What is Goals?

The number of times a player shoots the puck into the opponent's net and scores.

What this tells us

When a player scores a goal, it counts as one goal for them and their team. Goals are the ultimate measure of scoring success — they're what wins hockey games. A player who scores more goals is more directly contributing to his team's wins than one who doesn't.

Limitations

Goals reward finishing ability but don't capture all the ways a player contributes to scoring. A playmaker who sets up four dangerous chances but scores zero goals has created more offense than a player who got lucky and scored one. That's why we also show assists and expected goals (xG) — they paint a fuller picture of offensive impact.

Example

A top-line winger typically scores 25–35 goals per season. A defenseman or fourth-line forward might score 5–10.