Plus–minus (sports)

In team sports, plus–minus (also written as +/- or plus/minus) is a statistic used to measure a player's impact on their team's score while they are on the ice (in ice hockey), on the court (in basketball), or on the field (in some other sports). It represents the difference between the number of goals (hockey), points (basketball), or runs (other sports) their team scores and the number of goals/points/runs their team concedes while that player is on the field of play.

A player earns a "+1" (plus one) when their team scores a goal/point/run while they are on the ice/court/field. Conversely, a player earns a "-1" (minus one) when the opposing team scores a goal/point/run while they are on the ice/court/field.

The cumulative total of these pluses and minuses over a period (game, season, career) gives the player's overall plus-minus rating. A positive plus-minus rating indicates that the team generally outscores the opponent while that player is participating, while a negative rating indicates the opposite. A zero rating means the team scores and allows goals/points/runs at an equal rate while the player is in the game.

Plus-minus is often used as a rough indicator of a player's defensive contribution, as a player who is good at preventing the opposing team from scoring will often have a higher plus-minus rating. However, it's important to note that plus-minus is a team-dependent statistic and can be influenced by factors outside of an individual player's control, such as the quality of their teammates and the strength of the opposing team. Therefore, it is often considered in conjunction with other statistics to provide a more complete picture of a player's overall performance. Some sports utilize adjusted plus-minus metrics to attempt to isolate an individual's impact more effectively.