NHL stats go far beyond goals, assists, and wins. The right numbers can reveal which team controls the puck, which players generate the most scoring opportunities, and whether a goaltender is genuinely dominating or just benefiting from a strong defensive team.
In the betting world, learning the language of hockey stats is the best way to jump from a random NHL bettor to a smart, savvy wagering strategist.
To put you on that path, this NHL stats guide covers four main areas: player stats, goalie stats, team stats, and advanced metrics such as Corsi and Fenwick. Then, when you’re ready to go deeper, you can head over to our NHL betting stats guide.
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NHL Player Stats: Goals, Assists, Points, and Plus/Minus Explained
Let’s start on the surface and work our way down. Goals are the most-tracked stat in hockey, as they generally have the biggest impact on wins and losses, and therefore on whether a player is considered a role player or a superstar. The top goal-scorer in the NHL is at least an MVP candidate most of the time.
Then you have assists, a stat that, like basketball and soccer, recognizes the guy who helped create the goal, not just the guy who finished. NHL can award up to two assists on a goal. The last player to touch the puck before the scorer normally receives the primary assist, while the previous teammate may receive the secondary assist. Regardless of whether they are the primary or secondary, a player will receive a point.
Speaking of points, this stat combines goals and assists. If a player records 25 goals and 40 assists, they finish with 65 points. This is the most common measurement of a player’s overall offensive production.
That said, points do not tell you everything about how a player is performing.
Shots on Goal (SOG): Counts shot attempts on net, even if the goalie stops the puck. Shots that miss the net or are blocked before reaching the goalie do not count.
Shooting Percentage (S%): Like an NBA sharpshooter, this stat divides a player’s goals by their shots on goal. A player with 10 goals from 100 shots has a 10% shooting percentage.
For props, while it’s good to know a player’s shot volume, it’s also good to know their efficiency. Below 8% is low, 12%-14% is average, above 20% is rare.
Time on Ice (TOI): It records how long a player spends on the ice. Players with major minutes usually receive more opportunities to shoot, score, or earn assists.
Those who play on the top power-play unit can also help paint a pretty prop picture before placing bets.
Plus/Minus (+/-): Plus/minus measures the goal differential while a player is on the ice. A player receives a plus when their team scores an even-strength or shorthanded goal. They receive a minus when their team concedes goals.
Power-play goals do not count toward plus/minus. However, if the shorthanded team scores, its players receive a plus and the power-play players on the ice receive a minus.
While plus/minus is a useful stat for understanding the impact of top players, things get murky as a solid player on a bad defensive team could finish with a negative rating despite playing well individually.
Penalty Minutes (PIM): PIM represents the number of penalty minutes a player has racked up. A high total can display physical or undisciplined players. While it’s rare you’ll have player props regarding penalty minutes, frequent penalties give the competition power-play opportunities, which could consistently change numerous props and odds in a game.
NHL Goalie Stats: Save Percentage, Goals Against Average and More
No matter how good a team’s offense is, chances are the hot goalie will decide a game or series. Before placing a bet, always confirm the expected starting goaltender and check how they’ve been playing.
Save Percentage (SV%): SV% is calculated by dividing saves by shots taken. If a goalie stops 27 of 30 shots, they have a .900 save percentage. The higher the percentage, the more shots the goalie is stopping.
Save percentage is especially helpful because it accounts for workload. Two goalies might each allow three goals, but stopping 37 of 40 shots is more impressive than stopping 17 of 20.
A save percentage above .915 has generally represented strong goalie performance.
Goals Against Average (GAA): GAA measures how many goals a goalie allows per 60 minutes – the lower, the better. While similar to save percentage, it does a better job of including team defense in the conversation. A goalie playing with a disciplined defensive unit will usually take fewer shots, while one with matador teammates will see breakaway shots and odd-man rushes.
Goals Saved Above Expected (GSAx): GSAx adds shot quality to stat analysis. It compares the number of goals a goalie actually allowed with the number a statistical model expected them to allow based on the shots they faced.
A positive GSAx means the goalie saved more goals than expected. A negative result means they allowed more.
NHL Team Stats: Shots Per Game, Goals Allowed, and Power Play Percentage
Player and goalie statistics explain individual performance. NHL team stats show how the entire lineup performs at both ends of the ice. Obviously, understanding these stats is important for team prop purposes.
Shots For Per Game (SF/G): SF/G is the average number of shots on goal a team generates. A high total usually indicates sustained offensive pressure. Teams that shoot frequently give themselves more chances to score, which tends to create more goals.
