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Ian Cole

#28 · Defence · Chicago Blackhawks

Born Feb 21, 1989 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA (age 37) · 6'1", 237 lb · Shoots left · Drafted 18th overall in 2007 by STL (round 1)

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Compare with a similar player

The defencemen closest to him in points in 2020-21. Pick one to see the two side by side, or choose someone else.

Nikita Zadorov CHI · 8 P in 55 GP Alexander Edler VAN · 8 P in 52 GP Brett Kulak MTL · 8 P in 46 GP Henri Jokiharju BUF · 8 P in 46 GP Ethan Bear EDM · 8 P in 43 GP

Career

Regular season games only. Pick a season to see its game log below. Cap hit is what he counted against the salary cap that season, where it is known.

010202010-11: 4 points410-112011-12: 6 points62012-13: 1 points112-132013-14: 11 points112014-15: 17 points1714-152015-16: 12 points122016-17: 26 points2616-172017-18: 20 points202018-19: 15 points1518-192019-20: 26 points262020-21: 8 points820-212021-22: 19 points192022-23: 17 points1722-232023-24: 11 points112024-25: 17 points1724-252025-26: 23 points232026-27: 0 points026-27

Points by season. The darker bar is the season shown below.

Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Cap hit
2010-11 STL 26 1 3 4 6 35 22 36 0.15 $875K
2011-12 STL 26 1 5 6 7 22 18 16 0.23 $875K
2012-13 STL 15 0 1 1 -4 10 10 6 0.07 $875K
2013-14 STL 46 3 8 11 15 31 45 24 0.24 $825K
2014-15 STL 54 4 5 9 16 44 52 42 0.17 $825K
2014-15 PIT 20 1 7 8 -2 7 31 31 0.40
2015-16 PIT 70 0 12 12 -3 59 72 122 0.17 $2.1M
2016-17 PIT 81 5 21 26 26 72 89 164 0.32 $2.1M
2017-18 PIT 47 3 10 13 3 52 63 69 0.28 $2.1M
2017-18 CBJ 20 2 5 7 11 24 21 26 0.35
2018-19 COL 71 2 13 15 -1 115 82 107 0.21 $4.25M
2019-20 COL 65 4 22 26 21 36 92 83 0.40 $4.25M
2020-21 COL 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 0.00 $4.25M
2020-21 MIN 52 1 7 8 21 32 28 34 0.15
2021-22 CAR 75 2 17 19 15 83 77 110 0.25 $2.9M
2022-23 TBL 78 3 14 17 13 61 109 117 0.22 $3M
2023-24 VAN 78 2 9 11 10 61 61 83 0.14 $3M
2024-25 UTA 82 1 16 17 -2 77 66 106 0.21 $3.1M
2025-26 UTA 82 3 20 23 16 50 62 73 0.28 $2.8M
2026-27 CHI 6 0 0 0 2 2 4 3 0.00 $4M
17 seasons Career 996 38 195 233 170 873 1006 1256 0.23

Playoffs

Playoff games only. Pick a season to see that year's bracket.

Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP
2011-12 STL 2 0 0 0 -1 0 1 4 0.00
2014-15 PIT 5 0 2 2 0 8 9 5 0.40
2015-16 PIT 24 1 2 3 6 14 16 49 0.13
2016-17 PIT 25 0 9 9 2 22 23 44 0.36
2017-18 CBJ 6 0 3 3 -1 2 10 12 0.50
2018-19 COL 12 0 5 5 6 16 11 22 0.42
2019-20 COL 12 0 2 2 3 10 19 24 0.17
2020-21 MIN 7 0 0 0 -1 6 7 12 0.00
2021-22 CAR 14 1 1 2 2 10 9 17 0.14
2022-23 TBL 6 1 2 3 -2 4 1 10 0.50
2023-24 VAN 13 0 2 2 -3 6 4 18 0.15
2025-26 UTA 6 1 1 2 -2 4 5 13 0.33
12 seasons Playoffs 132 4 29 33 9 102 115 230 0.25

2020-21 season totals

GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Shooting % Avg TOI
54 1 7 8 21 32 30 38 0.15 3.3 15:53

Contract

$4.25MCap hitends in 2021, then UFA
$531KCap dollars per point8 points in 54 games
-$1.7MWorth at the going ratewhat teams paid for a season like his
-$5.9MValueworth minus cap hit; below zero is overpaid

His cap hit for the whole season, set against what he did in the regular season. Lower is better value. In a season still being played the cost per point starts high and falls as the games add up. He rated at or below a spare-part player, so there is no cost per goal to show. Value is coloured by where it ranks among the 633 ranked skaters whose contract is known. How value is worked out.

