What explains the number of offensive milestones this season?

[kingsholygrail]

The game is really easy now.

 

[tabness]

A lot of what people have already said

Plus empty netters seem abundant w teams aggressively pulling their goalies down 2 or even 3 goals.

A 3-2 game with 2 mins to go can turn into a 5-2 game pretty quick and often.

(I looked briefly to find any site with year to year EN totals but didnt see any)

I ran the numbers for empty net totals a while back (so it doesn't include the latest years which will probably be even more)

season	cheap goals	games	rate
1979-1980	108	840	0.13
1980-1981	125	840	0.15
1981-1982	111	840	0.13
1982-1983	113	840	0.13
1983-1984	125	840	0.15
1984-1985	102	840	0.12
1985-1986	116	840	0.14
1986-1987	121	840	0.14
1987-1988	91	840	0.11
1988-1989	132	840	0.16
1989-1990	145	840	0.17
1990-1991	109	840	0.13
1991-1992	133	880	0.15
1992-1993	138	1008	0.14
1993-1994	154	1092	0.14
1994-1995	96	624	0.15
1995-1996	159	1066	0.15
1996-1997	179	1066	0.17
1997-1998	175	1066	0.16
1998-1999	152	1107	0.14
1999-2000	182	1148	0.16
2000-2001	208	1230	0.17
2001-2002	201	1230	0.16
2002-2003	185	1230	0.15
2003-2004	186	1230	0.15
2005-2006	178	1230	0.14
2006-2007	205	1230	0.17
2007-2008	215	1230	0.17
2008-2009	227	1230	0.18
2009-2010	203	1230	0.17
2010-2011	227	1230	0.18
2011-2012	238	1230	0.19
2012-2013	138	720	0.19
2013-2014	223	1230	0.18
2014-2015	292	1230	0.24
2015-2016	368	1230	0.30
2016-2017	296	1230	0.24
2017-2018	351	1271	0.28

Any stats how much 3vs3 OT rises scoring compared to 4vs4? Cant be the only reason for sure, but it would be intresting to compare.

3-on-3 overtime is doing exactly what the NHL hoped it would do

The NHL's attempt at 3-on-3 overtime hockey is doing exactly what it was designed to do. Cut down on the number of shootouts.

www.cbssports.com

 

[Toby91ca]

Yeah....not sure how big of an impact the empty net goals have on overall stats, but it's certainly happening a lot more now. I always shake my head when a team has their goalie pulled and there is 30 seconds left in the game and they are down by 2 goals or 3 goals.

The penalty situation though, someone probably already pointed to this, but you can't simply look at one year that a lot of power plays and then another year that doesn't and suggest the year with less power plays must be harder to score....doesn't necessarily work that way and I think that's what's happening now as well. I think defenders especially are trying to avoid taking penalties and in doing so, giving more room and ability to score to attacking teams.

 

[Devilsfan992]

The Devils finally stopped playing the trap.

 

[Burke the Legend]

I think equipment is a big factor. The Average player is a better shooter now because they grew up with modern low flex composite sticks. They are all learned the quick whip release at an early age and have a very intimate feel for the timing of it having held them their entire lives. Even 5-10 years ago you still had more kids who started with with wooden sticks or more crude aluminum or lesser composites. totally different feel and handling to these newer ones, basically no more winding up shots.

So combine this more widespread quicker, more accurate shing with the NHL slimming down goalie equipment and it’s going to produce more scoring.

 

[SImpelton]

There's like 5 good goalies in the entire NHL.

Behind (nearly) ever "bad" goaltender is a terrible defense

A generation of top defensemen have aged out of the league and not all of the guys drafted to replace them have been up to the billing.

 

[Givememoneyback]

Old time defense is a penalty, unless the refs decide to let them play, goalies aren't the same with the equipment changes

 

[Montreal Shadow]

Karlsson predictably got 100 pts so I updated the OP. Will be interesting to see how the final games play out.

