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How to read hockey stats

Hockey stat tables are full of abbreviations. This guide explains every stat you will see on latstats.lv and elsewhere: what it means, how it is calculated, an example with a real Latvian player, and what counts as good in the NHL.

Skater statistics

The core numbers used to judge forwards and defensemen: goals, assists, ice time and shooting.

G Goals

What it means: How many goals a player has scored. The goal is credited to the last player of the scoring team to touch the puck.
How it is calculated: G = number of goals scored
Example: A forward who scores 25 times in a season has G = 25.
Latvian example: Zemgus Girgensons (Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL) – G 9 2025/26 season,74 games
What is good: NHL: 20+ goals in a season is a solid top-six forward, 30+ is high-end, 40+ puts you among the league leaders.

A Assists

What it means: Passes that lead to a goal. Up to two assists can be awarded per goal – to the last two teammates of the scorer who touched the puck.
How it is calculated: A = number of assists
Example: If a defenseman passes to a forward who sets up the scorer, both get an assist.
Latvian example: Zemgus Girgensons (Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL) – A 11 2025/26 season,74 games
What is good: NHL: 30+ assists is good, 50+ is an elite playmaker. For a defenseman, 30+ assists is excellent.

P Points

What it means: Goals plus assists – the main measure of offensive output. Points per game (P/GP) is often more useful than the total.
How it is calculated: P = G + A; P/GP = P ÷ games played
Example: 20 goals + 30 assists = 50 points. 50 points in 82 games = 0.61 points per game.
Latvian example: Zemgus Girgensons (Tampa Bay Lightning, NHL) – P 20 2025/26 season,74 games
What is good: NHL: 60+ points is very good, 80+ is star level, 100+ is rare. A point per game is elite.

+/- Plus/minus

What it means: A player gets +1 when on the ice for a goal his team scores at even strength or shorthanded, and −1 when on the ice for an even-strength or shorthanded goal against. Power-play goals do not count.
How it is calculated: +/- = goals for while on ice − goals against while on ice (excluding power-play goals)
Example: A defenseman on the ice for two 5-on-5 goals for and one against finishes the night at +1.
Latvian example: Peteris Bulans (Chicoutimi Saguenéens"A", QMJ) – +/- +8 2025/26 season,20 games
What is good: +15 or better over a season is very good, +30 is outstanding. It depends heavily on the team and goalie, so compare within a team.

PIM Penalty minutes

What it means: Total penalty time a player has been assessed. Minor = 2 min, double minor = 4, major = 5, misconduct = 10.
How it is calculated: PIM = sum of all penalty minutes
Example: Two minors and one major = 2 + 2 + 5 = 9 PIM.
What is good: Lower is usually better: skill forwards sit around 20–40 per season. Physical players often pass 80, but every minor puts the team shorthanded.

PPG Power-play goals

What it means: Goals scored while the opponent has a player in the penalty box (e.g. 5-on-4). Note: some sites use PPG for points per game instead.
How it is calculated: PPG = goals scored on the power play
Example: If 8 of a player's 25 goals came with the man advantage, PPG = 8.
What is good: NHL: 10+ power-play goals marks a first-unit regular, 15+ is among the league's best.

SHG Shorthanded goals

What it means: Goals scored while your own team is a player down. They are rare and point to a strong penalty-killer who can attack on the break.
How it is calculated: SHG = goals scored while shorthanded
Example: A forward intercepts a pass in his own zone and scores on a breakaway while a teammate serves a minor – one SHG.
What is good: NHL: 3–4 shorthanded goals in a season is a lot; 5+ usually leads the league.

GWG Game-winning goals

What it means: The goal that puts a team one ahead of the opponent's final total. In a 5–2 win, the team's third goal is the game-winner.
How it is calculated: GWG = the goal that exceeds the opponent's final score by one
Example: In a 4–3 win, whoever scored the team's fourth goal gets the GWG.
What is good: NHL: 5+ game-winners in a season is good, 10+ usually ranks near the top.

SOG Shots on goal

What it means: Shots that reach the net – either saved by the goalie or scored. Missed and blocked shots do not count.
How it is calculated: SOG = shots saved + goals scored
Example: A player takes 6 shots: 2 miss, 1 is blocked, 2 are saved, 1 goes in. SOG = 3.
What is good: NHL: 200+ shots in a season is high volume (about 2.5 a game), 300+ is elite.

S% Shooting percentage

What it means: The share of shots on goal that become goals. It reflects finishing skill and shot quality.
How it is calculated: S% = G ÷ SOG × 100
Example: 25 goals on 200 shots = 12.5%.
What is good: NHL average is about 9–10%; 15%+ is excellent. A very high season often regresses toward the average the next year.

TOI Time on ice

What it means: How long a player is on the ice, usually as an average per game. It shows how much the coach trusts him, including on special teams.
How it is calculated: TOI/GP = total ice time ÷ games played
Example: 1,640 minutes over 82 games = 20:00 per game.
What is good: NHL: top-pair defensemen play 23–26 minutes, first-line forwards 18–21, fourth-liners 8–11.

FO% Faceoff win percentage

What it means: The share of faceoffs a player wins. It mostly matters for centers, who take most of the draws.
How it is calculated: FO% = faceoffs won ÷ faceoffs taken × 100
Example: A center takes 20 draws and wins 11: 11 ÷ 20 = 55%.
What is good: 50% is average, 53%+ is good, 55%+ is among the league's best (over a few hundred draws).

Goaltender statistics

Goalies are judged by how many shots they stop and how many goals they allow. Wins depend heavily on the team in front of them, so rates matter more than totals.

