The Central Hockey League, along with the majority of professional hockey leagues in North America, has implemented many significant changes and penalty standards for the 2005-2006 season in an effort to increase scoring chances and improve the fan experience. Through the CHLs opening weekend of play, mission accomplished, with scoring increasing from 6.05 goals per contest in 2004-2005 to 7.79 thus far this season. While those statistics are from a relatively small sampling of games, the CHL is optimistic that as officials, players and coaches continue to adjust to the new standards, increased scoring and offensive opportunities will continue.
Our objective remains to eliminate the hooking, holding and interference that both reduces offensive chances and prevents our players from showcasing their skills, said Duane Lewis, Vice President, Operations for the CHL. We are confident that our fans and players will continue to be rewarded with increased offense and greater action throughout the course of the season. While scoring is up dramatically, it has yet to reach the levels recorded in the first five season of CHL play (1992/93 through 1996/97), where CHL scoring averaged over eight goals per game.
Central Hockey League Average Scoring Per Game By Season
Season Average Goals Per Game
1992-1993 8.80
1993-1994 8.93
1994-1995 8.98
1995-1996 8.88
1996-1997 8.36
1997-1998 7.94
1998-1999 7.49
1999-2000 7.25
2000-2001 6.94
2001-2002 6.61
2002-2003 6.40
2003-2004 5.92
2004-2005 6.05
2005-2006 7.79 (in progress)
*Note: Average scoring per game from 1996-1997 through 2000-2001 combines the totals of the Central and Western Professional Hockey Leagues, prior to May/2001 merger.