Track NHL API Updates

Introduction

NHL games are dynamic, and both schedules and game statistics may be updated or revised. Changes can also occur due to schedule adjustments, and updates to roster, team and player details.

To help you stay up to date without exceeding your call limits, the API offers the Daily Change Log endpoint. This feed lists the IDs and timestamps of modified teams, players, game statistics, schedules, and standings for a given date.

NHL Update Scenarios

Schedule Revisions

The Daily Change Log can be used to monitor revisions to schedules.

Steps

Review the Daily Change Log for IDs listed under the schedule node. A game ID in this section indicates that an update has been made to its schedule.

      <schedule>
        <game id="0e079ffb-2082-476c-b63e-1a290e7ae201" season_id="c5ca79d2-9e65-4987-84da-6f26237a47b3" last_modified="2025-01-07T03:47:06Z" sr_id="sr:match:51246997" reference="20638"/>
        <game id="741ac7ce-00d4-4509-8c74-e146d0cda8b3" season_id="c5ca79d2-9e65-4987-84da-6f26237a47b3" last_modified="2025-01-07T03:08:53Z" sr_id="sr:match:51247001" reference="20640"/>
        <game id="9a70caa1-f32c-41b3-9441-6c5af93a998a" season_id="c5ca79d2-9e65-4987-84da-6f26237a47b3" last_modified="2025-01-07T04:40:15Z" sr_id="sr:match:51246999" reference="20639"/>
        <game id="c5c337d7-c6cb-4c06-9fe7-1b7ec5dc714b" season_id="c5ca79d2-9e65-4987-84da-6f26237a47b3" last_modified="2025-01-07T03:31:57Z" sr_id="sr:match:51246995" reference="20637"/>
      </schedule>

Pull any of the following game feeds using the ID to review the latest changes to the schedule.
Update your stored schedule data with the latest game schedule.

Postgame Updates and Revisions

The table below outlines scenarios and use cases for utilizing the Daily Change Log for applications that offer live game updates. This log provides updates and stat revisions for recent games.

Data	Use Case
Game Analytics	Capture adjustments to advanced team and player metrics.
Game Boxscore	Monitor adjustments in game summary data, including final scores or statistical errors being rectified.
Game Faceoffs	Track updates to faceoff results and win/loss corrections at the player and team level.
Game Play-by-Play	Track changes in play details such as new plays added or corrections to existing play records.
Game Summary	Monitor updates in player statistics and team performance metrics postgame corrections.
Game Shot Zones	Monitor revised shot location data and zone-based statistics.
Game Time on Ice	Verify corrections to individual player ice time.

Steps

Review the Daily Change Log to determine what was updated under the results node. Each log entry includes the game ID tied and timestamp to the change.

<results>
        <game season_id="c5ca79d2-9e65-4987-84da-6f26237a47b3" id="50ccf465-9157-460b-bd79-d67dfb99bbd2" last_modified="2025-01-06T13:39:54Z" sr_id="sr:match:51246639" reference="20460"/>
        <game season_id="c5ca79d2-9e65-4987-84da-6f26237a47b3" id="58f5c6bd-1fb5-4d27-bfc4-c62262000841" last_modified="2025-01-06T13:40:02Z" sr_id="sr:match:51246327" reference="20304"/>
        <game season_id="c5ca79d2-9e65-4987-84da-6f26237a47b3" id="5ee82e11-0e6c-4855-97a0-4272170965f7" last_modified="2025-01-06T13:39:55Z" sr_id="sr:match:51246617" reference="20449"/>
        <game season_id="c5ca79d2-9e65-4987-84da-6f26237a47b3" id="26070a14-33b6-40ea-b788-b6c5d86039bb" last_modified="2025-01-06T13:39:50Z" sr_id="sr:match:51245855" reference="20068"/>
        <game season_id="c5ca79d2-9e65-4987-84da-6f26237a47b3" id="979940b2-a46e-4903-a0a7-e9b200241a52" last_modified="2025-01-06T13:41:57Z" sr_id="sr:match:51246949" reference="20614"/>

Pull detailed records using each game feed.
- Game Play-by-Play Feed → Check for new plays added or corrections to existing plays.
- Game Boxscore Feed → Review updates to game summaries, including scores and final stats.
- Game Summary Feed → Monitor corrected player and team metrics postgame.
- Game Faceoffs, Shot Zones, Analytics, and Time on Ice Feeds → Verify revisions in advanced metrics and situational statistics.
Compare the retrieved data against your stored records to confirm the changes, then update your system to keep schedules, stats, and results synchronized.

🏒
Revisions to Seasonal Statistics
The Daily Change Log is useful for monitoring adjustments to NHL seasonal statistics. For instance, if a game statistic that affects seasonal totals is corrected, the log will record this update in its results node.

Changes to Standings

The Daily Change Log can be used to monitor potential adjustments to NHL standings.

Steps

Review the Daily Change Log for IDs listed under the standings node. A team ID in this section indicates that the standings for that team have been updated.

<standings>
      <team id="441713b7-0f24-11e2-8525-18a905767e44" name="Canadiens" market="Montreal" last_modified="2025-01-07T03:13:43Z" sr_id="sr:team:3690" reference="8"/>
      <team id="4416d559-0f24-11e2-8525-18a905767e44" name="Sabres" market="Buffalo" last_modified="2025-01-07T02:57:16Z" sr_id="sr:team:3678" reference="7"/>
      <team id="4415ea6c-0f24-11e2-8525-18a905767e44" name="Oilers" market="Edmonton" last_modified="2025-01-07T04:40:21Z" sr_id="sr:team:3686" reference="22"/>
      <team id="4418464d-0f24-11e2-8525-18a905767e44" name="Panthers" market="Florida" last_modified="2025-01-07T04:40:18Z" sr_id="sr:team:3687" reference="13"/>

Pull the Standings feed and review the latest league, conference, or division standings.
Compare the newly retrieved standings against your stored data.

Team Updates

The table below outlines scenarios and use cases for utilizing the Daily Change Log based on team updates.

Data	Use Case
Team Rosters	Use this data to keep track of adjustments like player trades, contract signings, or releases.
Depth Charts	Observe adjustments or corrections to depth chart data.

Steps

Review the Daily Change Log for IDs listed under the teams node. A team ID in this section indicates that an update has been made to a team.
Pull the Team Profile and Depth Charts feeds using the ID to review the latest updates to the team.
Compare the newly retrieved team information against your stored data.

Player Profile Updates

The table below outlines scenarios and use cases for utilizing the Daily Change Log based on player updates and statistics.

Steps

Review the Daily Change Log for IDs listed under the players node. A player ID in this section indicates that an update has been made to the player's information.

<players>
        <player id="021f2df3-37fb-4847-aafc-7817185be215" full_name="Kyle Burroughs" last_modified="2025-01-06T19:46:36Z" sr_id="sr:player:906494" reference="8477335"/>
        <player id="3020acdd-c5a6-49b6-8993-40bf368fb977" full_name="Matt Rempe" last_modified="2025-01-06T19:49:24Z" sr_id="sr:player:2079559" reference="8482460"/>
        <player id="37a658e2-669a-4a02-abbf-1e4bebf293e2" full_name="Jeremy Lauzon" last_modified="2025-01-06T17:15:29Z" sr_id="sr:player:905382" reference="8478468"/>

Pull the Player Profile feed using the ID to review the latest changes to the player's information.
Compare the newly retrieved player profile against your stored data.