Compare
PuckAPI vs Natural Stat Trick
Natural Stat Trick is a stats site whose data subdomain allows rate-limited scraping with an approved key. PuckAPI is a JSON API and MCP server for NHL data.
Natural Stat Trick is a hockey analytics website, not an API: automated access is allowed only on its data subdomain, with an approved access key and rate limits of about 80 page loads every five minutes, and the pages come back as HTML tables. PuckAPI is a JSON API and MCP server for NHL data: games, standings, skater and goalie stats, play-by-play with rink coordinates since 2010-11, 5-on-5 Corsi, Fenwick and expected goals, and sportsbook odds.
Natural Stat Trick has the deeper on-ice splits, and it is the reference many hockey analysts check against. PuckAPI is for code and agents that need structured data on request, with odds alongside, without parsing tables.
Side by side
| PuckAPI | Natural Stat Trick | |
|---|---|---|
| Access | JSON over REST, and an MCP server | HTML pages on data.naturalstattrick.com |
| Key | Self-serve, instant | Account plus an access key that needs approval |
| Rate limits | Credit-based; no page-load cap | About 80 page loads per 5 minutes, 180 per hour |
| Price | 500 free credits, then from $19/mo | Free; no paid subscription required for a key |
| On-ice and line stats | Team 5v5 possession and xG; no line combinations | Extensive on-ice, line and pairing splits |
| Odds | Opening and closing lines from 2020-21; 8 books hourly from October 2026 | None |
| AI assistants | MCP server | None |
Use Natural Stat Trick instead if
- You want line combinations, on-ice splits and situational tables to read, and a free tool is enough.
- You are checking a number against the reference most hockey analysts use.
Questions
Does Natural Stat Trick have an API?
No. Its scraping policy says data.naturalstattrick.com is not an API endpoint: it serves the same HTML pages to approved keys, within rate limits. PuckAPI returns JSON from a REST API and an MCP server.
Can I get Corsi and expected goals from PuckAPI?
Yes: team 5-on-5 Corsi%, Fenwick% and expected goals for and against from get_standings and get_team_stats, and goalie GSAX from get_goalie_stats.
Does PuckAPI have line combinations?
No. Natural Stat Trick is the better source for line and pairing splits; PuckAPI covers games, players, play-by-play, team possession and odds.
Sources
Checked October 7, 2026.
See the data
Try it with 500 free credits
No card. REST or MCP.