SV% Save percentage

What it means: The share of shots on goal a goalie stops – the single most important goalie stat. Usually written as a decimal: .915 means 91.5%.
How it is calculated: SV% = saves ÷ shots against
Example: A goalie stops 28 of 30 shots: 28 ÷ 30 = .933.
Latvian example: Arturs Silovs (Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL) – SV% .888 2025/26 season,39 games
What is good: NHL average is about .900–.905. .915+ is very good, .920+ is elite. Junior and lower leagues run lower.

GAA Goals against average

What it means: How many goals a goalie allows per 60 minutes. It uses only time actually played, so being pulled mid-game does not distort it.
How it is calculated: GAA = goals against × 60 ÷ minutes played
Example: 120 goals against in 3,000 minutes: 120 × 60 ÷ 3,000 = 2.40.
Latvian example: Arturs Silovs (Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL) – GAA 3.07 2025/26 season,39 games
What is good: NHL average is about 2.9–3.0; under 2.50 is excellent. Team defense affects it a lot, so read it together with SV%.

SO Shutouts

What it means: Games in which the goalie allows no goals. If two goalies share the game, neither is credited.
How it is calculated: SO = complete games with zero goals against
Example: A goalie plays the full game in a 3–0 win – one shutout. Shootout goals after a 0–0 game do not count against it.
What is good: NHL: 3–4 shutouts in a season is good, 6+ usually ranks among the league leaders.

Advanced statistics (analytics)

Advanced stats count every shot attempt and how dangerous it was, not just goals. They show which team controls the puck while a player is on the ice.

Corsi Corsi (CF%)

What it means: All shot attempts – on goal, missed and blocked – for and against while a player is on the ice (usually at 5-on-5). It is a proxy for puck possession.
How it is calculated: CF% = CF ÷ (CF + CA) × 100
Example: With a forward on the ice his team attempts 60 shots and the opponent 40: 60 ÷ 100 = 60%.
What is good: 50% is break-even, 52–55% is good, 55%+ is excellent. Zone starts and linemates affect it.

Fenwick Fenwick (FF%)

What it means: Same as Corsi but without blocked shots, on the idea that shot-blocking is a skill of its own.
How it is calculated: FF% = unblocked attempts for ÷ (for + against) × 100
Example: 55 unblocked attempts for and 45 against: 55 ÷ 100 = 55%.
What is good: Like Corsi: 50% is break-even, above 52% is good. Fenwick predicts goals slightly better than Corsi.

xG Expected goals (xG)

What it means: Each shot gets a probability of becoming a goal based on location, shot type, rebounds, pre-shot passes and more. The sum shows how many goals a player or team "should" have scored.
How it is calculated: xG = sum of goal probabilities of all shots; xGF% = xGF ÷ (xGF + xGA) × 100
Example: A shot from the slot is worth about 0.25 xG, a point shot about 0.03. Ten such shots add up to about 1.4 xG.
What is good: xGF% above 52% is good. Scoring more than your xG over several seasons points to a real finishing talent; less may be bad luck.

Quick reference

Abbreviation	Stat	How it is calculated
G	Goals	G = number of goals scored
A	Assists	A = number of assists
P	Points	P = G + A; P/GP = P ÷ games played
+/-	Plus/minus	+/- = goals for while on ice − goals against while on ice (excluding power-play goals)
PIM	Penalty minutes	PIM = sum of all penalty minutes
PPG	Power-play goals	PPG = goals scored on the power play
SHG	Shorthanded goals	SHG = goals scored while shorthanded
GWG	Game-winning goals	GWG = the goal that exceeds the opponent's final score by one
SOG	Shots on goal	SOG = shots saved + goals scored
S%	Shooting percentage	S% = G ÷ SOG × 100
TOI	Time on ice	TOI/GP = total ice time ÷ games played
FO%	Faceoff win percentage	FO% = faceoffs won ÷ faceoffs taken × 100
SV%	Save percentage	SV% = saves ÷ shots against
GAA	Goals against average	GAA = goals against × 60 ÷ minutes played
SO	Shutouts	SO = complete games with zero goals against
Corsi	Corsi (CF%)	CF% = CF ÷ (CF + CA) × 100
Fenwick	Fenwick (FF%)	FF% = unblocked attempts for ÷ (for + against) × 100
xG	Expected goals (xG)	xG = sum of goal probabilities of all shots; xGF% = xGF ÷ (xGF + xGA) × 100

Frequently asked questions

What does +/- mean in hockey?

Plus/minus is the goal differential while a player is on the ice. He gets +1 for every even-strength or shorthanded goal his team scores and −1 for every such goal against. Power-play goals are not counted.

What is a good save percentage in hockey?

The NHL average save percentage is about .900–.905. Above .915 is very good and above .920 is elite. Lower and junior leagues run lower, so compare goalies within the same league.

How is GAA calculated in hockey?

GAA = goals against × 60 ÷ minutes played. It shows how many goals a goalie allows in a full game on average. A good NHL GAA is below 2.50.

How are points calculated in hockey?

A player's points are goals plus assists (P = G + A). Up to two assists can be awarded on each goal.

What is a shutout in hockey?

A shutout (SO) is a game in which the goalie plays the full game without allowing a goal. If two goalies split the game, neither gets the shutout.

What is the difference between Corsi and Fenwick?

Both count shot attempts for and against while a player is on the ice. Corsi counts every attempt; Fenwick leaves out blocked shots.

What does xG mean in hockey?

xG, or expected goals, is the sum of each shot's probability of becoming a goal, based on location, shot type and situation. It shows how many goals a player or team would score with average finishing.

Does PPG mean power-play goals or points per game?

Both, depending on the source. In traditional hockey stats PPG is power-play goals, but many sites and tables use PPG for points per game. Check the context of the table.

See the stats in action

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