What Is a Player Point in Hockey? A Complete Breakdown
In hockey, two distinct point systems are used:
- Team Points System – Determines NHL standings and playoff qualification.
- Player Points System – Tracks individual scoring statistics.
This article focuses on player points. If you’re interested in learning more about how NHL team standings work, check out my in-depth guide on the NHL standings system.
What Is a Player Point in Hockey?
A player point in hockey is awarded when a player—whether a forward, defenseman, or even a goalie—earns a goal or an assist during a game.
To clarify the difference:
- Player points = Individual performance (goals + assists).
- Team points = Awarded based on game results, such as wins and overtime losses.
Both team and player points accumulate throughout the season:
- Team points determine playoff qualification.
- Player points determine scoring leaders, such as the Art Ross Trophy winner (awarded to the NHL’s leading scorer).
What’s the Difference Between a Goal and a Point in Hockey?
In simple terms:
- All goals are points, but not all points are goals.
Although it might seem like a goal should be worth more than just one point—especially since goal scorers are often seen as more valuable than playmakers—this isn’t the case. Goals and assists both count as one point each in a player’s total point tally.
Even though goals are harder to score than assists in the NHL, the league values them equally when calculating total points.
What Counts as a Point in the NHL?
A player earns a point when they:
- Score a goal.
- Record a primary or secondary assist on a teammate’s goal.
At the end of the regular season, the player with the most total points (goals + assists) wins the Art Ross Trophy.
However, the NHL also recognizes the league’s top goal scorer separately:
- The player with the most goals in a season wins the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy.
- A player can win both the Art Ross and Rocket Richard if they lead in both categories.
How to Read a Hockey Stats Sheet for Points
When checking a box score after a game, you might see something like this:
McDavid (45) ASST: Draisaitl (70), Nurse (20)
This means:
- McDavid scored his 45th goal of the season.
- Draisaitl recorded the primary assist, bringing his season total to 70.
- Nurse recorded the secondary assist, marking his 20th assist of the year.
At first glance, hockey stats can seem overwhelming, but once you understand the format, reading a box score becomes easy.
Is a Point Per Game Good in Hockey?
Historically, scoring at a point-per-game pace (1.00 PPG) in the NHL was a benchmark for elite players. However, with offensive production increasing in recent years, a point-per-game pace may not even rank a player in the top 50 in league scoring.
That said, top-tier NHL players still consistently produce at or above a point per game, so achieving this milestone is considered very good.
How Many Points Is Considered Good for an NHL Player?
The number of points considered “good” depends on various factors, including a player’s role, ice time, linemates, and position.
- Elite first-line forwards are expected to score at or above a point-per-game pace (82+ points in a full season).
- Top-six forwards should ideally produce 50-70 points to be considered effective offensive contributors. Players like Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, and Leon Draisaitl consistently exceed 100 points in a season, putting them in an elite tier of players.
- Shutdown forwards or bottom-six forwards who contribute 20-40 points while excelling defensively are considered valuable in their roles.
What About Defensemen?
- Offensive defensemen Cale Makar, and those who quarterback a power play like Quinn Hughes, are typically expected to produce 50+ points per season to be considered among the best.
- Two-way or shutdown defensemen, who focus primarily on defensive responsibilities, may produce anywhere from 10-30 points per season while excelling at keeping the puck out of their own net.
While offensive production is crucial, a player’s overall impact on the game—including defensive play, physicality, and special teams contributions—is just as important in evaluating their success.
How many people have 1,000 points in hockey?
As of the 2024-2025 season, 97 players have scored 1,000 or more points in their career with Connor McDavid and Nathan MacKinnon being the most recent to achieve this. It is considered one of the more impressive milestones in the National Hockey League.
Kennie Fiji was the first player ever to do this during the 1960-1961 NHL season. The last player to do so was Joe Pavelski during the 2023 NHL season.
Who Are the Greatest All-Time Point Scorers in NHL History?
The top five all-time NHL point leaders are:
- Wayne Gretzky – 2,857 points (894 goals, 1,963 assists)
- Jaromír Jágr – 1,921 points (766 goals, 1,155 assists)
- Mark Messier – 1,887 points (694 goals, 1,193 assists)
- Gordie Howe – 1,850 points (801 goals, 1,049 assists)
- Ron Francis – 1,798 points (549 goals, 1,249 assists)
Mario Lemieux: The Greatest “What-If” in NHL History?
One notable omission from the top five is Mario Lemieux, whose career was severely impacted by injuries and illness. Despite playing only 915 NHL games, he still amassed 1,723 points (690 goals, 1,033 assists)—a staggering 1.88 points per game average, second only to Gretzky in NHL history.
Had Lemieux played a full-length career similar to the others on this list, his total points could have rivaled Gretzky’s legendary mark. Many hockey historians consider him one of the most naturally gifted players ever.
Don’t Confuse a “Point” with “The Point” in Hockey
In hockey, the term “point” can have two different meanings, and it’s important to know the difference:
- Player Points – A player earns a point by scoring a goal or an assist.
- Team Points – Teams earn points in the standings based on wins or overtime and shootout losses.
However, “the point” refers to something entirely different during gameplay.
What Does “The Point” Mean in Hockey?
In hockey, “the point” is a term commonly used to describe:
- A defenseman’s position near the blue line in the offensive zone.
- A specific area on the ice from which players take long-range shots.
This is why you’ll often hear phrases like:
- “He passed the puck to the point.”
- “That player is a strong point man.”
- “A slap shot from the point!”
While defensemen typically control the point, forwards can also play the point—especially on power plays, where they set up at the blue line to help generate offense.
In case you want a little more of a visual breakdown of the various player stats, you may find this video helpful:
As mentioned at the start, if you’re interested in learning more about how NHL team standings/points work, check out my in-depth guide on the NHL standings system.
