NHL offers online access to 100 years of player, team, game stats

[RELATED: NHL puts historical stats at your fingertips]

More than 15 million new player and game data points, encompassing more than 24,000 games from 1917 through 1987, have been added on NHL.com. Previously, player and game statistics only were available from 1987 through the present. Powered by the SAP HANA database, fans now can -- in an instant -- compare the statistical feats of NHL legends such as Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Maurice Richard, Gordie Howe and Bobby Orr with today's stars, including Edmonton's Connor McDavid , Pittsburgh's Sidney Crosby , Washington's Alex Ovechkin , Chicago's Patrick Kane and Ottawa's Erik Karlsson . Click here to watch a tutorial video on what's now available.

The new statistics include:

• Box Scores and Game Logs: Fans can access box scores for every game in NHL history from 1917 through the present (a total of 55,461 regular-season and 4,292 playoff games). 
• Individual Player Statistics: Complete and detailed game-by-game statistics for each of the 7,623 players who have competed in the NHL since 1917. 
• Team Information: Complete team rosters, records and results for each season since 1917.
• Advanced Filtering: The ability for fans to do their own queries and searches to compare player and team performances within a single season or measure players and teams from different eras. 
• Minor League and International Data: For the first time, in partnership with EliteProspects.com, fans will have access on a daily basis to statistics for every player on an NHL team's reserve list who is playing in a league other than the NHL. 

"For fans and media alike, this expansive statistical treasure trove of previously untapped information and data is a tremendous resource with which to explore the League's 100 years of history, and tell compelling and engaging stories about our game," said Steve McArdle, NHL Chief Administrative Officer and Executive Vice President. "Today's launch is the culmination of a six-year project, and brings our statistical history to life in an interactive and innovative way."

Video: NHL.com/stats now includes every NHL game ever played

"From the very beginning of our partnership, the NHL has had a clear understanding of the power of data analytics and how extracting real-time insights could enhance the overall fan experience," said Greg McStravick, president, Database & Data Management, SAP. "SAP HANA is the market-leading in-memory data management platform designed to run live, digital businesses, which couldn't be better exemplified than by the NHL. Providing 100 years of historical data to fans is an unprecedented accomplishment, and we are extremely proud of the role that SAP HANA has played in bringing this platform to life."

NHL.com writer Nicholas J. Cotsonika provides some insight into the process with his story: "NHL puts historical stats at your fingertips"

Examples of What Fans Will Find

• In each of the League's first two seasons, 1917-18 and 1918-19, minor penalties were three minutes in duration.
• In the early years of the League, goaltenders had to serve their own penalty - Chicago's Mike Karakas was the last to do so (Dec. 27, 1936 at NYR).
• There have been 32 instances when a skater also served as goaltender in a game, most recently on Oct. 16, 1960, when forward Jerry Toppazzini played 33 seconds in net for the Boston Bruins after goaltender Don Simmons was injured in the final minute of the game (at CHI).
• Wayne Gretzky moved to +100 in 1984-85 (from +98) to become the third player in NHL history with a single-season Plus-Minus rating in the triple-digits. The top two remain unchanged through this process: Bobby Orr at +124 in 1970-71 and Larry Robinson at +120 in 1976-77.
• By creating an accurate game-by-game account of every contest in League history (previously only season totals existed before 1987-88), thousands of player statistics have changed. Approximately 650 players have had changes made to their games played totals; 100 have had goal changes (biggest sees Leo Reise Sr. pick up three goals with the New York Americans in 1929-30); 370 have had assist changes (biggest sees Hap Day and Carson Cooper add five assists with the 1924-25 Toronto St. Patricks and 1925-26 Boston Bruins, respectively); 1,100 have had penalty minute changes; and 1,500 have had shots on goal changes. Numerous changes also were made to power-play (e.g., Jari Kurri's career total increased by five) and shorthanded goal totals.

As part of this process, the NHL has been able to identify when key statistics were first officially and consistently tracked by statisticians: