Hits HIT
A body check that separates an opponent from the puck, as the arena’s off-ice statistician records it.
How HIT is calculated
Counted by the off-ice official in each arena, with no replay. ESPN’s figures begin in 2009-10.
Because every rink has its own scorer, hit counts run noticeably higher in some buildings than others; compare a player’s home and road totals before reading much into a small gap.
What counts as a good HIT?
Half of the 682 qualified NHL players in 2025-26 were at or below 57.5. Clearing 152 put a season in the top tenth of the league.
- Median
- 57.5
- Top 10%
- 152
- Leader
- 412
By position, the median was 73 for LW, 59 for RW, 58 for C and 49 for D.
Qualified: 20+ games, non-zero, 2025-26 regular season.