The contract

Signed by the Colorado Avalanche on Jul 1, 2018, as a new contract: 3 years and $12.75M, beginning in 2018-19. It runs through 2020-21, so this is its last season, after which he is an unrestricted free agent.

Season Cap hit Base salary Signing bonus Performance bonuses Paid in all Clause
2018-19 $4.25M $5M $0 $5M
2019-20 $4.25M $4.75M $0 $4.75M
2020-21 $4.25M $3M $0 $3M

Each season of the contract, with this one marked. The cap hit is the same every year; what he is paid is not. The pay is as written when the contract was recorded in October 2024, so a later change, such as the rise in the lowest salary for 2026-27, is not shown.

Contracts he has signed

Signed Signed by Kind Seasons Years In all Cap hit
Jul 1, 2026 Chicago Blackhawks New contract 2026-27 to 2026-27 1 $4M $4M
Mar 5, 2025 Utah Hockey Club New contract (35+) 2025-26 to 2025-26 1 $2.8M $2.8M
Jul 1, 2024 Utah Hockey Club New contract (35+) 2024-25 to 2024-25 1 $3.1M $3.1M
Jul 1, 2023 Vancouver Canucks New contract 2023-24 to 2023-24 1 $3M $3M
Jul 13, 2022 Tampa Bay Lightning New contract 2022-23 to 2022-23 1 $3M $3M
Jul 28, 2021 Carolina Hurricanes New contract 2021-22 to 2021-22 1 $2.9M $2.9M
Jul 1, 2018 Colorado Avalanche New contract 2018-19 to 2020-21 3 $12.75M $4.25M
Jun 29, 2015 Pittsburgh Penguins Extension 2015-16 to 2017-18 3 $6.3M $2.1M
May 28, 2013 St. Louis Blues Extension 2013-14 to 2014-15 2 $1.65M $825K
Mar 22, 2010 St. Louis Blues Entry-level 2010-11 to 2012-13 3 $3.9M $875K

Every contract on record for him, newest first, with the team that signed him to it and the day it was signed. The one covering 2020-21 is marked. An extension is signed while the contract before it is still running, often a year ahead. A row with no team or date is a contract known only by its cap hit, most often one signed since October 2024.

2020-21 playoff analytics

Regular season Playoffs

Rating

0.0Goals above replacementsix goals are worth about one win
0.0Wins above replacementgoals above replacement divided by six
-0.4Goals above averagethe five parts below added up
Even-strength offence-0.7Even-strength defence+0.6Power play0.0Penalty kill+0.1Penalties-0.3

The goals he added to his team's goal difference, compared with a spare-part player given the same ice time. Each part is measured against the league, so zero is an average skater. A full season is about two-thirds the player and one-third chance. A playoff run is too short to rank anyone on. Before 2023-24 the NHL timed events less exactly, and differently from rink to rink, so expected goals for this season are rougher than for recent ones.

-4-202462010-112013-142016-172019-202022-232025-26Goals above replacementGoals above replacement, by season

On the ice

What happened at five-on-five while he was on the ice. What these numbers mean

49.5Corsi for %90 attempts for, 92 against
+6.7CF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
44.1Expected goals for %2.7 expected for, 3.4 against
-3.0xGF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
45.2Fenwick for %unblocked attempts
40.0Goals for %2 for, 3 against
99.4PDO5.4% shooting + 94.0% saves
20Attempts takenhis own shot attempts

These are left plain: he has not been on the ice enough to be ranked. That takes at least 200 shot attempts with him out there, about six or seven games, and a quarter of what the busiest skater has. Over a game or two these numbers are mostly chance.

Who he played with

Defence pairGPTimeCF%xGF%Goals
Ian Cole · Carson Soucy448:0452.852.70-1
Ian Cole · Calen Addison328:4142.933.62-2
Ian Cole · Mathew Dumba413:4650.033.90-0
Ian Cole · Jared Spurgeon46:1127.337.30-0

The pairs he spent the most time in at five-on-five, with the team's share of the shot attempts and expected goals, and the goals for and against, while they were out. The two shares are coloured as above, against the league's pairs that played a fair amount together. Hover over one for its percentile.

Chances and finishing

Expected goals adds up how likely each of his shots was to go in, judged by where it came from, what kind of shot it was and whether it was a rebound. All situations, leaving out shots at an empty net. Before 2023-24 the NHL timed events less exactly, and differently from rink to rink, so expected goals for this season are rougher than for recent ones.

0Goalsnot counting empty-netters
0.2Expected goalsfrom 11 unblocked attempts
-0.2Goals above expectedgoals minus expected goals
Chances created 0.10 expected goals per 60 minutes15th
Shot quality 1.7% chance per attempt5th
Finishing -0.2 goals above expected49thOne season of finishing is mostly luck.

Each bar shows the share of defencemen he is ahead of, among the 59 who played at least a quarter as much as the busiest in these playoffs.

