Here are the league leaders in hitting posts and crossbars in 2009-10 – I have shootout data in here, which accounts for some totals not matching up. Just 1.4% of all shots hit the iron (according to NHL.com) – Steven Stamkos somehow hit the post 16 times and could have set some real records with just average luck:
Player | Bad Luck | Shoot% | w/ Posts | Shots | Goals | Posts |
STEVENSTAMKOS | 3.8 | 12.7 | 16.4 | 426 | 54 | 16 |
MIKEFISHER | 4.0 | 9.0 | 13.0 | 300 | 27 | 12 |
ANZEKOPITAR | 3.2 | 11.1 | 14.2 | 379 | 42 | 12 |
ANTTIMIETTINEN | 4.3 | 8.7 | 13.0 | 254 | 22 | 11 |
JOHNTAVARES | 3.9 | 9.8 | 13.7 | 256 | 25 | 10 |
JOEPAVELSKI | 3.2 | 8.8 | 12.0 | 317 | 28 | 10 |
OLLIJOKINEN | 2.9 | 5.9 | 8.8 | 339 | 20 | 10 |
COREYPERRY | 2.6 | 7.6 | 10.2 | 381 | 29 | 10 |
BRADRICHARDS | 2.3 | 6.4 | 8.7 | 438 | 28 | 10 |
RAYWHITNEY | 3.5 | 8.1 | 11.6 | 258 | 21 | 9 |
LEESTEMPNIAK | 3.0 | 10.1 | 13.1 | 297 | 30 | 9 |
JAMIELANGENBRUNNER | 2.9 | 6.8 | 9.8 | 307 | 21 | 9 |
EVGENIMALKIN | 2.4 | 7.6 | 10.1 | 368 | 28 | 9 |
PATRICKKANE | 2.4 | 8.9 | 11.3 | 381 | 34 | 9 |
CORYSTILLMAN | 3.9 | 8.3 | 12.3 | 204 | 17 | 8 |
STEPHENWEISS | 3.1 | 11.5 | 14.6 | 260 | 30 | 8 |
MARKSTREIT | 3.0 | 4.1 | 7.0 | 271 | 11 | 8 |
JAMESNEAL | 2.9 | 9.3 | 12.1 | 280 | 26 | 8 |
MASONRAYMOND | 2.8 | 8.8 | 11.7 | 283 | 25 | 8 |
DUSTINBYFUGLIEN | 2.7 | 5.8 | 8.5 | 293 | 17 | 8 |
ALEXOVECHKIN | 1.5 | 9.7 | 11.2 | 537 | 52 | 8 |
Here are the 19 unluckiest shooters in the league – Andy Greene must be kicking himself for hitting the post as often as he scored:
Player | Bad Luck | Shoot% | w/ Posts | Shots | Goals | Posts |
DAVIDBOOTH | 4.4 | 6.7 | 11.1 | 135 | 9 | 6 |
ANDYGREENE | 4.3 | 4.3 | 8.7 | 138 | 6 | 6 |
ANTTIMIETTINEN | 4.3 | 8.7 | 13.0 | 254 | 22 | 11 |
RYANSHANNON | 4.2 | 4.2 | 8.4 | 143 | 6 | 6 |
MIKEFISHER | 4.0 | 9.0 | 13.0 | 300 | 27 | 12 |
CORYSTILLMAN | 3.9 | 8.3 | 12.3 | 204 | 17 | 8 |
DAINIUSZUBRUS | 3.9 | 9.8 | 13.7 | 102 | 10 | 4 |
JOHNTAVARES | 3.9 | 9.8 | 13.7 | 256 | 25 | 10 |
STEVENSTAMKOS | 3.8 | 12.7 | 16.4 | 426 | 54 | 16 |
ENVERLISIN | 3.7 | 4.4 | 8.1 | 135 | 6 | 5 |
ALEXTANGUAY | 3.6 | 7.2 | 10.9 | 138 | 10 | 5 |
TODDMARCHANT | 3.6 | 8.0 | 11.6 | 112 | 9 | 4 |
CHRISPHILLIPS | 3.5 | 7.0 | 10.5 | 114 | 8 | 4 |
RAYWHITNEY | 3.5 | 8.1 | 11.6 | 258 | 21 | 9 |
BRENTBURNS | 3.3 | 2.0 | 5.2 | 153 | 3 | 5 |
VYACHESLAVKOZLOV | 3.2 | 7.8 | 11.0 | 154 | 12 | 5 |
DERICKBRASSARD | 3.2 | 5.8 | 9.0 | 156 | 9 | 5 |
ANZEKOPITAR | 3.2 | 11.1 | 14.2 | 379 | 42 | 12 |
JOEPAVELSKI | 3.2 | 8.8 | 12.0 | 317 | 28 | 10 |
At the other end, we've got players who didn't hit any posts:
Player | Bad Luck | Shoot% | w/ Posts | Shots | Goals | Posts |
RENEBOURQUE | 0 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 304 | 28 | 0 |
ANDYMCDONALD | 0 | 10.6 | 10.6 | 264 | 28 | 0 |
NICKLASBERGFORS | 0 | 7.8 | 7.8 | 258 | 20 | 0 |
ZACHBOGOSIAN | 0 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 237 | 10 | 0 |
BRANDONSUTTER | 0 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 217 | 21 | 0 |
KURTISFOSTER | 0 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 215 | 8 | 0 |
JAYBOUWMEESTER | 0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 202 | 3 | 0 |
JOELWARD | 0 | 6.5 | 6.5 | 201 | 13 | 0 |
JASONCHIMERA | 0 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 200 | 15 | 0 |
MILANHEJDUK | 0 | 13.8 | 13.8 | 196 | 27 | 0 |
BRADRICHARDSON | 0 | 5.1 | 5.1 | 196 | 10 | 0 |
MARKRECCHI | 0 | 9.7 | 9.7 | 195 | 19 | 0 |
TOMASHOLMSTROM | 0 | 13.2 | 13.2 | 190 | 25 | 0 |
T.J.GALIARDI | 0 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 186 | 15 | 0 |
MIKHAILGRABOVSKI | 0 | 5.8 | 5.8 | 173 | 10 | 0 |
You can see where players hit posts from:
The true peak is around 20 feet – there are very few shots from closer than five feet, so seven posts and one crossbar skew the results.