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NHL Standings ranked by shooting percentage: How this metric defines the Canadiens

It’s past midseason, and the Canadiens have a real chance at the playoffs. Can they get there? If they keep shooting the puck often, they will.

ByTodd Matthews|
Jan 16, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Montreal Canadiens center Kirby Dach (77) and goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) and defenseman Arber Xhekaj (72) celebrate on the ice after defeating the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Jan 16, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Montreal Canadiens center Kirby Dach (77) and goaltender Jakub Dobes (75) and defenseman Arber Xhekaj (72) celebrate on the ice after defeating the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Oh yes, that playoff race is heating up, and the Canadiens are looking like the NHL’s surprise team. Sometimes, these teams fall back to reality, but others just keep on winning. So, how can we gauge whether the Habs will keep up their winning ways or dip back into mediocrity?

We can get all complex with data and numbers, but we don’t need to. Instead, one simple metric out there could be all we need to make a strong projection of whether the Habs will continue to fight for a playoff spot. 

Canadiens are up there with some elite teams in shooting percentage 

That metric, as the headline indicated, is shooting percentage. Why? Just look at where the Habs landed as of Friday, January 17th, and you’ll know why this team’s success depends if they can keep converting one in roughly 8.5 shots on goal. 

  1. Washington Capitals - 13.0
  2. Winnipeg Jets - 12.6
  3. Tampa Bay Lightning - 12.6
  4. Montreal Canadiens - 11.7
  5. Detroit Red Wings - 11.5
  6. Colorado Avalanche - 11.3
  7. Vancouver Canucks - 11.3
  8. Buffalo Sabres - 11.3
  9. Columbus Blue Jackets - 11.2
  10. Vegas Golden Knights - 11.1
  11. Los Angeles Kings - 11.1
  12. Philadelphia Flyers - 11.0
  13. Seattle Kraken - 10.8
  14. Toronto Maple Leafs - 10.7
  15. Minnesota Wild - 10.6
  16. New Jersey Devils - 10.5
  17. Carolina Hurricanes - 10.4
  18. St. Louis Blues - 10.4
  19. Edmonton Oilers - 10.3
  20. Dallas Stars - 10.3
  21. Florida Panthers - 10.3
  22. Pittsburgh Penguins - 10.3
  23. Utah Hockey Club - 10.3
  24. Chicago Blackhawks - 10.1
  25. New York Rangers - 9.8
  26. Boston Bruins - 9.6
  27. Ottawa Senators - 9.6
  28. San Jose Sharks - 9.6
  29. New York Islanders - 9.1
  30. Calgary Flames - 8.8
  31. Anaheim Ducks - 8.7
  32. Nashville Predators - 8.4

Yeah, you can also see another common denominator. Most of your contenders are in the top 16, so it’s a crucial indicator that the best in the league are converting a high percentage of shots on goal. That might sound obvious, but remember, some teams win games with a defense-first mentality and score just enough goals to boast a respectable record. 

And a few of those teams that do this well, like the Boston Bruins, are toward the bottom of the list. That said, we need to see the Habs keep converting often, especially since they’re very selective of their shots, with just 1,126 this season. If we ranked the NHL by that metric, the Canadiens would be 30th in the league.

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