Advanced 2026 PWHL Drafting: Expected Goals
The 2026 PWHL Draft is loaded with offensive talent. The first two rounds of the draft will have players who drive offensive opportunities, compiling "expected goals" (xG). Here's a look at the top PWHL prospects from the NCAA in terms of xG.
Expected goals is a hockey metric, often considered an advanced statistic used in analytics to help predict scoring. Expected goals, in short, is the chance that an unblocked shot becomes a goal. What this metric tells hockey fans, is which players are getting to the best scoring positions more often and getting unblocked shots to the net from those areas.
A score has been assigned to the various areas on the ice based on how likely it is for a shot from a specific area is to be scored. When a player takes a shot from that area successfully, it counts toward their xG tally. The metric also considers the best shooting angles, and type of shot taken (Eg.
Wrist Shot vs. Slapshot). It also allows coaches and scouts to see which players are scoring more than expected, and less than expected.
A player who consistently, year over year scores more than expected is likely a very skilled shooter. They would not only get to high potency shooting areas, but couple that with stronger and more accurate shots. Short term it could be luck, but game over game and year over year, the data speaks.
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