Shots on goal are becoming a tougher commodity to collect in the NHL, except for the Colorado Avalanche.
NHL clubs are averaging 27.7 shots on goal per game through November. That would be the fourth-lowest total in league history, and the fewest since teams averaged 27.5 in 2001-02.
All three of the years with fewer shots on goal came between 1997-02, otherwise known as the heart of the “dead puck” era.
“It’s a commitment to play the right way early (in the season), same as what we’re doing,” Avs coach Jared Bednar said. “You’ve got to earn your scoring chances, and you’re trying to keep the other team from getting theirs.
“Look at the standings and how important the games are. There’s no easy teams to play against. … Every game is important, so it just kind of drives the buy-in and the commitment from all teams to defend the right way.”
The Avs have been immune to this trend, much like they have overcome the league-wide parity this season and bulldozed their way to a 18-1-6 start. Colorado leads the league with 33.9 shots on goal per game.
Colorado has had 32 shots on goal or more in 18 of the 25 games. The Avs have poured 35-plus shots on net in 12 games, two more than the Carolina Hurricanes for tops in the NHL.
There are 28 teams in the league who have hit 35 shots six times or fewer. Even the Hurricanes have not been able to escape the slog. Carolina defeated Calgary in a 1-0 overtime tilt Sunday that featured just 32 shots combined — the Hurricanes outshot the Flames, 17-15. Colorado’s season low was 23, in the season opener at Los Angeles.
“That’s a good question,” Avs defenseman Josh Manson said of the declining totals. “Could be defensive systems. I think guys are blocking more shots. It’s more of a puck possession game now. These young kids are super talented, so maybe they’re just holding onto the puck more and looking for the right opportunities.”
To Manson’s point about hunting for shot quality over quantity, the league average save percentage has also dropped to .897. That’s down from .900 last season, and part of a steady decline from a two-year run at .915 (2014-16) that proceeded tweaks to equipment sizes for goaltenders.
Teams averaged\\ 3.14 goals per game in 2022-23, but that has dipped to 3.01 last year and 3.03 this season.
Just as an example to show how quickly it has shifted, the Edmonton Oilers averaged 34.0 shots per game in 2021-22. That would be first this season, but it was good for 10th just four years ago.
Why are the Avs still able to rack up 30-plus shots on goal per night, while five of the eight teams that played Sunday finished with 18 or fewer?
Part of it is just pure talent. Colorado has a deep collection of high-end offensive players, fronted by arguably the two best players in the world in December 2025 — Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar.
Part of it is Bednar’s systems and overall philosophy about how the game should be played. And part of it is how well the Avs turn defense into offense, whether that means turning the puck back in their favor while still in the offensive zone, in the neutral zone or from their own end in a full-ice counter attack.
“It’s a fun style of hockey, ” Manson said. “What I love about it is when we are playing well, it’s when we are committed on the defensive side. Then we can really play fast from there, because we’re turning pucks over.
“That’s when it’s the most fun, because we’re playing well defensively, we are creating all these chances and we are wearing other teams down.”
Colorado has outshot its opponent 17 times and been even in four games. Of the five times a foe has outshot the Avalanche, three times it was by two or less.
“We don’t want to take stupid shots, but we know you’ve got to get pucks to the net and bodies in front,” Avs forward Ross Colton said. “We preach that with our skill, we are going to check pucks back after we shoot it. With our work ethic, our structure, we are going to get it back and keep attacking.”
FOOTNOTES: Valeri Nichushkin practiced Monday with the Avs. Bednar said he is a possibility to return to the lineup Tuesday against the Vancouver Canucks. Nichushkin has missed the past eight games with a lower-body injury. … MacKinnon, Gabe Landeskog and Parker Kelly all missed practice because of illness, while Victor Olofsson was out for a maintenance day.
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