What are Points in Hockey? How to Calculate?
While reading the hockey statistics, you find a lot of short forms. Some seem obvious, and some seem a little confusing if you are new to hockey statistics. One of these abbreviations is a P. This abbreviation is one of the easier ones and the most cared ones. P stands for the points a team has gained in all its games.
What are points in hockey? Points are a team’s score equal to the total goals and assist the players have gained. One goal or one assist equals one point. Later, all these points are added for a cumulative score.
Goals + Assists = Points
Well, now you understand what points are in hockey, let’s break them down and try to understand further how points are read with examples and who is the points leader of the season 2021-22 in the NHL.
Table of Contents
Do goals and assists both count as one point?
Do goals and assists count as one point? This is an important question to be answered. Both goals and assists are equal to one point. In the NHL, one goal may constitute two assists. There is also the possibility that a goal may have zero or only one assist. But both goal and assist will equal one point for the player in the statistics table.
Because a single goal can have up to two assists, a player’s assists may be greater than his total points. Players get the assist point when they are the last two players who helped in scoring the goal after gaining the puck from the other team.
Examples of reading points stats
Now, how do you read the points from the box score when a game is going on? Consider the following example:
The image above shows the listing of goals in the box score during a game played between the two teams, the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Vegas Golden Knights.
Let’s read the table.
After 2 minutes and 53 seconds into the game, Evgeni Malkin from the Pittsburgh Penguins scored a goal. Bryan Rust and Dominik Kahun assisted in this goal. The number ‘12’ is written with Malkin’s name to show that it was his 12th goal of the season. On the other hand, Rust has made the 18th assist of the season, and Kahun has assisted the 13th. Both the goal and the assist provide one point for these players.
Now, if we check the bottom of the game box score:
This table lists all the goals, assists, and points of the Pittsburgh Penguins top players.
The PTS in the table is for the cumulative points. Points are calculated by adding the goals and assist. The players’ statistics highlight the goals, assists, and points they have gained throughout the season.
Does the leader of total points in a season get an award?
Do you know what motivates humans to work better and harder? The awards are a huge motivational factor for humans.
So, if a player works so hard, he deserves to get some appreciation for all the hard work he has put in. Do the top players with the highest number of points get some awards? Yes, they do. The hockey players who score the highest number of points get the special Art Ross Trophy.
How many points does a player get in a season?
An important question arises here. How many points in ice hockey can the players score in a season? The number varies depending on the players. Some players are offensive players, while others show exceptional defensive play.
A player may score about twenty to a hundred points in a complete season. You should score forty or more points to prove yourself to the NHL teams.
Below is the list of the players with the most points in the 2021-2022 season.
| Players | Teams | Points |
| Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers | 123 |
| Johnny Gaudreau | Calgary Flames | 115 |
| Jonathan Huberdeau | Florida Panthers | 115 |
| Leon Draisaitl | Edmonton Oilers | 110 |
| Kirill Kaprizov | Minnesota Wild | 108 |
| Auston Mathews | Toronto Maple Leafs | 106 |
| Steven Stamkos | Tampa Bay Lightning | 106 |
| Mathew Tkachuk | Calgary Flames | 104 |
| J.T. Miller | Vancouver Canucks | 99 |
| Mitchell Marner | Toronto Maple Leafs | 97 |
Wayne Gretzky, the great one, is the top scorer of all time. (Take a look at Gretzky’s points for each of his teams) One of the most terrific seasons that Gretzky played was the 1985-86 season, in which he scored 215 points. He only stands second when Mario Lemieux scored 199 points and stood first.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has the most points record in hockey history?
‘The Great One’ – Wayne Gretzky has the most points in NHL history. The all-time scoring points leader has a figure of 2,857 points. Wayne Gretzky, this record is one of the main reasons people regard him as one of the greatest NHL players.
How many players can get the point on one goal?
Up to three players can get a point when a goal is scored. While only one goal will be counted for a team, the three players can receive a point, the one who scores a goal, and the primary and a secondary assist. Hence, three players can earn a point in a single game on one goal.
How many assists are counted on each goal average?
On average, 1.67 assists are counted per goal throughout NHL history. This shows the importance of teamwork and passing in a game.
Conclusion
The NHL uses a points system to decide which team will play in the playoffs. At the end of each game, the winning team’s points are awarded, and the opposing team will only get points if there is a shootout or overtime. So, scoring or making points is clear cut if you score a goal and the puck passes the goal line, or you assist in achieving a goal, then a point is added to your scoreboard.
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