Zach Metsa
Age 27 · Shoots right · 5′9″ · 201 lb · Born Delafield, Wisconsin, USA
Undrafted
2025-262025-26: 43 games, 2-4-6, 0.14 points per game Season detail →
Zach Metsa has 1 point in 3 games of 2026-27, after 6 points in 43 games last season.
This season
2026-27 regular season · 3 games Small sample1 point in 3 games for the 14th-placed Buffalo
Where he ranks among NHL defencemen with 2+ games, then his scoring rate through the season in ten-game blocks.
Points per game · rolling blocks
Dashed line: season average (0.3). Dark blocks sit at or above it.
Where he ranks
See all: Where he ranks →A third-pair defenceman who kills penalties
Even-strength, power-play and shorthanded minutes, and how much of Buffalo's power play went through him.
Special teams
No goals yet: his one point is an assist
How the 0 goals and 1 assist were scored: when, at what strength, in what game state, and per 60 minutes.
Most attempts from the slot
Every attempt, attacking right, from the games with a stored shot map.
By zone
3 attempts across the 3 games with a stored shot map. Small sample
Expected goals
See all: Expected goals →2025-26 · 43 games. Rank among all skaters by ixG.
Every unblocked attempt he took, weighed by its chance of scoring from that spot, shot type and strength. Above zero is finishing better than the chances.
xG leadersTop speed 19.66 mph, hardest shot 79.48 mph
How fast he skated, how far, how hard he shot and where on the ice his shifts were spent, against the average NHL defenceman.
Where his shifts were spent
Share of his time on ice in each zone.
Fastest moments
- 19.66vs
CHI3 Oct · 3rd 04:47 - 19.51vsCHI3 Oct · 2nd 09:28
- 19.12vsCHI3 Oct · 1st 12:35
- 19.07vsCHI3 Oct · 3rd 08:23
- 18.95vsCHI3 Oct · 2nd 06:24
His fastest bursts in mph.
Bursts per speed band, against the defenceman average.
Hardest shots
- 79.48vsCHI3 Oct · 2nd 02:28
Shot speed in mph, every attempt type.
Shot attempts per speed band.
Distance, last 10 games
- 1.35vs
MIN6 Oct · 10:44 TOI - 1.27vsCHI3 Oct · 8:28 TOI
- 1.94@
CBJ1 Oct · 12:54 TOI
Miles per game with his time on ice. Season average 1.52 a game. Small sample: these numbers move a lot in the first weeks of a season.
Physical play, discipline and faceoffs
Possession events, penalties drawn against penalties taken, and faceoffs.
Possession and physical
Against Dallas, a point in zero of two
DALOTL 3-4 SO0000−114:43DALW 4-1000109:28MINW 3-2 OT0000010:44CHIW 4-30110+28:28CBJW 6-30000−112:546 points in 43 games on a team that finished 4th
Where he ranks among NHL defencemen with 40+ games, then his scoring rate through the season in ten-game blocks.
Points per game · rolling blocks
Dashed line: season average (0.1). Dark blocks sit at or above it.
Where he ranks
See all: Where he ranks →A third-pair defenceman who plays mostly at even strength
Even-strength, power-play and shorthanded minutes, and how much of Buffalo's power play went through him.
Special teams
Power-play involvement
Team power-play goals from the season team report; involvement is his power-play points.
Most of the goals come at even strength
How the 2 goals and 4 assists were scored: when, at what strength, in what game state, and per 60 minutes.
Goals by period
Goals by game state
0 of 2 goals broke a tie; 0 came with Buffalo trailing.
Most attempts from the wing, goals from the slot
Every attempt, attacking right, from the games with a stored shot map.
By zone
59 attempts across the 36 games with a stored shot map.
Expected goals
See all: Expected goals →2025-26 · 43 games. Rank among all skaters by ixG.
Every unblocked attempt he took, weighed by its chance of scoring from that spot, shot type and strength. Above zero is finishing better than the chances.
xG leadersDistance per 60 in the 60th percentile of defencemen: 8.60 miles
How fast he skated, how far, how hard he shot and where on the ice his shifts were spent, against the average NHL defenceman.
Where his shifts were spent
Share of his time on ice in each zone.
Fastest moments
Bursts per speed band, against the defenceman average.
Hardest shots
Shot attempts per speed band.
Physical play, discipline and faceoffs
Possession events, penalties drawn against penalties taken, and faceoffs.
Possession and physical
Points come in bunches, not every night (5 of 43)
How often he scores, how long the streaks run.
Streaks
Against Dallas, a point in zero of two
DALOTL 3-4 SO0000−114:43DALW 4-1000109:28DALOTL 3-4 SO0000−114:43CBJW 5-00000019:26
WSHL 2-60000−315:15
OTTL 1-40001−116:04
NYIW 4-30001+114:04
ANAOTL 5-6 OT0000012:13
LAKW 4-10111+113:59
SJSW 5-00110+215:48
VGKW 2-00002+111:53
TORW 3-2 SO0001015:32MINW 3-2 OT0000010:44CHIW 4-30110+28:28CBJW 6-30000−112:54Better on the road
Home and road
By opponent
By month
Final season of his deal: an unrestricted free agent next summer
In 2025-26 he scored 7.1 points per $1M of cap hit, 64th of 191 defencemen with 40 or more games and a current contract.
Cap hit is the average annual charge against the salary cap, not a yearly salary; cap value is cap hit times the years of the deal, not a reported total. As of 1 Oct 2026.
With Buffalo
One season · 2025-26 to 2025-26232nd in franchise points since 1990-91
Built from goal and assist records: who assists on his goals, whose goals he assists, and his scoring against each opponent.
Franchise ranks
See all: Franchise ranks →Career
Regular season and playoffsOne season, all with the Sabres
Career · regular season
Season rows reconcile with the official career totals.
Updated after every final · through 6 Oct