 

[Satire]

I do think the quality of players are higher in this generation (on average). Changes to the way defense has also helped with them activating more frequently.

By the same token, we haven't really had a lot of truly elite goalies produced recently. Think back to 10+ years ago and it seemed like 1/3 to 1/2 of the teams had an elite goaltender. Looking at things now, the majority of goalies in this conversation on a consistent basis are older (Hele and Vasy come to mind immediately, with Quick likely hitting his twilight years).

 

[MrLouniverse]

I ran the numbers for empty net totals a while back (so it doesn't include the latest years which will probably be even more)

season	cheap goals	games	rate
1979-1980	108	840	0.13
1980-1981	125	840	0.15
1981-1982	111	840	0.13
1982-1983	113	840	0.13
1983-1984	125	840	0.15
1984-1985	102	840	0.12
1985-1986	116	840	0.14
1986-1987	121	840	0.14
1987-1988	91	840	0.11
1988-1989	132	840	0.16
1989-1990	145	840	0.17
1990-1991	109	840	0.13
1991-1992	133	880	0.15
1992-1993	138	1008	0.14
1993-1994	154	1092	0.14
1994-1995	96	624	0.15
1995-1996	159	1066	0.15
1996-1997	179	1066	0.17
1997-1998	175	1066	0.16
1998-1999	152	1107	0.14
1999-2000	182	1148	0.16
2000-2001	208	1230	0.17
2001-2002	201	1230	0.16
2002-2003	185	1230	0.15
2003-2004	186	1230	0.15
2005-2006	178	1230	0.14
2006-2007	205	1230	0.17
2007-2008	215	1230	0.17
2008-2009	227	1230	0.18
2009-2010	203	1230	0.17
2010-2011	227	1230	0.18
2011-2012	238	1230	0.19
2012-2013	138	720	0.19
2013-2014	223	1230	0.18
2014-2015	292	1230	0.24
2015-2016	368	1230	0.30
2016-2017	296	1230	0.24
2017-2018	351	1271	0.28

While I don't have the total numbers, I would certainly say that it has gone up.

EDIT: Did the total numbers. Coming into today's play, there had been 419 EN goals scored, so far, this year (34 games remaining) for a rate of .33 ENG per game. Last year there were 474 for a rate of 0.36 ENG per game. 2020-2021 had 262 for a rate of .30 ENG/g, 2019-2020 had 332 for a rate of 0.31 ENG/g, 2018-2019 had 408 for a rate of .32 ENG/g.

EDIT 2: Doing some very rough math, it appears that somewhere around 24% of the scoring increase that we have witnessed since 2014-2015 can be attributed to empty net goals. (sampling the 8 years since, and prior to, the large jump in ENG)

 

[DearDiary]

I do think the quality of players are higher in this generation (on average). Changes to the way defense has also helped with them activating more frequently.

By the same token, we haven't really had a lot of truly elite goalies produced recently. Think back to 10+ years ago and it seemed like 1/3 to 1/2 of the teams had an elite goaltender. Looking at things now, the majority of goalies in this conversation on a consistent basis are older (Hele and Vasy come to mind immediately, with Quick likely hitting his twilight years).

It's hard for goalies to play consistently when their equipment has been reduced so much over the past few years. They can't cheat with their blocker or glove anymore since the puck can easily slip between the arms and abdomen so easily now. Any player with a quick release has a significantly easier time choosing to shoot because the goalie has to make the 1st move with their arms

 

[Martin Skoula]

Jack Campbell.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Greater enforcement on obstruction as well as slashing and crosschecking are big reasons for the recent uptick (not just this season) as is the reduced goalie equipment size.

Sticks are real good now. Seems like everyone can pick corners consistently at 80 to 90 miles an hour if they got time and space, and even if they don't, nobody's gonna hit them anyway lol

Lots more empty net goals definitely helps as goalies are pulled earlier and with larger deficits. 3 on 3 OT as well.

