Plus/Minus Calculator (Hockey)

Calculate a hockey player's plus/minus (+/-) rating using on-ice goal data. Enter Total Goals For (TGF), Power Play Goals For (PGF), Total Goals Against (TGA), and Short-Handed Goals Against (SGA) to get the player's plus/minus score — a key stat for evaluating even-strength on-ice performance.

Total goals scored by the team while the player was on the ice

Power play goals scored by the team while the player was on the ice

Total goals allowed by the team while the player was on the ice

Short-handed goals allowed by the team while the player was on the ice

Results

Plus/Minus (+/-)

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Even-Strength Goals For

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Even-Strength Goals Against

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Performance Rating

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Even-Strength Goals For vs Against

Frequently Asked Questions

What is plus/minus (+/-) in hockey?

Plus/minus is a statistic that measures how often a player is on the ice when their team scores versus when their team allows a goal. A player earns a +1 for each even-strength or short-handed goal scored while they're on the ice, and a -1 for each even-strength or short-handed goal allowed. Power play goals are excluded from this calculation.

What is the formula for hockey plus/minus?

The formula is: PM = (TGF − PGF) − (TGA − SGA). Here, TGF is Total Goals For, PGF is Power Play Goals For, TGA is Total Goals Against, and SGA is Short-Handed Goals Against. This strips out power play situations to focus on even-strength performance.

Why are power play goals excluded from plus/minus?

Power play goals are excluded because only some players are on the ice during a power play. Including them would unfairly benefit power play specialists and penalize players who rarely see power play time. The statistic aims to reflect a player's value during equal-strength play.

Why are short-handed goals against included in the calculation?

Short-handed goals against are subtracted from Total Goals Against because they occur when the opposing team is on the power play. Since the player's team is short-handed, those goals against are treated differently and do not count against the skater's plus/minus.

What is considered a good plus/minus rating in hockey?

A positive plus/minus is generally favorable, indicating the player is on the ice for more goals than they allow at even strength. Elite defenders and two-way forwards often post ratings above +20 in a full season. A rating near 0 is neutral, while a highly negative score suggests poor on-ice defensive performance.

What are the limitations of the plus/minus statistic?

Plus/minus is heavily influenced by team quality, zone deployment, and linemates — factors outside a single player's control. A player on a dominant team may post a high plus/minus simply due to their teammates. Advanced metrics like Regularized Adjusted Plus-Minus (RAPM) attempt to control for these variables.

Can plus/minus be negative?

Yes. A negative plus/minus means the player was on the ice for more even-strength goals against than for during the measured period. This can reflect poor defensive play, bad luck, or playing in difficult situations such as against top opposing lines.

Does plus/minus apply to goalies in hockey?

No, plus/minus is a skater statistic only. Goalies are not assigned a plus or minus for goals scored or allowed while they are in the net. It is used exclusively to evaluate forwards and defensemen.

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