Where shots happen, where goals come from, and why the slot is different from everywhere else.
Each cell shows shot concentration across the attacking zone. Toggle to see which locations convert most.
Season totals by zone, normalized to the attacking end. All leagues in selected season with shot tracking.
| Zone | Shots | Goals | Conv% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crease / In-TightHDC | 894 | 158 | 17.7% |
| Slot (High Danger)HDC | 3,425 | 502 | 14.7% |
| Corner / Off-Angle | 2,494 | 171 | 6.9% |
| Mid-Range | 1,949 | 70 | 3.6% |
| Point / Blue Line | 1,488 | 44 | 3.0% |
Two things drive goal probability: distance and angle. A shot from 20 feet straight on converts at roughly 3-4x the rate of a point shot. The angle effect is subtler but real, and the same distance from an off-wing position converts noticeably less often than straight on. The slot combines both advantages: close range, low angle. That is why forcing play through that zone is the foundation of modern hockey tactics.
Expected goal probability at representative spots on the ice, from the logistic model fit on CHL play-by-play data.
| Location | Distance | Angle | xG |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crease (in-tight) | 8 ft | 0° | 30.2% |
| Slot (straight on) | 20 ft | 0° | 20.6% |
| Slot (off-angle, 40°) | 24 ft | 34° | 12.8% |
| Mid-Range | 35 ft | 0° | 12.1% |
| Point | 56 ft | 0° | 5.4% |
