Using the methodology presented in the paper I estimate the Avalanche to have played 636 minutes on the power play and 736 minutes on the penalty kill during the regular season. The remaining 3,598 minutes were played at even strength.

Before we can solve for Sakic’s ice time we must calculate two estimates for minutes played. One estimate uses goals for as the event tracked, the other goals against. The average of these two estimates is what gives us the solution.

MIN = (GFMIN + GAMIN) / 2

In the original model, the average of these two estimates and the positional constant provided the solution.

MIN = (GFMIN + GAMIN + Positional Constant) / 3

Colorado had 636 power play minutes and 4334 non-power play minutes. They scored 86 power play goals and 240 non-power play goals. For every power play goal a player is on the ice for, they should have 7.39534884 minutes of ice time (636/86). For every non-power play goal, they should have 18.0583333 minutes of ice time (4334/240).

GFMIN=PPMIN+OTRMIN PPMIN = (Team Power Play MINS / Team Power Play GF) Player PPGF

PPMIN = 636MIN/86PPGF(50PPPts)

PPMIN = 7.39534884 (50PPPts)

PPMIN = 369.767442 OTRMIN=[(Team ES+PK MINS)/(Team ES GF+PK GF)](Player ES+PK GF)

OTRMIN = 4334MIN/240OTRGF(70OTRPts)

OTRMIN = 18.0583333 (70OTRPts)

OTRMIN = 1264.08333 GFMIN=PPMIN+OTRMIN

GFMIN = 369.767442 + 1264.08333

GFMIN = 1,633.85077 minutes

GFMIN = 19:56

Joe Sakic was involved in 50 power play goals and 70 other goals resulting in an estimated 19:56 of ice time using the goals for method.

Colorado had 736 penalty kill minutes and 4531 non-power play minutes. They surrendered 71 power play goals and 226 non-power play goals against. For every power play goal scored against while a player is on the ice they should have 10.3661972 minutes of ice time (736/71). For every non-power play goal scored against, they should have 20.0486726 minutes of ice time (4531/226).

GAMIN=PKMIN+OTRMIN PKMIN = (Team Penalty Kill MINS / Team Penalty Kill GA) Player PKGA

PKMIN = 736MIN/71PKGA(14PKGA)

PKMIN = 10.3661972 (14PKGA)

PKMIN = 145.126761 OTRMIN=[(Team ES+PP MINS)/(Team ES GA+PP GA)](Player ES+PP GA)

OTRMIN = 4531MIN/226OTRGA(71OTRGA)

OTRMIN = 20.0486726 (71OTRGA)

OTRMIN = 1,423.45575 GAMIN=PKMIN+OTRMIN

GAMIN = 145.126761 + 1,423.45575

GAMIN = 1,568.58251 minutes

GAMIN = 19:08

While Joe Sakic was on the ice opposing teams scored 14 power play goals and 71 other goals against the Avalanche resulting in an estimated 19:08 of ice time using the goals against method.

MIN = (GFMIN + GAMIN) / 2

MIN = (19:56 + 19:08) / 2

MIN = 19:32

The average of GFMIN and GAMIN provides us with the solution to our inquiry. We can estimate with reasonably high confidence that Joe Sakic’s ice time during the 1995/96 regular season averaged 19:32 minutes per game.