Box score basics

A goal goes to the last skater to touch the puck before it crosses the line. The most direct result stat in hockey.

Note. Goals on their own are a weak guide to what’s next. A player shooting 15% will come back down; for most forwards, 8–10% is the sustainable level.

Goes to the last player to touch the puck before the scorer. A primary assist is a stronger sign than a secondary one, because it means real involvement in creating the chance.

Note. First assists line up with xG better than total assists do, so analysts often set secondary assists aside for a cleaner read on playmaking.

Goes to the player before the primary assister. It’s a noisier stat, because a routine outlet pass can end up counting if the play later becomes a goal.

Goals plus all assists. The standard leaderboard stat.

Note. Because A2 carries noise, analysts often weight G + A1 more heavily when evaluating playmakers.

Goals divided by shots on goal. Measures how often a player converts shots. It is heavily influenced by luck and sample size and usually stabilizes only after 300 or more shots.

Note. One season of shooting percentage is among the least predictive stats there is. Over a career, most forwards settle near 8–10%, and defensemen are usually lower.

Saves divided by shots on goal faced. The headline goalie stat, but it depends heavily on shot quality and team defense.

Note. Raw SV% does not adjust for shot danger. Use GSAx when you need a cleaner read on actual save performance.

Goals allowed per 60 minutes of ice time. It works as a rough screen, but it penalizes goalies facing high-volume or high-danger defenses.

Incremented when a skater is on ice for an even-strength or shorthanded goal for their team and decremented when the opponent scores. It does not account for score state, usage, or teammate quality.

Note. Plus/minus is one of the most misleading old-school stats. CF% and xGF% tell you far more about a player.

Total time assessed in penalties. High totals are contextual because some penalties come from physical play and some from poor discipline.

Goals scored while the team has a numerical advantage. PPG volume depends heavily on power-play role and the number of team opportunities.

Goals scored while the team is killing a penalty. They are rare, high-variance events, but they can signal rush threat and forechecking ability on the kill.

Every shot that scores or forces a save. Blocked and missed shots don’t count, which is why Corsi gives a fuller picture of possession.