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Brett Kulak

#27 · Defence · Colorado Avalanche

Born Jan 6, 1994 in Edmonton, Alberta, CAN (age 32) · 6'1", 192 lb · Shoots left · Drafted 105th overall in 2012 by CGY (round 4)

Compare with a similar player

The defencemen closest to him in points in 2018-19. Pick one to see the two side by side, or choose someone else.

Sami Vatanen NJD · 17 P in 50 GP Travis Dermott TOR · 17 P in 64 GP Anton Stralman TBL · 17 P in 47 GP Matt Benning EDM · 17 P in 70 GP Scott Harrington CBJ · 17 P in 73 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.

05101520252014-15: 0 points014-152015-16: 0 points015-162016-17: 3 points316-172017-18: 8 points817-182018-19: 17 points1718-192019-20: 7 points719-202020-21: 8 points820-212021-22: 21 points2121-222022-23: 20 points2022-232023-24: 16 points1623-242024-25: 25 points2524-252025-26: 12 points1225-262026-27: 4 points426-27

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

Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Cap hit
2014-15 CGY 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0.00 $657K
2015-16 CGY 8 0 0 0 -2 0 9 2 0.00 $657K
2016-17 CGY 21 0 3 3 -3 12 19 14 0.14 $657K
2017-18 CGY 71 2 6 8 -3 27 73 45 0.11 $650K
2018-19 MTL 57 6 11 17 12 31 102 107 0.30 $900K
2019-20 MTL 56 0 7 7 -1 12 101 59 0.13 $1.85M
2020-21 MTL 46 2 6 8 3 20 57 28 0.17 $1.85M
2021-22 MTL 56 3 10 13 -10 33 63 64 0.23 $1.85M
2021-22 EDM 18 2 6 8 6 12 29 39 0.44
2022-23 EDM 82 3 17 20 11 41 114 105 0.24 $2.75M
2023-24 EDM 82 3 13 16 0 30 94 77 0.20 $2.75M
2024-25 EDM 82 7 18 25 -7 18 135 28 0.30 $2.75M
2025-26 EDM 31 0 2 2 -7 10 33 4 0.06 $2.75M
2025-26 PIT 25 1 6 7 2 18 29 5 0.28
2025-26 COL 27 0 3 3 1 10 33 10 0.11
2026-27 COL 5 0 4 4 0 0 3 2 0.80 $4.5M
13 seasons Career 668 29 112 141 2 276 894 589 0.21

Playoffs

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

Season Team GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP
2019-20 MTL 10 0 3 3 2 0 19 12 0.30
2020-21 MTL 13 0 1 1 -4 4 11 12 0.08
2021-22 EDM 16 0 5 5 7 12 18 31 0.31
2022-23 EDM 12 1 1 2 3 9 19 12 0.17
2023-24 EDM 25 1 7 8 -3 14 21 23 0.32
2024-25 EDM 22 1 4 5 9 8 25 17 0.23
2025-26 COL 13 1 4 5 1 6 12 5 0.38
7 seasons Playoffs 111 4 25 29 15 53 125 112 0.26

2018-19 season totals

GP G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits P/GP Shooting % Avg TOI
57 6 11 17 12 31 102 107 0.30 5.9 17:51

Contract

$900KCap hitends in 2019, then extended to 2022
$53KCap dollars per point17 points in 57 games
$205KCap dollars per goal above replacement4.4 goals above replacement
$3.6MWorth at the going ratewhat teams paid for a season like his
+$2.7MValueworth 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. Value is coloured by where it ranks among the 696 ranked skaters whose contract is known. How value is worked out.

The contract

Signed by the Calgary Flames on Jul 25, 2018, as a new contract: 1 year and $900K, beginning in 2018-19. It runs through 2018-19, so this is its last season, and his extension takes over. His next contract is already signed: an extension with the Montreal Canadiens on May 25, 2019, 3 years and $5.55M at $1.85M a season, beginning in 2019-20.

