How to Read Hockey Stats: Player, Goalie, & Team (2024)

It is amazing to keep track of all the statistics that show a squad’s or players’ performance if you are a lover of a professional hockey club or player. There are a lot of numbers, statistics, and symbols for different stats. These statistics can tell you a lot if you have information about them.

How to read hockey stats? Hockey statistics are calculated based on either a single match or the entire season. They can relate to a player, goalie, or squad. Each of these positions has unique statistical information to give you a clear idea of the performance evaluation.

This guide will help you to determine what are the meanings of these symbols and how you can understand them. Let’s have a route toward them.

Reading NHL Player Stats for Individual Game

Below I am going to describe the stats of three famous NHL players:

• G: It indicates how many goals the player scores in that specific match.
• A: The player’s overall number of assists in that specific game. They can be either primary or secondary.
• PTS: It describes the player’s maximum number of points, which are determined by adding up all of their assists and goals.
• Plus/Minus (+/-): Plus/minus is the total number of points a player has made on the rink when his squad wins which is deducted from the total number of points he has made on the rink when the opponent wins points. A player’s plus-minus would be positive if they were on the rink for 2 points and 1 score against the opponents. Bergeron was involved in one more point for that goal.
• PIM: PIM indicates Penalty Minutes which are also known as Penalty Infraction Minutes. This is the total number of punishment minutes a player has received throughout the match.
• SOG: SOG indicates the shots on goal. It is the total number of shots a player has made on the net that requires the goalkeeper to perform a save. It helps to prevent a point from scoring. Thus, moves that miss the goal or hit the wall are not included in this statistic.
• HITS: It determines how many times a player makes a shot or a push. During this, his opposite team will have control of the puck before throwing it.

Analysis

The three leading score makers from the Boston Bruins’ single match are displayed in the statistics. In a normal game, a player’s performance is regarded as excellent if they score 2 points or more.The majority of players in a game receive 0 points, while the best players score an aggregate of one point for each game. Additionally, five strikes on a net are regarded as significant.

Below are several other points:

• 5 or 6 are regarded as a high number of shots.
• When a player receives penalty time, the most typical range is 2 to 4.
• The NHL has significantly less violence than before,
• The majority of individuals pay little attention to hits.

Reading a player’s season stats: David Pastrnak

• Season: It is used to describe the final series, which runs from early October to early April. The postseason records are typically listed under a player’s regular season survey results. They are not included in these figures.
• Team: During a specific season, the player will be a part of the squad or club, called a team. A player can be moved and compete for many teams in a year.
• League: NHL can be the most recognizable club, but there are many more. It includes opposition in the AHL, College, Major Junior, KHL, SHL, ECHL, or more.
• GP: The number of matches a player has played during a specific season. Comparing this statistic to the real number of matches that a team has played is always beneficial.
• G: It shows how many goals the player has scored in a season.
• A: A player’s total season-long assist is represented by the letter A.
• PTS: The overall sum of points the player has achieved is represented by PTS. It includes goals plus assists.

• PPG: The total number of scores of Pastrnak while on the penalty kill is represented by the term “Power Play Scores.”
• PPA: The total number of assists recorded while he is on the power play is known as PPA (Power Play Assists).
• SHG: SHG is Shorthanded Goal is the total points that he has scored while his team players have been shorthanded.
• SHA: SHA is Shorthanded Assist which is the overall sum of assists during his squad’s shorthanded situation.
• GWG: Game-winning goals, or GWGs for short, are those that give your squad the advantage over the other side by one point. The 3rd goal made by the opposing club in a 5-2 victory will be served as the game-winning point.
• PIM: PIM means Penalty Infraction Minutes which are the total minutes played in a season.
• SHOTS: The season’s total number of shots that have been recorded on goal is known as SHOTS.
• PCT: PCT indicates the Shooting Ratio of a Player.
• HITS: HITS represents the player’s overall sum of hits during the campaign.