Shot volume can help with wagers like puck line and over/under betting.
Goals For Per Game (GF/G): GF/G measures average scoring output. While Goals Against Per Game (GA/G) measures the average of goals allowed. It’s one of the quickest overviews of a team’s offense and defense.
Goals against per game is particularly useful for over/under wagers. A matchup between two teams that regularly limit goals may point toward a lower-scoring game. Two vulnerable defenses can create the opposite situation.
Power Play Percentage (PP%): PP% measures the percentage of power-play opportunities that produce a goal. It is calculated by dividing power-play goals by power-play opportunities. Every hockey fan knows a dangerous power play can punish an opponent that takes frequent penalties.
Penalty Kill Percentage (PK%): PK% measures the percentage of opposing power plays a team survives without allowing a goal. Teams that can consistently kill an opposing team’s power play advantage can provide value even when they’re a big underdog.
Advanced NHL Stats: Corsi, Fenwick and Expected Goals Explained
Traditional stats show what happened. Advanced NHL stats explain the who, how, and why.
Corsi For Percentage (CF%): CF% measures a team’s share of all shot attempts taken by both teams, usually at five-on-five. It includes goals, saved shots, missed shots, and blocked shots. A CF% above 50% means the team generates more shot attempts than it allows. Corsi treats every attempt equally, regardless of its location or quality. This will help bettors understand the type of team they’re dealing with overall. If they’re a high-scoring squad, is their defense equally sound or is it a detriment?
Fenwick For Percentage (FF%): FF% works similarly but removes blocked shots. It measures a team’s share of unblocked shot attempts at even strength. Some analysts prefer Fenwick because blocking can reflect a defensive system rather than a team’s inability to create offense.
Expected Goals (xG): xG addresses shot quality. It assigns each attempt a probability of becoming a goal based on factors such as its location, type, angle, and game situation.
A team with a high expected-goals total is creating dangerous opportunities, not merely firing the puck from anywhere.
How to Compare Two NHL Teams Using Stats
You can compare any two NHL teams with a simple five-step process.
Step 1: Compare shots per game. The team producing significantly more shots usually creates greater offensive pressure. Check whether that advantage has been consistent or produced by only a few unusual games.
Step 2: Compare goals allowed per game. A lower GA/G generally points to better defensive results. If both teams allow few goals, an under may deserve consideration. If both regularly concede, the over may become more attractive.
Step 3: Compare power-play percentage. A strong power play can provide a major edge against an undisciplined opponent. Compare it with the other team’s penalty-kill percentage to see which side holds the special teams advantage.
Step 4: Check the starting goalies. Compare their current save percentages rather than looking only at wins. A meaningful gap in recent goalie performance can be one of the strongest single-game signals in hockey.
Step 5: Check Corsi, Fenwick, or expected-goals share. These statistics reveal which team has controlled the game and created the better opportunities. A team with strong underlying numbers but poor recent results may be a candidate for regression.
What Are NHL Stats?
NHL stats are the official performance measurements used to track players, goaltenders, and teams across every game and season. The NHL records and publishes traditional statistics through NHL.com.
The main categories include player stats such as goals, assists, points, and plus/minus; goalie stats such as save percentage and goals-against average; team stats such as shots and special teams percentages; and advanced metrics such as Corsi, Fenwick, and expected goals.
These numbers help fans understand why a team is winning or losing. They also provide important context for the Bovada NHL odds, which cover regular-season and playoff games.
NHL Stats: Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most important NHL player stats?
Goals, assists, and points are the primary offensive measurements. Time on ice shows how much a player is trusted, shooting percentage measures goal efficiency, and plus/minus records qualifying goal differential while that player is on the ice.
What is save percentage in hockey?
Save percentage (SV%) is the number of saves a goaltender makes divided by the total shots they face. A higher save percentage indicates that the goalie is stopping a greater share of those shots.
What is Corsi in NHL stats?
Corsi (CF%) measures all shot attempts, including goals, saved shots, missed shots, and blocked shots, for and against a team at even strength. A CF% above 50% means the team is generating more attempts than it allows.
How do I compare two NHL teams using stats?
Start with shots per game, goals allowed per game, and power-play percentage. Then compare the starting goalies’ save percentages and use Corsi, Fenwick, or expected goals to assess which team controls play.
What NHL team stats matter most for betting?
Goals against per game can help assess an over/under, while shots per game indicate offensive pressure. Power-play and penalty-kill percentages show which team may hold the special teams edge.
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