What is Power Play %?

The percentage of power plays on which a team scores a goal.

What this tells us

When your team has a one- or two-man advantage, how often do they actually capitalize and put the puck in the net? A team with a 25% power play percentage converts one out of every four power plays into a goal. Higher is better—the best teams in the league operate above 28%, while struggling teams sit below 18%.

Limitations

Power play percentage doesn't tell you *how much* better a team's power play got—only whether they scored. A team could be generating way more dangerous chances but still finishing at the same percentage. It also doesn't account for strength of schedule; facing tougher penalty-kill units inflates the difficulty. That's why we also look at expected goals on the power play (xG/PP) to see shot quality, not just results.

Example

A playoff-contending team typically operates between 24% and 28% on the power play. A rebuilding team might sit around 15–18%. The best power plays in the league—like Colorado or Toronto in strong seasons—can push above 30%.