Definitely feels like more offensive talent in the league. McDavid era from the late 2010s just seems that it has better players than the Crosby era from the early 2010s, but it can't be the only thing because many older players are seeing better numbers themselves. I believe this is partly due to these new players coming in having only the new NHL context. They have grown up playing a speed and skill game from the get go and so they feel right at home at what the rules provide.

Penguins back to back cups have ushered in copycats in terms of high tempo offensive coaching strategies.

Defensemen are activating a lot more. There seems to have been a lull in offensive defensemen in the Lidstrom era from what came before and what is here now.

Expansion? I guess a little maybe?

Basically, this higher scoring would generally be welcome if not for the fact that it was effectively realized through making hockey soft as hell.

View attachment 684999

sums up the elite of this era... sigh

Omg is this photoshopped

 

[Muuri]

Remember Giguere and his giant pads?
Would interesting to read a summary of how much goalie equipment has changed during the last 20 years or so.

 

[Chips]

It’s so many things. But it’s partly more offensive style hockey, rather than goals just happen to be going in.

Fewer teams turtling, defenseman aren’t required to sit on the point all game and take low chance slap shots for rebounds and nothing else, etc

 

[Kyle McMahon]

You can find a whole bunch of little reasons, but the NHL has been tinkering around with rules aimed at increasing offense for 20 years, and defenses always adapted because defense was the main strategic focus most of the time. We're now in an era where offense is the strategic focus.

My explanation for that? McDavid. Like Orr, Gretzky, and Lemieux before him, he has ushered in an era of offensive achievement previously thought impossible/unrepeatable. When teams feel they don't have a defensive answer to an opponent, they'll try to outscore them. We haven't seen offensive talent turned loose like this since Lemieux led the last era of similarly skilled offensive players in the mid 90s. Maybe not a coincidence.

 

[nowhereman]

Wait, scoring is significantly higher than the past decade? Strange, I was told that scoring rates were irrelevant in all of these recent McDavid/Draisaitl threads...

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

I think goaltending has kinda hit a wall. Butterfly and training improved for a long time, now it’s the offense innovating and improving while goalies just gotta do their best. So many dudes shoot like Sakic now, it’s nuts.

 

[Sun God Nika]

The league has been trying to increase scoring for a while.

Here are the big ones.

- They require smaller goalie equipment(primarily pad sizes)

- Slashes and cross checks that weren't called before are automatic penalties now leading to more power players or players not making those defensive plays leading to players having more room to create something.

Those are the things the NHL has done from a rules standpoint.

Hockey player development has changed drastically. Players have several different coaches now growing up allowing them to acquire more skills. (dekes, skating, accuracy)

Diet, and training is more advanced allowing athletes to be the best versions of themselves.

 

[RogerRoger]

If climate changes can be the reason for more home runs in baseball, imagine the impact on goals in ice hockey!

 

[Unspecified]

Another 3 point night for Robertson. He is at 106 points now and the way this guy is racking up points I can see him hitting 110.

 

[Montreal Shadow]

Pastrnak with 110 pts.

Petterson with 100 pts as well.

 

[cliffclaven]

1) you can’t play defense anymore, combined with a lack of pretty much any physical play allows players to skate unchallenged anywhere they want, usually right to the front of the goal.

So yay, goals. Or whatever.

 

[cliffclaven]

Behind (nearly) ever "bad" goaltender is a terrible defense

A generation of top defensemen have aged out of the league and not all of the guys drafted to replace them have been up to the billing.

Correct. There aren’t any “generational defensemen” left and haven’t been for quite some time.

 

[Habsrule]

As mentioned multiple times the NHL has been tinkering with the rules the last two decades to increase scoring.

Other than the rule changes teams are stacking their power plays with four forwards and one defence. They are also running their top power play units for a minute and a half.

The biggest factor is that teams have a different drafting mindset over the last decade or so. Before it was all about size and toughness and playoff performers types of players getting drafted. Now it is more about skill and speed. It takes years in many cases from when a player gets drafted to the point of being an effective NHLer. Maybe now is the time that many of those small skilled players have graduated in the NHL.