NHL High-Danger Scoring Chances (HDSC) Explained

We’re going to explain how high-danger scoring chances works in the NHL. Over the past few years, advanced statistics have transformed the way in which fans and bettors view hockey. Gone are the days of evaluating teams and players based solely on goals and assists.

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The high-danger scoring chances (HDSC) metric is one of the advanced stats that NHL fans have become familiar with in recent times. If you want to learn about the ins and outs of HDSC, you’ve come to the right place.

How Does High-Danger Scoring Chances Work in Hockey?

HDSC is an advanced statistic tracked by Natural Stat Trick. Unlike many other advanced hockey stats, high-danger scoring chances is relatively easy to understand.

Put simply, high-danger scoring chances are scoring chances that meet certain criteria. Scoring chances with high expected values include a rebound chance right in front of the net or a shot in the middle of the ice (slot) between faceoff circles.

High-danger scoring chances are the best for a team to generate on offense and the worst for a team to give up on defense. You should bear this in mind when it comes to betting on the NHL.

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How to Calculate High-Danger Scoring Chances

According to Natural Stat Trick, every shot is assigned a value based on where it’s taken from. Yellow areas (low danger) are given one point, red areas (mid-danger) are given two points and blue areas (high danger) are given three points.

You should add one point to the value if the attempt is considered a rush shot or a rebound. You should decrease the value by one point if it was a blocked shot. Any attempt with a value of two or higher is considered a scoring chance, while any attempt with a value of three or higher is a high-danger scoring chance.

High-scoring shooting percentage (HDSH%) is an offshoot of HDSC, helping us better understand the numbers. You can look for positive or negative HDSH% trends to assess how lucky or unlucky a team is.

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How Can NHL Bettors Utilize the High-Danger Scoring Chances Metric

High-danger scoring chances can be utilized by NHL bettors in several ways. If you gather HDSC stats and trends, you can use the numbers to support your wagers in a wide variety of betting markets.

The most common markets for HDSC include moneylines and totals. Teams with strong HDSC numbers are more likely to defeat teams with lower HDSC numbers, while teams with a high HDSC value are more likely to be involved in high-scoring games.

Not only can you utilize high-danger scoring chances for team bets, but you can also use the metric for player wagers like props. If a player has a high HDSC ratio, backing them to score a certain number of points could prove to be profitable.

Ultimately, making the most of advanced statistics such as high-danger scoring chances will only enhance your chances of winning money. Regular hockey bettors stick to basic stats, but elite NHL bettors use advanced metrics to beat the bookies.

Learn how NHL expected goals (xG) works and how Corsi works next.

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Ben Morris
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