The NHL bettors edge is something that has been searched for a long time. It can be found, too. It’s a combination of a team’s historical performance and its current standing that can be used to provide a fairly accurate forecast of future outcomes. When handicapping the NHL, these specialized stats can provide some great insight into all 32 teams.
Key Points
– The NHL bettors edge is found in a number of different key hockey stats.
– Bettors can gain an edge betting on hockey by understanding a few different metrics.
Goals Per Game Average
A team’s goals per game average on the offensive end of the ice is one key stat. A team’s goals-against average on the defensive end is also important. These are two of the most fundamental statistics utilized in the process of handicapping NHL games. The sum of these two figures provides an overall view of where a team stands compared to other teams in the league.
In the NHL, the teams that score the most goals may not necessarily represent the best bets on hockey’s moneyline. However, those teams are ones to consider when betting the Over on game totals.
Higher scoring teams will almost always be able to dictate a higher total line. However, since they are capable of scoring close to 3.5 goals per game on their own, it is likely that the bulk of their games will go OVER the total no matter how high it is set.
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NHL Bettors Edge – Defense
The NHL teams with the best defensive records have a better chance of winning. That means they will have better betting results on the moneyline.
A goaltender who is playing well may often take their team to victory on his own. The goaltender, like the starting pitcher in baseball, has the ability to control the outcome of the game if they are successful. NHL goalies can fully neutralize the offensive efforts of the opposing team.
In the National Hockey League, teams with the lowest GAA statistic are strong prospects for a bet on the under, particularly when they face off against a club with a low scoring average. Tracking these stats is part of the NHL bettors edge.
Special Teams – Power Play & Penalty Kill
When it comes to NHL stats, penalties and the power play are two crucial components. The total amount of time spent serving penalties is the first metric.
One squad may have a considerably higher level of discipline than another. The importance of a team’s penalty kill defensive efforts is diminished when the team commits a low number of penalties. On the other side, if a team is continually trying to kill off penalties, this presents a problem. No matter how good a team’s penalty killing unit is, if they are on the ice a lot they are going to give up goals.
On the other end, teams that are better able to maximize their offensive potential when they have the benefit of the power play are seen as more desirable to back. A team’s power play percentage, in addition to its overall average goals per game, is a measurement of how frequently they score while they have a player advantage.
Even if they only score one power-play goal each game, it can have a significant effect on their team’s record as a whole. More goals means a higher likelihood of having chances to win, especially if you have a great goalie.
NHL Bettors Edge – First Goal
Another crucial statistic for NHL teams is how often they score first in a game. The statistics show that the team that scores the first goal of a game has a 67% chance of going on to win. That means two-thirds of the time in the NHL, the team that scores first, wins.
One of the more important statistics then is how often a team scores first in a game. The best teams in the NHL go on to win 80 percent of the time when they score a game’s initial goal.
It may be worth it to look into how well a team does at holding a lead and how a team fares after giving up a game’s first goal.
Shots, Shots, Shots
While hockey players might do plenty of shots after a victory, we are talking about shots on goal here. Teams that average more shots on goal have a greater chance of scoring more goals.
On the other end, teams that are able to limit shots on the net typically are among the teams that give up the fewest goals. Teams that give up the fewest shots in the league are likely to be among the teams that allow the fewest goals.
If a team with a great goalie gives up over 40 shots in a game, there is a greater likelihood that they would score than if they only allowed 25 shots.
Number of Faceoffs Won Gives NHL Bettors Edge
The number of faceoffs won in comparison to faceoffs lost is an additional important statistic to consider when handicapping NHL games. This is a huge stat when handicapping playoff hockey. Teams that can get a handle on the puck following a faceoff can master puck control in general.
These teams typically control the puck more than their opponent. That means they can potentially take more shots. Teams that establish puck control usually spend the majority of the game in their opponent’s end of the ice.