Points percentage measures the share of available standings points an NHL team has earned. It provides a simple way to compare team performance even when teams have played different numbers of games.
Quick Summary
NHL points percentage is calculated as:
- Points earned divided by maximum possible points
Because a team can earn a maximum of two standings points per game (2 points for a win, 1 point for an overtime or shootout loss and zero points for a regulation loss), the formula can also be written as:
- Points earned divided by games played times two
The result is usually expressed as a decimal or percentage.
A points percentage of .600 means the team has earned 60% of the standings points that it could have gotten.
Why points percentage is useful
Points percentage allows you to compare teams when they’ve played a different number of games.
Rolling points percentage
Rolling points percentage updates after every completed game.
For a last-10 window:
- The newest completed game enters
- The oldest qualifying game leaves
- Points earned are recalculated
- Maximum possible points remain 20 once the window is full
- Points percentage is updated
This creates a moving view of recent standings performance.
Home and road points percentage
Home points percentage includes only games played at home. Likewise, road points percentage includes only away games.
Possible windows include:
- Last 5 home
- Last 10 road
- Last 20 home
- Season road
A last-5 home calculation uses the team’s five most recent completed home games, but skips any intervening road games.
Incomplete rolling windows
Before a team has five completed games, a full last-5 window does not exist. Before 10 games, last 10 is incomplete. Before 20 games, last 20 is incomplete.
Neither games from the previous season nor preseason games are counted. If partial windows are displayed, they should be labelled clearly.
Official corrections
If the official result or standings record is corrected, downstream points-percentage calculations may also change.
Affected statistics could include:
- Season points percentage
- Rolling points percentage
- Home and road splits
- Schedule-condition splits
- League leaderboards
Derived values will be recalculated from the corrected game data.