Sports Betting 101: Key NHL Team Metrics

Sports Betting 101: Key NHL Team Metrics is the first in a series of articles I will be writing throughout the season. The goal is to provide aspiring sports bettors with tools they can use or add to their collection. The articles are not designed to be every single metric you should consider going through nor do they mandate you use every one.

Expected Goals for Percentage (xGF%). This is a good measure of a team's ability to drive the play in the game. Expected Shots For Percentage is also useful in researching a side to take in a game when comparing the two teams.

Corsi-For is a statistic that can be noisy technically, but it's helpful for sports betting. Corsi-for percentage is the percent of shot attempts for as against. It's a good way to get a quick idea of how a team is performing in terms of possession.

Expected Goals for Per 60 and Expected goals Against Per60 are two different statistics that can be used to assess a team's performance. For access to more content and premium features, take a look at our memberships page.

High Danger Chances For/For Against per 60 is a measure of the quality of chances a team is getting and how frequently they are doing so. Teams with more shot attempts and shots on goal will have more high-danger chances.

Shooting percentage is a key statistic for sports betting. It can be noisy and it's difficult to predict when a team or individual will have a positive regression. It's more of an artform than a science.

PDO is shooting percentage plus save percentage. PDO rating is based on the team's underlying metrics. Teams with a high PDo for one entire season tend to experience a drop the following season.