The 2024-25 NHL season was one of the best seasons we’ve experienced in recent times. From the thrilling culmination to Alex Ovechkin’s “Gr8 Chase” to Brad Marchand’s move to Florida after 16 years with the Boston Bruins, there was a lot to satisfy the diverse needs of the hockey community. A scintillating postseason was the perfect cherry on the top. However, as the focus shifts to the next season, a number of concerning points hover overhead.
Compared to the late 1900s and early 2000s Dead Puck Era, the NHL has seen a dramatic rise in scoring in recent years. However, a downward slump can still be noticed nonetheless. Both the total number of goals and the goals per game seem to have declined compared to the previous seasons, and hockey expert Jason Gregor believes immediate actions should be taken to make sure this doesn’t become a trend.
In an article by Oilers Nation from July 21, the NHL insider crunched a lot of numbers to show how several factors contributed to the overall slump in goal scoring in the NHL. As his Exhibit A, Gregor brought attention to how the second half of back-to-back games last season affected the teams in the NHL. As per the attached table, the Western Conference (.401%) teams fared slightly worse than the Eastern Conference (.434%) when it came to winning percentages. Only 11 teams had .500 or better percentages, but no team shows more radical numbers than Seattle, which lost all 12 of those second-half back-to-back games.
Gregor also pointed out how most of the teams playing the second half of their BTB games on the road might have also contributed to the slump before going on to note that the NHL calling fewer penalties than before has also added to the headache.
NHL, Eishockey Herren, USA Stanley Cup Final-Edmonton Oilers at Florida Panthers Jun 9, 2025 Sunrise, Florida, USA Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid 97 controls the puck during the first period against the Florida Panthers in game three of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. Sunrise Amerant Bank Arena Florida USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xSamxNavarrox 20250609_ams_na2_0042
In a table, Gregor pointed out that in the last NHL season, 7978 goals were scored. Compared to 2024 (8168) and 2023 (8343), the numbers were significantly lower. But he also notes that in the recently concluded season, 816 fewer powerplays than 2024 were called, while the 2023 season saw 957 more powerplays. 5-0n-5 goals have also decreased considerably.
Gregor shares more alarming stats. As per his data, the NHL has seen a significant drop in high-point producers. While in 2023, 11 players scored 100+ points, only 6 managed to do so in 2025. 19 players posted 90+ points in 2023. In 2025? Only 12. However, it’s not only the on-ice numbers that have fallen.
A two-pronged assault on the NHL’s numbers
The viewership numbers for the NHL this past season caused a lot of debates. The data in the local viewership saw quite a dip, with both RSN (regional sports networks) as well as for over-the-air distributions failing to bring fans to TV screens. Some of the League’s biggest teams, like the Chicago Blackhawks and the New York Rangers, saw a drastic decrease in their viewership numbers. On the other hand, though, keeping some hope alive, the Anaheim Ducks and the San Jose Sharks managed to get their numbers higher than before.
Source: X / @NHL
Even Alex Ovechkin’s “Gr8 Chase” couldn’t entice fans enough to get them to watch the Washington vs Carolina match in April. As per a social media post by Braylon Breeze, the match was viewed by 186,000 fans on average via TNT and truTV networks. Pretty poor stats, considering we all know that NHL fans seldom wish to miss out on the scintillating action.
The deplorable situation was somewhat compensated by the 4 Nations Face-Off, held in February. The inaugural edition of the international hockey tournament surpassed NHL in terms of viewership numbers and smashed through records without batting so much as an eyelid. With the falling scoring numbers and fewer penalties called, do you think there’s any correlation between those and the dwindling viewership for the NHL? What are your thoughts? Share with us in a comment.
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