About Icelytics@icelyticscards

Who I am

Icelytics is a passion project born from a lifelong interest in hockey. Growing up in Montreal helped fuel that interest—even if I somehow ended up a Pittsburgh Penguins fan.

The numbers don't play favourites, though. The goal is to evaluate players consistently, regardless of the logo on the jersey.

My background is in economics, and I'm a member of the North American Association of Sports Economists. Icelytics brings those interests together: hockey, data, economics, and a curiosity about what the numbers can tell us about the game.

What is the ICE score?

ICE stands for Individual Contributor Estimate. It is Icelytics' 0–100 score for a skater's estimated overall contribution, combining measures of offense, defense, special teams, and physicality and discipline. Higher is better.

Scores represent a player's standing within a season's comparison group, with forwards and defensemen evaluated within their respective positional groups. A score around 50 sits near the middle of that group; a score near 100 places a player near the top.

How to interpret ICE

ICE combines multiple on-ice statistics into one summary score, providing a broader view of contribution than goals and assists alone. The category scores help explain the different aspects of a player's performance.

Start with comparisons within the same season and season type. Because ICE is relative, a change between seasons can reflect changes in the comparison group, deployment, or sample size, as well as the player's performance.

Consider games played alongside the score, especially early in a season or during the playoffs. ICE is an estimate, and smaller samples provide a more limited picture.

Category scores

The categories describe different parts of a player's profile, each on a 0–100 relative scale:

  • Offense — scoring, playmaking, possession, and power-play contribution.
  • Defense — goal suppression, shot suppression, disruption, and penalty killing.
  • Physicality — discipline, contact, and toughness.

These are separate relative ratings. Their displayed values do not add up to the overall ICE score.

For definitions of the statistics and labels used on the site, explore the stats glossary.

Contact

Questions, feedback, or partnership ideas? Reach out on X at @icelyticscards.