Season Cap hit Base salary Signing bonus Performance bonuses Paid in all Clause
2018-19 $900K $900K $0 $900K

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
Jun 26, 2026 Colorado Avalanche Extension 2026-27 to 2030-31 5 $22.5M $4.5M
Jul 13, 2022 Edmonton Oilers New contract 2022-23 to 2025-26 4 $11M $2.75M
May 25, 2019 Montreal Canadiens Extension not begun 2019-20 to 2021-22 3 $5.55M $1.85M
Jul 25, 2018 Calgary Flames New contract 2018-19 to 2018-19 1 $900K $900K
Aug 28, 2017 Calgary Flames New contract 2017-18 to 2017-18 1 $650K $650K
Mar 18, 2014 Calgary Flames Entry-level 2014-15 to 2016-17 3 $2.45M $657K

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 2018-19 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.

2018-19 analytics

Rating

+4.4Goals above replacement231st of 699 skaters, 63rd of 244 defencemen
+0.7Wins above replacementgoals above replacement divided by six
+1.0Goals above averagethe five parts below added up

Each number is coloured by where it ranks among the 244 ranked defencemen: green is in the top fifth and red the bottom fifth, with paler shades in between and amber for the middle. Hover over a tile for its percentile.

Even-strength offence-0.5 60th percentileEven-strength defence+2.8 89th percentilePower play-0.1 49th percentilePenalty kill-0.2 25th percentilePenalties-1.1 29th percentile

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, and the rank beside it is among defencemen. A full season is about two-thirds the player and one-third chance. 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.

-10-505102014-152016-172018-192020-212022-232024-252026-27Goals 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

56.3Corsi for %1096 attempts for, 850 against
+2.4CF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
56.8Expected goals for %43.4 expected for, 33.0 against
+2.7xGF% relative to teamagainst the team without him
56.6Fenwick for %unblocked attempts
57.8Goals for %52 for, 38 against
100.0PDO8.6% shooting + 91.4% saves
194Attempts takenhis own shot attempts

Each share is coloured by where it ranks among the 591 skaters who played enough to be ranked: green is in the top fifth and red the bottom fifth, with paler shades in between and amber for the middle. Hover over a tile for its percentile. PDO and attempts taken are left plain, since neither is good or bad on its own.

Who he played with

Defence pairGPTimeCF%xGF%Goals
Jordie Benn · Brett Kulak35336:4755.256.219-13
Jeff Petry · Brett Kulak47315:4157.458.516-15
Shea Weber · Brett Kulak31161:3958.855.210-4
Brett Kulak · Christian Folin1151:1948.251.64-2

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.

6Goalsnot counting empty-netters
4.2Expected goalsfrom 137 unblocked attempts
+1.8Goals above expectedgoals minus expected goals
Chances created 0.25 expected goals per 60 minutes73rd
Shot quality 3.0% chance per attempt47th
Finishing +1.8 goals above expected85thOne season of finishing is mostly luck.

Each bar shows the share of defencemen he is ahead of, among the 244 who played 300 minutes or more this season.

0246Game 20Game 40Goals 6Expected 4.2

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 this season, in all situations, attacking the net on the right. Darker red means more attempts from that spot, and each dot is a goal. "Show every shot" switches to a dot for each attempt, bigger for a better chance. Click a goal for its details.

