Hockey Pool: Box Pools, Drafts and Playoff Brackets, Scored Live
The office hockey pool is a winter tradition: everyone picks a team of NHL players, goals and assists pile up all season, and somebody's fourth-line sleeper wins it in March. Running it used to mean a spreadsheet and a Monday-morning box-score session.
Pick'em Builder runs the whole thing for you. We build the boxes (or the draft list) from this season's stats, players pick from their phones, and every goal, assist, goalie win and shutout is scored automatically during the games.
Free up to 10 players · players join with a link, no app or account · we never touch the pot
How a hockey pool works here
- 1
Pick a format
A box pool (one player from each box), a draft pool (snake draft; each player on only one team) or an open pool (pick any forwards, defensemen and goalies). Regular season or playoffs.
- 2
We build the player list
Boxes are filled from last season's and this season's stats, best players first, plus a goalie box. Move anyone, add anyone, or change the boxes before picks lock.
- 3
Share one link
Your group joins with a name and email, with no app or account, and picks on their phone. You can let people enter more than one team.
- 4
Live scoring, weekly recaps
Box scores update during every game. The leaderboard shows each team's players and points, and everyone gets a Monday standings email.
Hockey pool formats
Box pool
One skater from each of 8 boxes plus a goalie. 1 point per goal and assist, 2 per goalie win and shutout. Change the scoring however your pool has always done it.
Set this up →Draft pool
Snake draft, 8 skaters and 2 goalies per team, and each player can be on only one team. Teams get an email when they're on the clock; run out of time and you get the best player available.
Set this up →Open pool
Pick any 6 forwards, 4 defensemen and 2 goalies. Everybody can take McDavid, so the depth picks decide it.
Set this up →Playoff bracket
Pick every series from the first round to the Stanley Cup Final, plus how many games each goes. Points double each round.
Set this up →Playoff box pool
Same box pool, playoff games only, with boxes built from the 16 playoff teams once the field is set. Set it up now; we email your group when it's time to pick.
Set this up →Game pick'em
Prefer picking winners? A weekly NHL pick'em with confidence or survivor options runs alongside any hockey pool.
Set this up →
Box pool scoring that matches your pool
Every hockey pool has its house rules. Set points for goals, assists, goalie wins, shutouts, saves or shots on goal, including fractions like half a point per save, and change them any time before picks lock.
- •Goals and assists come from the box score as each game goes on.
- •A goalie win goes to the winning team's starting goalie (the one who played most of the game); a shutout needs a full game with nothing allowed.
- •Traded players keep scoring for their new team. Injured players simply stop scoring; there are no swaps, like a classic pool.
- •Start any time: stats count from your start date, so a January pool isn't playing catch-up.
Switching from another pool site?
Set up your pool here, then paste your group's emails into the invite screen: everyone gets the link and joins in about 30 seconds. Your buy-in and payouts stay yours to run by e-transfer, Venmo or cash; we never touch the money.
Why commissioners switch
Boxes built for you
No more ranking 80 players by hand. Tweak our boxes or start over with one click.
Live stats
Scores update during the games, not the next morning.
Drafts run themselves
On-the-clock emails and a pick clock with auto-pick, so nobody holds up the draft.
Phone-first
Joining, picking and the standings are built for checking between periods.
Multiple teams
Let people enter two or three teams if your pool allows it.
Fair price
Free for up to 10 teams. Unlimited is $5 a month (or $49 a year) for every pool you run, any size.
We never touch the pot
A hockey pool can be $20 a team in the office or bragging rights in the group chat. The money is yours to run: collect by e-transfer, Venmo or cash, mark who's paid, and pay the winners yourself. Pick'em Builder only keeps score.
Pricing
Free for pools up to 10 players — every format, live scoring, full standings. Bigger group? Unlimited is $49/year (about $4 a month) or $5/month, for as many players and pools as you want. Players always join free.
Questions
- What is a box pool in hockey?
- Players are grouped into boxes by strength, stars in Box 1 down to sleepers. Each team picks one player per box (plus a goalie), and every goal, assist and goalie stat they record counts. Most points wins.
- How are the boxes made?
- From last season's and this season's points per game, best first, with a separate goalie box. Commissioners can move, add or remove players and rename or add boxes before picks lock.
- Can we do a live or online draft?
- Yes. Draft pools run in snake order: each team gets an email when it's on the clock and has a set time to pick (1 to 24 hours, 12 by default). If time runs out, the best player available is taken automatically.
- Do you have a Stanley Cup playoff pool?
- Yes: a series bracket (pick every series and how many games), and playoff box, draft and open pools that count playoff games only. Set them up any time; they fill in when the field is set in April.
- How much does it cost?
- Free for pools of up to 10 teams. Unlimited is $5 a month or $49 a year and covers every pool you run, any size. Players never pay us anything.
- Can we start the pool mid-season?
- Yes. Stats count from your start date, whenever that is.
Related guides
More pick'em pools
Start your hockey pool tonight.
Pick a format, share the link, and let the box scores do the rest.
Start a hockey pool — free