What Is a Point in Hockey? Point vs. Goal Explained

Points are the main statistic that players are judged by in hockey, but how is a point total calculated, and who are the NHL’s all-time leaders?

Are you an ice hockey fan or fantasy hockey player looking to understand points in hockey, how they work and how they differ from goals? We'll explain the basics of points, highlight the differences between points and goals and provide examples to help you interpret these stats and understand their influence on player performance and value.

There are a series of different stats in hockey. The point (P) is one of them, along with goals, assists, plus-minus, hits, blocked shots and more. Points are the main stat used to judge players’ offensive abilities. In this article, we’ll take a look at how those points are calculated, the importance of this specific stat and some of the best points scorers in NHL history.

What Is a Point in Hockey?

A point in hockey has two subcategories: goals and assists. The goalscorer is the player who shoots or deflects the puck into the net and gets credited with a goal. Players who pass the puck to the goalscorer or whose shot creates a rebound for a goal get an assist. Players accumulate points throughout the season as they rack up tallies of each stat.

It’s important to note that at least one player always receives a point on a goal; however, there are not always assists awarded on a goal.

Point vs. Goal in Hockey: The Differences Explained

A point is the simplest form of a stat in hockey. Players are awarded a point if they score a goal or register an assist.

Much like squares and rectangles, however, a goal is always a point but a point is not always a goal. Points can be either goals or assists in the box score. Goals carry more weight than assists in some arguments due to the nature of scoring, but both goals and assists count equally as points.

Goals showcase a player’s ability to finish a play or shoot the puck into the net. Assists represent a player’s knack for setting up teammates to score.

Points Examples

When you look at a hockey box score your eyes are most likely drawn to the “P” column, for points. This shows which players contributed offensively in that game.

A player cannot record two points on one goal but it is not uncommon for someone to have multiple points in one game. They can come in the form of multiple goals, multiple assists or one (or more) of each.

All of these points are added up over the course of a season, with players being judged for their goal, assist and point totals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Does P Mean in Hockey?

The “P” in hockey stands for points. A point is either a goal or an assist earned by a player.

Is an Assist a Point in Hockey?

Yes, an assist is one of the two subcategories of a point in hockey. A point is earned on either an assist or a goal. An assist is a point in hockey.

What is a Primary Point in Hockey?

You may also see people talking about primary points in hockey. A primary point is similar to a regular point, but it does not count any secondary assists – given to the second-to-last player to set up a goal.

A primary point is either a goal or the first assist -- the primary assist.

How Many Player Points Can Be Awarded Per Goal?

There can be as few as one point or as many as three individual points awarded for each goal. The goalscorer and up to two players can earn an assist. Even if there were three players to pass the puck to the goalscorer, only two of them can get an assist.

Who Has the Most Points in NHL History?

Wayne Gretzky holds one of the most unbreakable records in sports with 2,857 career points in 1,487 career games. He scored 894 goals and added 1,963 assists to get to that 2,857 mark.

In fact, Gretzky’s assist total of 1,963 is more than the second-most career points, which is held by Jaromir Jagr. He totaled 1,921 points in 1,733 games. The top five is rounded out by Mark Messier (1,887 points), Gordie Howe (1,850) and Ron Francis (1,798).

Some active players among the career leaders (entering the 2024-25 season) include Sidney Crosby (1,596; 10th-most), Alex Ovechkin (1,550; 13th), Evgeni Malkin (1,296; 37th) and Patrick Kane (1,284; 38th).

The NHL awards the Art Ross Trophy every year to the player who has the most points in the regular season. Gretzky won the Art Ross Trophy 10 times, with Howe and Mario Lemieux both winning six of their own.

Gretzky’s points mark may be untouchable, but his all-time goal record could be in jeopardy. Ovechkin enters 2024-25 with 853 career goals, needing 42 to pass The Great One’s record of 894.

Wrapping Up

You should now know what a point (or “P”) means in hockey. A point total is calculated by adding goals (“G”) and assists (“A”) to get a player’s complete point total. Goals and assists may be judged differently by some, but they both count the same in the points tally. 

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