Game log

Date Opponent Result G A P +/- PIM Shots Hits TOI
Apr 6, 2019 vs TOR W 6-5 (SO) 0 0 0 1 0 2 5 22:57
Apr 4, 2019 @ WSH L 1-2 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 22:00
Apr 2, 2019 vs TBL W 4-2 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 21:46
Mar 30, 2019 @ WPG W 3-1 0 1 1 1 0 3 1 21:59
Mar 28, 2019 @ CBJ L 2-6 1 1 2 0 0 3 3 18:27
Mar 26, 2019 vs FLA W 6-1 1 1 2 4 0 4 3 19:07
Mar 24, 2019 @ CAR L 1-2 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 19:18
Mar 23, 2019 vs BUF W 7-4 0 1 1 -1 0 3 1 18:30
Mar 21, 2019 vs NYI W 4-0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18:06
Mar 19, 2019 @ PHI W 3-1 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 21:17
Mar 16, 2019 vs CHI L 0-2 0 0 0 -1 0 0 2 18:54
Mar 14, 2019 @ NYI L 1-2 0 0 0 -2 2 5 1 21:44
Mar 12, 2019 vs DET W 3-1 1 0 1 1 0 3 0 17:32
Mar 7, 2019 @ SJS L 2-5 0 1 1 -1 0 1 1 18:29
Mar 5, 2019 @ LAK W 3-1 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 21:07
Mar 2, 2019 vs PIT L 1-5 0 0 0 -1 0 2 2 15:24
Mar 1, 2019 @ NYR W 4-2 0 1 1 0 0 1 2 18:00
Feb 26, 2019 @ DET W 8-1 0 0 0 4 14 1 3 16:01
Feb 25, 2019 @ NJD L 1-2 0 0 0 0 0 5 1 14:19
Feb 23, 2019 @ TOR L 3-6 0 1 1 0 0 2 1 15:18
Feb 21, 2019 vs PHI W 5-1 0 1 1 3 0 1 1 17:01
Feb 19, 2019 vs CBJ W 3-2 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 16:05
Feb 17, 2019 @ FLA L 3-6 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18:05
Feb 16, 2019 @ TBL L 0-3 0 0 0 -1 2 1 1 17:52
Feb 14, 2019 @ NSH L 1-3 0 0 0 -1 0 1 2 14:06
Feb 9, 2019 vs TOR L 3-4 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 13:53
Feb 7, 2019 vs WPG W 5-2 0 0 0 -2 0 1 6 16:45
Feb 5, 2019 vs ANA W 4-1 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 19:36
Feb 3, 2019 vs EDM W 4-3 (OT) 0 0 0 -1 0 1 3 19:22
Feb 2, 2019 vs NJD L 2-3 (OT) 0 0 0 1 0 4 2 19:01
Jan 23, 2019 vs ARI W 2-1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 16:04
Jan 19, 2019 vs PHI L 2-5 1 0 1 0 0 4 3 17:55
Jan 18, 2019 @ CBJ W 4-1 0 0 0 -1 0 1 1 17:28
Jan 15, 2019 vs FLA W 5-1 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 18:26
Jan 14, 2019 @ BOS W 3-2 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 14:25
Jan 12, 2019 vs COL W 3-0 1 0 1 1 2 3 0 12:48
Jan 10, 2019 @ STL L 1-4 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 15:11
Jan 8, 2019 @ DET W 3-2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 14:48
Jan 7, 2019 vs MIN L 0-1 0 0 0 0 0 2 4 19:07
Jan 5, 2019 vs NSH L 1-4 0 0 0 -1 0 2 4 15:26
Jan 3, 2019 vs VAN W 2-0 0 0 0 1 0 0 3 12:16
Dec 31, 2018 @ DAL W 3-2 (OT) 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 16:44
Dec 29, 2018 @ TBL L 5-6 1 0 1 2 0 3 2 15:25
Dec 28, 2018 @ FLA W 5-3 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 13:50
Dec 22, 2018 @ VGK W 4-3 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 14:55
Dec 17, 2018 vs BOS L 0-4 0 0 0 -1 0 2 2 16:00
Dec 15, 2018 vs OTT W 5-2 0 1 1 0 0 3 1 19:33
Dec 13, 2018 vs CAR W 6-4 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 16:34
Dec 11, 2018 @ MIN L 1-7 0 0 0 0 0 5 2 23:12
Dec 9, 2018 @ CHI W 3-2 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 19:21
Dec 6, 2018 @ OTT W 5-2 0 0 0 0 2 1 2 22:06
Dec 4, 2018 vs OTT W 5-2 0 0 0 2 5 3 2 16:31
Dec 2, 2018 vs SJS L 1-3 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 21:54
Dec 1, 2018 vs NYR W 5-2 0 0 0 2 0 3 4 20:38
Nov 27, 2018 vs CAR L 1-2 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 19:24
Nov 24, 2018 vs BOS L 2-3 0 0 0 -1 0 1 1 15:47
Nov 23, 2018 @ BUF L 2-3 (OT) 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 19:14