Counting stats
NHL Shots on Goal per Game Leaders
2020-21All situationsThrough 56 team games
Nathan MacKinnon (COL) leads NHL skaters with a SOG/GP of 4.29 in 2020-21, ahead of 
Auston Matthews (TOR) (4.27).
Leaders: Shots on Goal per Game, 2020-21
- 1stNathan MacKinnonCOL · 48 GP4.29Share
- 2ndAuston MatthewsTOR · 52 GP4.27Share
3rdAlex OvechkinWSH · 45 GP4.04Share
4thBrady TkachukOTT · 56 GP3.93Share
5thDavid PastrnakBOS · 48 GP3.67Share
The full ranked table, with filters, follows.
What Shots on Goal per Game measures
This board ranks NHL skaters by shots on goal per game played, all situations, this season. Players under the minimum sample are hidden, and every row shows the games or minutes behind the number. Shots on Goal per game played, all situations, this season.
Rates settle faster than totals but need games or minutes: early in the season, part-time players swing the most. A row needs at least 22 games to qualify, a bar that rises as the season goes on, so early leaders with a handful of games do not crowd the top.
Per game puts players who missed games on equal footing with those who played them all. Shots on goal count every shot that the goalie saved or that went in. Volume shooters with power-play time lead the league; shots are the most repeatable scoring stat a skater has. In 2020-21, 619 skaters qualify for this board; the median is 1.56 and Nathan MacKinnon leads at 4.29.
Shots on Goal per Game leaderboard
| # | Player | Team | SOG/GP | GP | SOG | Pctl | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nathan MacKinnonFCOL | COL | 4.29 | 48 | 206 | 100 | 100% |
| 2 | Auston MatthewsFTOR | TOR | 4.27 | 52 | 222 | 100 | 99% |
| 3 | Alex OvechkinFWSH | WSH | 4.04 | 45 | 182 | 100 | 88%▼4 |
| 4 | Brady TkachukFOTT | OTT | 3.93 | 56 | 220 | 100 | 100%▲1 |
| 5 | David PastrnakFBOS | BOS | 3.67 | 48 | 176 | 99 | 100% |
| 6 |  Max PaciorettyFVGK | VGK | 3.63 | 48 | 174 | 99 | — |
| 7 |  Connor McDavidFEDM | EDM | 3.57 | 56 | 200 | 99 | 100% |
| 8 |  Aleksander BarkovFFLA | FLA | 3.52 | 50 | 176 | 99 | 89%▼1.5 |
| 9 |  Evander KaneFSJS | SJS | 3.46 | 56 | 194 | 99 | 3.9% |
| 10 |  Patrick KaneFCHI | CHI | 3.41 | 56 | 191 | 99 | 69%▼1.3 |
| 11 |  Mikko RantanenFCOL | COL | 3.40 | 52 | 177 | 98 | 99% |
| 12 |  Patrice BergeronFBOS | BOS | 3.37 | 54 | 182 | 98 | — |
| 13 |  Filip ForsbergFNSH | NSH | 3.31 | 39 | 129 | 98 | 99%▼0.6 |
| 14 |  Patric HornqvistFFLA | FLA | 3.30 | 44 | 145 | 98 | — |
| 15 |  Dougie HamiltonDCAR | CAR | 3.27 | 55 | 180 | 98 | 82%▼0.9 |
| 16 |  Kevin FialaFMIN | MIN | 3.24 | 50 | 162 | 98 | 64% |
| 17 |  Jonathan MarchessaultFVGK | VGK | 3.20 | 55 | 176 | 97 | 19% |
| 18 |  Nikolaj EhlersFWPG | WPG | 3.15 | 47 | 148 | 97 | 87%▼2 |
| 19 |  Jakob ChychrunDARI | ARI | 3.14 | 56 | 176 | 97 | 99% |
| 20 |  Alex PietrangeloDVGK | VGK | 3.07 | 41 | 126 | 97 | 3.2% |
| 21 |  Mika ZibanejadFNYR | NYR | 3.05 | 56 | 171 | 97 | 98% |
| 22 |  Dylan LarkinFDET | DET | 3.05 | 44 | 134 | 97 | 93%▼1.7 |
| 23 |  Tyler ToffoliFMTL | MTL | 3.04 | 52 | 158 | 96 | 38%▲0.5 |
| 24 |  Shea TheodoreDVGK | VGK | 3.04 | 53 | 161 | 96 | 90%▼2.7 |
| 25 |  Nazem KadriFCOL | COL | 3.04 | 56 | 170 | 96 | 72%▲2.7 |
Minimum sample: 22 games (it scales with games played). 294 below the minimum are hidden.
Frequently asked questions
Who leads the NHL in Shots on Goal per Game in 2020-21?
Nathan MacKinnon leads with 4.29. The median of the 619 qualified skaters is 1.56.
Which defenseman leads in Shots on Goal per Game in 2020-21?
Dougie Hamilton leads NHL defensemen with 3.27; the top forward is Nathan MacKinnon at 4.29.
How is Shots on Goal per Game calculated?
Shots on Goal per game played, all situations, this season. Regular season only, from the NHL's official game data.
How reliable is Shots on Goal per Game?
Rates settle faster than totals but need games or minutes: early in the season, part-time players swing the most.
Why are some players missing from the board?
Rows below the minimum sample (22 games) are hidden; 294 are below it right now. The minimum grows with the number of games teams have played.