probably not, except in deep leagues: our projection has him at 20 points in 2026-27, or 0.28 points per game.
What is Tom Willander's nationality?
Tom Willander is Swedish. Internationally: Represented Sweden at the 2024 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships — silver medal; scored the game-winning goal against Team Canada during the group stage (2024), securing the highest seed for Sweden.
Where did Tom Willander play before turning pro?
Prior to joining Boston University, played for Rögle BK in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). Committed to play for Boston University in the NCAA in his post-draft year; concluded his collegiate career after his sophomore season and signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Canucks on 15 May 2025..
How many points is Tom Willander projected to score in 2026-27?
Our projection has him at 20 points in 71 games in 2026-27 (9 to 30 points, 80% interval), based on his recent seasons, age and role.
See also: his Vancouver Canucks teammates
Full roster →
NHL.com ↗ · Stats and photos: NHL (NHL.com)