How to use NHL Hits and blocks

Open Hits and blocks. Hits and blocked shots are "effort" stats: they come from a player's role and style more than from scoring luck. That makes them steady from game to game, with one twist this board is built around: who is counting.

Open the full-size screenshot (opens in a new tab)

Why the rink matters

Hits and blocks are recorded by an official scorer employed by the home team, and some scorers are more generous than others. When a rink's scorer records 5% more or fewer hits or blocks than the same teams do in their road games, the row names it, for example ANA scorer −8% or NYR scorer +14%.

A player visiting a generous rink gets a small boost to their count, and a stingy rink takes some away. It's one of the few edges in hockey props that has nothing to do with the players.

Reading a row

• Player: name, position and line (C · L2 is a second-line center).
• Game: tonight's opponent, puck drop, and the rink's scorer tendency when it's notable.
• Last 10 · against the mark: one bar per game, oldest left, against the dotted line. Green cleared it. When no book has posted a line, the board uses a reference mark instead.
• Hit: games at or over the mark out of the last 10.
• Avg L10: the average over the last 10 games.
• TOI: average time on ice.
• Hits or Blocks: tonight's line and the best over price.

Your first five minutes

1. Pick the stat. Switch between Hits and Blocks at the top.
2. Pick the slate and game. Use the date arrows and All games.
3. Sort. Last 10 is the default. Other sorts are in the menu.
4. Open a player. Click a row for their game log, their ladder at each line, and every book's price.

Tips for newer bettors

• Defensemen block, forwards hit. Most blocked shots come from defensemen who play big minutes. Hits are spread wider, and physical forwards on the third and fourth lines can rack them up.
• The opponent's style matters. Teams that shoot a lot give the other side more shots to block. Teams that hold the puck give fewer chances to hit.
• Low lines, juiced prices. Many hits lines are 0.5 or 1.5 at short odds. Check that the price still makes sense for how often it hits.

Troubleshooting

• No price on a row: no book is posting that line yet; the row is measured against a reference mark.
• A scorer tendency is missing: it only shows when the rink differs by 5% or more.
• Fewer than 10 bars: the count says how many games there are. Under 5 games the count has no color and sorts after everyone else.