When it comes time to wager on the NHL, it’s going to be of vital importance to be able to decipher the league stats. Both team and individual statistics are necessary factors to be considered when betting on hockey.
Fortunately, we are living today in the information age. There’s more data available today than at any point in history and thanks to the internet, it’s also readily accessible to everyone.
Best NHL Data and Stats for Betting
Through sites such as NHL.com, bettors can gain instant access to both standard stats and analytics, providing plenty of info to digest and assess prior to placing any bets.
NHL Data Glossary and Stats Abbreviation Explained
Let’s look at a glossary of the most important NHL data that you need when building your NHL betting model:
G – Goals. These can be totals for both players and teams. Teams that score a lot usually win a lot
A – Assists. A maximum of two assists are awarded on each goal scored. Players who garner a regular supply of assists are good plays in over/under player points props.
P – Points. Goals and assists each count for one point.
PIM – Penalties In Minutes. Beware of betting on teams that accumulate a lot of PIM. It’s often a sign of undisciplined play and that can prove costly.
GPI – Games Played In. Indicates the number of appearances made by a goaltender.
SO – Shutouts. When a goaltender doesn’t allow a goal during a complete-game performance, they are awarded a shutout. Teams with goalies who post a lot of shutouts can be a solid bet, since you can’t lose if you don’t surrender a goal.
GAA – Goals Against Average. By multiplying the goals allowed by a netminder by 60 (the number of minutes played in a regulation game) and then dividing the actual minutes played, you can calculate the average number of goals per game allowed by a goaltender.
ENG – Empty Net Goal. When a team is trailing late in a game, they will pull their goaltender for an extra attacker in search of a tying goal. This can often backfire and result in an empty net goal. Those empty net goals are the arch enemy of the puckline bettor. A 2-1 game in which you’ve played the underdog at +1.5 goals in the puckline can be scuttled into a betting loss by a late empty net goal.
PPG – Power Play Goals. One of the most important stats to study in hockey betting. Teams that win the special teams battle generally also win the game. It’s to bet on teams that feature strong special teams play.
S – Shots. Shots on goal player props are popular hockey wagers. By dividing a player’s shots on goal total by the number of games they’ve played, you can calculate their shots per game average and figure out whether to play the over or under on their shots prop.
NHL Analytics Worth A Look
Analytics, also referred to as fancy stats, can provide a more accurate portrayal of how a team is playing. Here’s some key analytics to study:
Corsi
This is basically an assessment of shot attempts for and against during a game. Teams with Corsi averages above 50% are squads that have the puck more than their opponents and having the puck is a good way to win the game.
Underdogs Get Positive Number
By contrast, were you to bet on the Islanders to win in this same game, they would be assigned a puckline of +1.5. Thus, should you wager on the Isles, you’ll be starting off the game with a 1.5-0 lead.
If the Islanders win the game, you win your bet. But because of the puckline, you can also win a bet on the Islanders as long as they lose the game by less than two goals.
High Danger Chances
A high danger chance is one that comes from areas on the ice where more often than not, a goal will be the outcome. Teams that allow an abundance of high danger chances are not good bets.
For example, during the 2021-22 NHL season, the Detroit Red Wings and Arizona Coyotes allowed the most high danger scoring chances. Both club’s endured dreadful seasons. Also check out which teams have goalies with strong high danger save percentage numbers, because they will be the elite NHL netminders.
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