00.20.40.60.81Expected 0.2Goals 0

His goals and his expected goals as the season went on. When the goals line pulls away above, he is scoring more than his chances were worth; below, less.

Where he shot from

Every attempt he took in these playoffs, in all situations, attacking the net on the right. There is a dot for each attempt, bigger for a better chance. "Show as heat map" shades the ice by where the attempts came from. Click a goal for its details.

Game log

Date Opponent Result G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits TOI
May 13, 2021 @ STL L 3-7 0 1 1 1 2 1 1 21:25
May 12, 2021 @ STL L 0-4 0 0 0 -1 0 1 2 17:55
May 8, 2021 vs ANA W 4-3 (OT) 0 0 0 -1 2 0 0 16:02
May 7, 2021 vs ANA W 4-3 (OT) 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 15:25
May 5, 2021 vs VGK L 2-3 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 12:41
May 3, 2021 vs VGK W 6-5 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 13:48
May 1, 2021 vs STL W 4-3 (OT) 0 0 0 -2 2 1 0 16:26
Apr 29, 2021 vs STL L 4-5 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 14:21
Apr 28, 2021 vs STL L 3-4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 14:48
Apr 24, 2021 @ SJS W 6-3 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 16:48
Apr 23, 2021 @ LAK W 4-2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 13:26
Apr 21, 2021 @ ARI W 4-1 0 1 1 2 0 0 2 15:09
Apr 19, 2021 @ ARI W 5-2 0 1 1 1 2 0 1 15:45
Apr 17, 2021 vs SJS W 5-2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 16:28
Apr 16, 2021 vs SJS W 3-2 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 15:37
Apr 14, 2021 vs ARI W 5-2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16:57
Apr 10, 2021 @ STL L 2-3 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 12:54
Apr 9, 2021 @ STL L 1-9 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18:18
Apr 7, 2021 vs COL W 8-3 0 0 0 2 2 0 0 17:01
Apr 5, 2021 vs COL L 4-5 0 1 1 2 2 1 0 12:47
Apr 3, 2021 @ VGK W 2-1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 15:41
Apr 1, 2021 @ VGK W 3-2 (SO) 0 0 0 -1 0 0 1 14:48
Mar 31, 2021 @ SJS L 2-4 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 13:44
Mar 29, 2021 @ SJS L 3-4 (SO) 0 0 0 -1 0 1 0 16:01
Mar 25, 2021 vs STL W 2-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 17:22
Mar 24, 2021 vs ANA W 3-2 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 11:56
Mar 22, 2021 vs ANA W 2-1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 16:33
Mar 20, 2021 @ COL L 0-6 0 0 0 -1 2 1 0 17:49
Mar 18, 2021 @ COL L 1-5 0 0 0 -2 0 0 1 17:43
Mar 16, 2021 vs ARI W 3-0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 17:07
Mar 14, 2021 vs ARI W 4-1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 13:16
Mar 12, 2021 vs ARI W 4-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 14:51
Mar 10, 2021 vs VGK W 4-3 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 12:52
Mar 8, 2021 vs VGK W 2-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 15:58
Mar 6, 2021 @ ARI L 2-5 0 0 0 -3 2 0 1 10:52
Mar 5, 2021 @ ARI W 5-1 0 0 0 1 4 1 0 16:05
Mar 3, 2021 @ VGK L 1-5 0 1 1 -1 2 4 0 18:37
Mar 1, 2021 @ VGK L 4-5 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 3 1 16:38
Feb 27, 2021 vs LAK W 4-3 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 15:11
Feb 26, 2021 vs LAK W 3-1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 16:17
Feb 24, 2021 @ COL W 6-2 0 0 0 1 2 0 0 15:24
Feb 22, 2021 @ SJS W 6-2 1 0 1 3 2 3 0 15:32
Feb 20, 2021 @ ANA W 5-1 0 0 0 1 2 0 1 19:14
Feb 18, 2021 @ ANA W 3-1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 17:10
Feb 2, 2021 @ COL L 1-2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 16:38
Jan 31, 2021 vs COL W 4-3 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17:16
Jan 30, 2021 vs COL L 1-5 0 0 0 -1 0 0 1 17:53
Jan 28, 2021 vs LAK W 5-3 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 17:55
Jan 26, 2021 vs LAK L 1-2 0 0 0 0 2 1 3 14:42
Jan 24, 2021 vs SJS L 3-5 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 17:36
Jan 22, 2021 vs SJS W 4-1 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 18:15
Jan 20, 2021 @ ANA W 3-2 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 17:08
Jan 15, 2021 vs STL W 8-0 0 0 0 1 0 2 2 14:28
Jan 13, 2021 vs STL L 1-4 0 0 0 -1 0 0 2 14:54