What does it mean when an NHL player had double-digit shots in a game?

Quick post, but something I found interesting.

Editor’s note: been hectic week here. So my apologies. I’ve got a couple quick things I’ve been wanting to write, so let’s get it done.

Patrick Kane scored his 499th and 500th career goals last night, his second into the empty net to become the 50th player in NHL history to hit the 500 mark as the Detroit Red Wings beat the Vancouver Canucks 5-1.

It was an efficient shooting night for Kane, who also scored during a 5-on-3 power play, finishing the night 2-for-2 shooting.

But earlier on Thursday, after morning skate, I talked with Kane about the more quantitive nights, the ones where a player hits double-digits on the shot chart.

This was sparked by Roope Hintz’ twelve shot night against the Washington Capitals on Wednesday, the most by any player in Dallas Stars history¹ and the 209th time it’s happened in NHL history.

See I’ve learned many NHL players don’t actually watch NHL games beyond their own, there have bene multiple times I’ve asked a player about something happening in the NHL and unless it’s about the team they recently watched a pre-scout for, they don’t know what’s going on in the league.

There are others, though, like Kane that watch a ton of hockey. If the Red Wings aren’t playing that night, Kane is likely watching a game. It’s part of how he passively studies his craft, keeping tabs on the league and how others attack the game — for example, he and I recently had a lengthy conversation about how he’s stolen elements from Nikita Kucherov’s game.

This is a long meandering way to get to a point. When a player, like Hintz on Wednesday, has a double-digit shot game, what’s the feeling like on the ice? Are players aware of it? Does it become something line mates think about?

So I asked Kane, who has thrice in his career has had 11 shots or more in a game.

“I think if you are at that shot total, you are really starting to feel it early,” Kane said. “Usually you score on early, but even if you don’t, you kind of have that momentum shooting confidence. You start getting more looks and it seems to come together.”

How so?

“It’s usually a bit more reflective, I think, of how your area game is that night,” Kane said. “You are getting to the prime areas better on games like that, obviously with power play, but mainly at 5-on-5, most times a heavy shot game like that is one of your best at the spacing of the game.”

1. Dallas history, not franchise history. That’s an important distinction when talking about a team that moved from Minnesota in 1993.