Welcome back to another week of Analytics Advantage! This week, we are continuing our deep dive into player performance by analyzing the top metrics that define fantasy hockey success. Unlike our previous focus on Fantasy Points Per Game (FPPG), this week, we shift our attention to the per-60 metrics: Goals/60, Assists/60, Shots/60, Hits/60, and Blocks/60. These metrics give us a clear view of a player’s efficiency and impact when on the ice, providing valuable insights into who makes the most of their minutes.

Why Analyze per-60 Metrics?

Tracking per-60 metrics provides valuable insights into a player’s efficiency and overall impact during their time on the ice. By examining metrics like Goals/60, Assists/60, Shots/60, Hits/60, and Blocks/60, you can get a clear picture of how effectively a player contributes to various aspects of the game, regardless of their total ice time.

When you see a player's per-60 numbers improving, it indicates they are making the most out of every minute, consistently generating offensive or defensive contributions that can lead to more fantasy points. Conversely, if a player's per-60 metrics are declining, it may suggest they are less effective during their shifts, possibly due to changes in role, line combinations, or facing stiffer competition.

While per-60 metrics are crucial for identifying players who maximize their impact, it’s important to remember that they are just one piece of the puzzle. These metrics highlight efficiency but don’t always capture the full context of a player’s role or the intangibles they bring to their team. Use /60 metrics alongside other data points to make informed, well-rounded decisions in your fantasy hockey leagues.

Data Sources

The data for this analysis was sourced from player statistics spanning the 2019-2024 NHL campaigns, obtained from NaturalStatTrick.

Data Processing

Player statistics from the 2019-2024 campaigns were combined into a single dataset, then filtered for players who played at least 10 games in each year to ensure a significant amount of playing time.

Highlighted Players

In this analysis, I’ve selected three graphs from each metric to showcase. These graphs were chosen because they highlight players who demonstrated the most significant and relevant information in terms of performance trends and improvement over the past five years. By focusing on these key examples, we can better understand the trends that are shaping the current fantasy landscape and identify potential targets for your fantasy hockey leagues.

Goals/60:

Artemi Panarin is coming off an impressive campaign, posting 120 PTS (49 G, 71 A). I do not expect him to slow down.

David Pastrnak found his groove in Boston without the presence of Patrice Bergeron, posting 110 PTS (47 G, 63 A). He should continue being a top player in the league this upcoming year.

Filip Forsberg is coming off a career year where he put up 94 PTS (48 G, 46 A), and he should near those totals once again as Nashville has improved its roster this offseason.

Assists/60:

Aleksander Barkov had another consistent year, putting up 80 PTS (23 G, 57 A), and nothing is in the way of another strong performance for 2024/25.

Connor McDavid needs no introduction; he had a 21-point drop-off from 22/23, yet he still produced 132 PTS (32 G, 100 A) this past campaign. The Oilers have improved their offense, and McDavid is sure to be hungrier than ever to get back to the final round of the playoffs.

Mitch Marner has consistently produced for the Maple Leafs since his rookie year and should have another elite year in 2024/25.

Shots/60:

Jack Hughes and the Devils had a very unlucky 23/24 campaign, and things are looking up in 24/25, with many problems being solved. Hughes produced 74 PTS (27 G, 47 A), which is a slight down year but expected given the Devils’ situation.

Jack Eichel is set to have another solid year as he has never had any trouble putting up points. He produced 68 PTS (31 G, 37 A) and will be around that total once again.

Brady Tkachuk shoots the puck a lot, and he is not expected to slow down as he looks to further his role in Ottawa. He produced 74 PTS (37 G, 37 A), but his real value came from his hits and shots.

Hits/60:

Kurtis MacDermid has taken the role of an enforcer in New Jersey, and he looks to add some very niche value to some of the larger fantasy leagues.

Nicolas Deslauriers should be another niche value add to any fantasy team.

Vasily Podkolzin has struggled to establish himself at the NHL level, and this graph shows how misleading statistics can be, as he has played fewer and fewer games each year.

Blocks/60:

Ilya Lyubushkin should fit well into the Stars’ system and put up another decent total of blocks.

David Savard is going to have another decent year in potential depth value for any fantasy team.

Alec Martinez looks to help bolster and lead a young Chicago team. I expect him to be slightly less productive, as the Hawks will not be an elite team as of now.

Thank you for reading, and have a great rest of your day! Twitter/X – @DH_staspup for any questions, corrections, or comments. Please feel free to ask for any player’s graph—I can post it or DM.