Many people know exactly what SV stands for in the context of hockey, but do you know what the other letters mean?
Scoring Versus is the opposite of Defense, so if a team is scoring frequently, then they are certainly going to be the better team.
Shorthanded Versus might be a bit trickier to understand. When a player is on the ice shorthanded, it means either they had a player removed from the game or the game was stopped because there was no other team left to play. As a result, they are usually the better team. But what does the “S” stand for?
The S in NHL stats stands for Shots, which is the total number of shots a team gets on net. A single shot is counted as either a short or a long shot, depending on the location of the puck after the bounce. Shots are often a good indicator of team effort and how well they are executing their game plan. If a team is taking a lot of shots, then it might be a good indication that they are having some trouble scoring. However, if a team is taking fewer shots than they normally do, then it could mean that they are struggling a little bit.
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Power Play And Penalty Kill Are Also Indicators Of How Well A Team Is Playing
Just because a team is on the power play doesn’t mean that they are automatically better than the other team. The reason behind this is that, although the power play is working, the penalty kill is also working well. In this case, it is a question of which is more effective and it could depend on a variety of factors. For example, maybe the team is more focused when they are on the power play and, as a result, their play is better and they create more scoring chances. Or, the opposition has some special players on the penalty kill, who are scoring at an unusually high rate. In this scenario, even though the power play is working, the penalty kill is keeping the team in the game because they are unable to score enough to keep up with the high penalty kill rate.
In terms of winning a hockey game, there are several metrics that are worth considering. Although SV, SH, and shots are all important, keep in mind that even more so is the score. The more goals that a team scores, the more likely they are to win. And while it might seem obvious, it is worth repeating that a single goal scored by the opposition is a loss, regardless of the outcome of the game. This is because a team can lose even if they win by one goal. As a result, preventing goals is more important than scoring them.
Why Are Some Teams Better Than Others?
Based on all the metrics discussed above, it is actually quite easy to separate the teams that are good from the teams that are very good. First of all, let’s consider the scoring. If we look back to the 2018-19 season, we can see that the top four teams in terms of scoring are all from the Eastern Conference, while the bottom four teams are all from the Western Conference. But beyond that, let’s take a closer look at the top two teams from each conference and how they differ.
The Boston Bruins have the highest scoring offense in the NHL this season. They are also the highest scoring team in the last eight years, dating back to the 2012-13 season. Even more remarkably, they are one of the few teams (along with the New York Islanders and Calgary), to have a positive scoring margin this year. This is largely thanks to the efforts of a 24-year old rookie, Torey Krug. Krug leads all rookies this year in goals with 36 and he also leads all rookies in assists with 54.
Krug’s incredible season has not been lost on the veterans who play for the Bruins. In an interview with ESPN, David Pastrnak, one of the NHL’s best shooters, said of Krug, “He’s doing a great job; he’s a really talented player.” Of course, Pastrnak also credited coach Claude Julien for helping him find his scoring touch once again.
The Toronto Maple Leafs have the other very successful rookie, Mitch Marner, who leads all rookies this season in goals with 31. Marner also has 54 assists and an incredible +38 rating. Like Krug, Marner is one of the main reasons why the Leafs have the second-highest scoring offense in the NHL. Since the beginning of last season, the Maple Leafs have outscored their opponents by a combined total of 182-129. The offensive juggernaut that is the Maple Leafs will be heading to the playoffs this year for the first time in a long time.
The Next Step
In the last few years, the number of scoring chances that a team gets has been increasing as the league has shifted to a more open style of play. But just because a team gets more chances does not mean that they will score more often. The key is in taking advantage of those chances and converting them into goals. Even though the game is shifting to a faster pace, there is still plenty of room for bad habits to creep in, especially when players are not used to the extra tempo that comes with the new age NHL. But to continue on the positive note, all of this increased scoring can be attributed, in part, to the implementation of rule changes that favor the players. For example, there is no longer a cross-checking penalty, so it is not as punishing to check the puck carrier. Smaller ice-sheets have also led to more scoring chances and more goals. It is all about taking advantage of those chances and using them effectively.