Reading Individual Goalie Stats: Matt Murray

• W-L-OTL: It indicates Wins, Losses, and Overtime Losses. It represents the ratio of victories in normal, overtime, or a shoot; the total of losses in regulation; and the percentage of defeats in extra hours, respectively. Wins get two points in the rankings, but OTLs only receive one.
• SA: It represents the proportion of shots that were taken during the match but either missed the target or were blocked.
• GA: It shows the total number of points the goalie scored throughout that match.
• SV: The overall ratio of saves the goalie completed throughout the match.
• SV%: The sum of the saves that will be divided by the attacks is the saving ratio. In the instance of 23/4 =.0.826; it is a typical statistic but it will not be displayed above. Also, it is the most important one for a goalie aggregate year.

Reading Season Stats for a Goalie: Matt Murray

• Season: The regular season, which heads from the start of October to the start of April, is referred to as the “season.” The postseason records are listed under a skater’s regular season statistical data and are not included in these figures.
• Team: When different players play in the form of groups, they make a team. The players in a team play for a particular season. A player can be transferred and appear for many teams in a year.
• League: NHL appears to be the prominent club overall but there are several other clubs as well. There is a competition in the AHL, College, Major Junior, KHL, SHL, ECHL, or internationally.
• GP: GP stands for Games Played in a match. A goalie’s GP will be lower than a player’s GP. The average game pace for the best goalie is 60 per year.
• W: W stands for win. The total victories a goalie has achieved in regular time, extra, or shootouts are known as wins.
• L: L indicates Loss. It is the total ratio of regulation-time defeats for the goalie individually.
• OT: The proportion of defeats for the goalie that came in extra time or the penalty is indicated by the term OT.

• MIN: MIN stands for the year’s overall time in which games are played. Goalies can perform all or a portion of a match, which consists of 60 minutes of normal time and a potential 5 minutes of extra.
• GA: GA stands for the season’s overall points achieved against the opposite team.
• SA: SA stands for the seasonal aggregate of saves that are achieved in the match.
• GAA: The total number of goals allowed for every 60 minutes of gameplay is known as the GAA which is goals against average.
• PCT: Total goals against a team multiplied by overall saves produce PCT or Save Ratio.
• SO: The overall estimated time in which a goaltender has played the entire game and allowed no points in that specific match is known as SO.

Reading NHL Team Stats

• RK: RK represents the rank that is the status in their region, conferences, or league.
• Team: The team is the NHL team in which players are divided and play the match.
• GP: GP stands for matches played during the year. Thus, 82 matches make up a season.
• W: W implies the total number of victories in regular, overtime, or shootouts, and each of them carries two points in the rankings.
• L: L describes the losses that will be achieved overall during regulation time in the game.
• OTL: OTL indicates the losses that have occurred in overtime or a penalty. Also, each of these losses will result in one point for the rankings.
• PTS: PTS describes the total number of points achieved in a match depending on a victory such as 2 points) and a defeat as 1 point in overtime or a shootout. Washington has 5 OTL X 1 = 5- and 33-wins X 2 = 66. In this way, he made 66 + 6 = 71.
• ROW: ROW means Regulation or Overtime Wins. This statistic serves as the first statistic in the rankings. It will perform by reducing the victories for a side won in shootouts from their overall victory record.

• L10: L10 is a squad’s performance throughout its previous 10 matches.
• STRK: W and L represent wins and losses, respectively. W3 denotes a 3-game unbeaten record.
• GF: GF stands for Goals To measure the total number of points the team has achieved.
• GA: Total the number of goals achieved against the squad is indicated by the symbol GA.
• DIFF: Goal Differential (DIFF) is either a negative or positive figure and is calculated as Scores For minus Goals.
• Home: A team’s performance when performing at home is referred to as their “HOME” record. A team cannot qualify for the finals at home if its record is below .500.
• Road: A team’s goal when keeping a winning percentage is to win as many matches as they lose.
• VS E: A team’s achievement in comparison to the Eastern Conference is indicated by the symbol VS E.
• VS W: A team’s performance in comparison to the Western Conference is indicated by the symbol VS W.

Analysis

This will let you know how many more matches they would play than they miss or matches over .500. A squad must win 12 more matches than they lose to qualify for the finals. Goal difference is a key indicator of whether a squad will continue to the finals or not. A squad will qualify for the finals if they achieve more goals than they allow.

Conclusion: How to Read Hockey Stats

When it comes to how to read hockey stats, you will have to learn different symbols and signs that are used in the NHL. If you will get to know the meanings and abbreviations, you will understand how you can read stats whether it is for a single player or a squad.