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In NHL statistics, power-play percentage (PP%) is power-play goals divided by power-play opportunities; penalty-kill percentage (PK%) is the share of shorthanded situations a team kills. Both are rates per opportunity—not counts of goals, minutes, or penalties drawn or taken. To compare teams fairly, look at the underlying counts and match the league, season, and date range.
What PP% and PK% measure
PP% describes how often a team scores while on the power play. PK% describes how often a team prevents the opponent from scoring while shorthanded. The NHL glossary defines both rates using special-teams opportunities as the denominator, rather than games, minutes, or shots. NHL glossary
How to calculate the percentages
Power-play percentage
PP% = power-play goals ÷ power-play opportunities × 100
For example, if a team scores 8 power-play goals in 40 opportunities, its rate is 20%. That figure means it scored on one-fifth of those opportunities; it does not mean the team scored 20 goals or spent 20% of its time on the power play.
Penalty-killing percentage
PK% = (shorthanded situations − power-play goals allowed) ÷ shorthanded situations × 100
If a team faces 40 shorthanded situations and allows 8 power-play goals, it kills 32 of them, for an 80% PK rate. The NHL glossary describes the calculation as finding the situations killed, then dividing by total shorthanded situations. NHL glossary
Why opportunity counts are not always intuitive
An opportunity is not simply a power-play goal, nor is every moment that looks like an advantage necessarily counted the same way. The NHL statistical rules give specific scoring treatment for several cases:
- A goal after the relevant minor penalty has expired is not a power-play goal.
- A goal scored on a delayed penalty is not a power-play goal.
- For an advantage from a five-minute major or match penalty, the rules credit one more advantage than the number of goals scored during that advantage, because the penalty does not expire.
- A club is considered to have had an advantage if it was on a power play for any length of time.
These rules help explain why a team’s opportunity denominator can grow without its power-play goal total increasing, causing its PP% to fall. When precise scoring treatment matters, consult the NHL statistical rules.
How to read a displayed rate
Check the goals and opportunities behind it
A percentage based on few opportunities can shift sharply after a single goal or successful kill. Read the numerator and denominator alongside the rate. The NHL historical team table, for example, presents goals and attempts with the corresponding percentage. NHL historical team table
Separate conversion from volume
PP% measures conversion per opportunity; it does not show how often a team drew penalties. PK% measures the share of shorthanded situations killed; it does not show how often a team took penalties. For penalty-drawing or penalty-taking volume, use the relevant penalty or opportunity counts rather than inferring volume from the percentage.
Treat rank as season-specific
A team’s rank is relative to the other teams in the table for the listed season. It does not explain why the unit succeeded or establish that the result will continue. A historical rank should not be treated as a current-season standing.
Use outcome rates as a starting point, not a diagnosis
PP% and PK% record binary outcomes per opportunity. They do not show the quality of chances or tell you whether shooting or goaltending outcomes drove the result. A 2026 analysis from the Sports Analytics Group at Berkeley discusses interpreting these traditional rates alongside expected-goal performance; that is an analytical perspective, not an official NHL replacement for the glossary definitions. Sports Analytics Group at Berkeley analysis
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How to compare two teams
Make the comparison within the same league, season, and date range. Then consider the rate together with the counts that produced it and any relevant performance context.
| Comparison item | What to check |
|---|---|
| Rate | PP% or PK%, using the same definition and competition. |
| Opportunity count | The denominator behind the rate. |
| Outcome count | Power-play goals scored or power-play goals allowed. |
| Deeper context | Chance quality and shooting or goaltending outcomes, where reliable data are available. |
Do not compare an NHL figure directly with an NCAA or another league’s figure without checking the applicable statistical guide and season context. The NCAA’s 2011–12 statistical manual uses the same broad formula pattern, but that old document does not establish that every league or data provider treats every edge case identically today. NCAA 2011–12 statistical manual
What does “good” PP% or PK% mean?
There is no timeless threshold established by the cited official definitions. Whether a rate is good depends on the league, season, and comparison group. Use a season-specific table to compare teams in that context, and include the opportunity counts so a rate from a small sample is not mistaken for a settled measure of performance.
Is PP% plus PK% an official combined statistic?
Fans and writers sometimes add the two percentages as a quick snapshot of both special-teams units. The official NHL sources cited here define PP% and PK% separately and do not establish their sum as an official standard. If you use the sum, label it as shorthand, show both component rates, and include their opportunity counts; the combined figure can conceal differences between the two units.
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