What is Shooting %?

The percentage of a player's shots that go in the net.

What this tells us

When a player takes 10 shots and scores 2 goals, his shooting percentage is 20%. A higher shooting percentage means he's converting his chances at a better rate than the typical player. Elite finishers shoot above 12%; average forwards hover around 8–10%; defensemen usually fall below 5% because they shoot from farther out and less often.

Limitations

Shooting percentage is highly variable year-to-year and can be misleading in small samples—a player might get hot for a month and post a 15% clip that won't hold. It also doesn't account for shot quality; a player taking high-danger chances will naturally have a higher shooting percentage than one taking long-range attempts, even if the latter is a better overall shooter. Pairing it with xG helps separate luck from skill.

Example

A top-line forward might sustain a 10–12% shooting percentage over a full season. A fourth-line grinder might sit at 6–8%. A defenseman usually falls between 3–5%.