A power play occurs when a player is sent to the penalty box, giving the opposing team a one- or two-skater advantage for 2 minutes (major penalties are 5 minutes). Power play % = PP goals ÷ PP opportunities. NHL average is roughly 20%; top units hit 25–28%. Special teams — power play and penalty kill combined — are a crucial separator in close games, with each PP opportunity worth roughly 0.3 expected goals.
Key points
- Numerical advantage after a penalty
- PP% = goals ÷ opportunities
- NHL average ~20%, top units 25–28%
- Combined PP + PK = special teams efficiency
Try the tool
Put this into practice with our free calculator.
Open the Power Play & Penalty Kill Calculator →