Like the number of errors in baseball or fumbles in football, PIM is a negative statistic in hockey. It stands for the number of penalties in minutes accrued by a team or an individual player throughout the course of a game, season or career. A team with high PIM during a game plays with a distinct disadvantage, but some players flaunt their high PIM statistic as a sign of aggressive and effective play.
Penalties in Hockey
Penalties are an important part of a hockey game. Hockey is a fast-moving and dangerous sport, and some tactics can cause injury. Others are unsportsmanlike, slow the game down or put the opposing team at an unfair disadvantage. When the referee calls a penalty against a player, that player goes to the penalty box for a certain number of minutes, and his team must play short-handed until the penalty is over or, if the penalty is minor, until the other team scores. When a team is shorthanded, the other team usually increases its chances of scoring by mounting a power play.
Types of Penalties
Hockey penalties fall into three broad categories: minor ones, major ones and misconducts. Minor penalties, which are two minutes long, include such infractions as tripping, elbowing and hooking as well as bench infractions such as having too many men on the ice. The referee imposes five-minute major penalties for tactics likely to cause injury, such as an illegal check to the head. Finally, a player can earn a 10-minute or game misconduct penalty by, among other things, acting disrespectfully towards the referee or fighting with another player who is off the ice. The team can substitute another player for one serving a misconduct penalty.
The PIM Statistic
The PIM statistic says much about the style of play of an individual player or team. Generally, a lower value means that the team or player plays by the rules and avoids rough play and controversy. Coupled with high scoring statistics and a winning record, it suggests a high level of skill and artistry, such as displayed by National Hockey League Hall-of-Famers Buddy O'Connor, Wayne Gretzky and Dave Keon. On the other hand, a successful team or player with a high PIM statistic could be one that dominates by sheer force and intimidation.
PIM Leaders in the NHL
David "Tiger" Williams, who played for various teams in the NHL from 1974 to 1988, owns the record for the most penalties in minutes over the course of his career, while Dave Schultz holds the record for most penalties in one season. He set it while playing with the Philadelphia Flyers in 1974 and 1975. Both players were forwards, known as "enforcers" and had nicknames to match their records. Schultz was known as "The Hammer." The 1991-1992 Buffalo Sabres hold the record for the most penalties in a season. The Sabres made it to the playoffs that season, but lost in 7 games to the Boston Bruins in the first round.
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