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Active NHL Players Closest to 500 Goals

For skaters, 500 career goals has long been the magic number that screams elite longevity and finishing ability, often serving as a de facto Hall of Fame ticket. Among active players, a small group of aging superstars and late-peak scorers are clustered closest to the mark, chasing one of the sport's most respected milestones.

January 25, 2026

Already In: The 500-Goal Club Members

Several active players have already crossed 500 goals:

Alex Ovechkin: 916 goals

All-time goals leader
Surpassed Wayne Gretzky's record (894)
Still adding to total at age 39
Nine Rocket Richard Trophies

Steven Stamkos: 600 goals

Crossed 500 in January 2023
Now with Nashville after Tampa Bay career
Multiple 50-goal seasons
Elite one-timer specialist

Sidney Crosby: 649 goals

Still productive in late 30s
Could reach 700+ depending on longevity
Complete two-way forward
Three Stanley Cups

Evgeni Malkin: 523 goals

Crossed 500 in October 2024
Entire career alongside Crosby
Elite playmaker and goal scorer
Three Stanley Cups

Patrick Kane: 500 goals

Reached milestone January 2026
50th member of 500-goal club
Three Stanley Cups
American-born elite scorer

John Tavares: 510 goals

Crossed 500 in October 2025
49th member of club
Toronto Maple Leafs captain
Consistent 30-goal scorer

These milestone lists aren't just trivia, they're cheat codes. Try Gridzy Hockey and use your 40-goal and 100-point knowledge to solve today's grid.

The Next Tier: 400+ Goals

Players in the 400s are realistic 500-goal candidates:

Brad Marchand: 447 goals

Boston Bruins winger
Age 36, time running short
Needs 2-3 more solid seasons
Two-way excellence limits pure goal focus

Anze Kopitar: 446 goals

Los Angeles Kings center
Age 37, likely won't reach 500
Career winding down
Underrated consistency

Corey Perry: 421 goals

Age 39, career likely over
Fell short of 500
Stanley Cup champion (2024)
Physical decline prevented milestone

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Elite Current Scorers: On Pace for 500

Leon Draisaitl: 420 goals (age 29)

Edmonton Oilers center
Elite 40-50 goal scorer
Playing alongside McDavid
Projects easily to 500+ if healthy

Timeline: Could reach 500 by age 32-33 at current pace (40+ goals per season). Needs approximately 80 more goals, achievable in 2-3 elite seasons.

Auston Matthews: 302+ goals (age 27)

Toronto Maple Leafs center
Fastest active player to 300 goals
Multiple 50+ goal seasons
Elite shooting percentage

Timeline: On track to reach 500 before age 30 if maintains current pace. Needs 198 more goals, achievable in 4-5 seasons at 40-50 goals per year.

Nathan MacKinnon: 403 goals (age 29)

Colorado Avalanche center
Recently crossed 400
Elite two-way forward
Stanley Cup champion (2022)

Timeline: Needs 97 more goals to reach 500. At 30-35 goals per season, achievable by age 32-33.

Connor McDavid: 390 goals (age 28)

Edmonton Oilers center
Elite playmaker and goal scorer
Multiple Art Ross and Hart Trophies
Fastest to 1,000 points

Timeline: Needs 110 more goals. As primary playmaker, may take 4-5 seasons to reach 500 despite elite ability.

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How They Score: Playing Style Breakdown

Understanding how these players generate goals:

Power-Play Specialists:

Alex Ovechkin: Left circle one-timer
Auston Matthews: Elite wrist shot from slot
Leon Draisaitl: Net-front presence and shooting

Even-Strength Volume Shooters:

Sidney Crosby: Complete offensive game
Nathan MacKinnon: Rush attacks and speed
Connor McDavid: Transition dominance

Net-Front Grinders:

Brad Marchand: Agitation plus skill
Corey Perry: Physical play in dirty areas

Era and Usage Context

Modern 500-goal candidates benefit from:

High Power-Play Share: Elite goal scorers receive 3-4 minutes per game on power play, significantly boosting totals. Ovechkin's 316 power-play goals exemplify this.

Modern Offensive Systems: Analytics-driven shot selection and entry strategies create more high-danger chances for elite finishers.

Longer Careers: Better conditioning and sports medicine allow players to remain productive into late 30s, giving more time to reach 500.

Challenges:

Lower scoring environment than 1980s
Elite goaltending and larger equipment
More sophisticated defensive systems

Dark Horse Candidates

Players in the 250-350 goal range who need sustained excellence:

Nikita Kucherov: 379 goals (age 31)

Elite playmaker and scorer
Tampa Bay Lightning
Needs 121 more goals
Possible if maintains production 3-4 more seasons

David Pastrnak: 321 goals (age 28)

Boston Bruins winger
Multiple 40+ goal seasons
Needs 179 more goals
Realistic if stays healthy

Kyle Connor: 250+ goals (age 27)

Winnipeg Jets winger
Consistent 30-40 goal scorer
Long shot but possible with longevity

Betting and Prop Market Angles

For betting markets, milestone chases create opportunities:

Season Goal Totals: Players close to 500 often have inflated lines as sportsbooks account for motivation. Understanding injury history and team context helps evaluate these props.

Milestone Specials: "Will Player X reach 500 goals by date Y" props appear as players approach milestone. Historical pace and current form provide edge.

Rocket Richard Futures: Players who are yearly threats for goal-scoring title are inherently likelier 500-goal candidates. Draisaitl and Matthews fit this profile.

Legacy and Hall of Fame Impact

Milestone proximity affects narratives around contracts, captaincy, and Hall of Fame debates:

Guaranteed HOF: Players with 500+ goals almost always inducted. Ovechkin, Stamkos, Crosby, Malkin, Kane, Tavares all locks.

Likely HOF: Draisaitl and Matthews project to 500+, which combined with other accomplishments (Cups, individual awards) makes them eventual HOF locks.

Borderline Cases: Players who stall at 400-450 goals (like Marchand) have strong cases but 500 would remove all doubt.

Players Who Might Fall Short

Several talented scorers may not reach 500:

Brad Marchand (447): Age 36, would need 2-3 more 20-25 goal seasons. Unlikely but possible.

Anze Kopitar (446): Age 37, career winding down. Will likely finish just short.

Corey Perry (421): Career essentially over, fell 79 goals short despite strong career.

These near-misses illustrate how difficult sustaining elite goal-scoring into late 30s truly is.

What 500 Goals Means Today

Five hundred goals remains elite marker of offensive excellence:

Current Significance:

Requires decade-plus of 35-45 goal seasons
Or several 50+ goal seasons plus longevity
Health and team context crucial
Nearly guarantees Hall of Fame induction

For active players chasing milestone, each season brings added pressure and media attention as countdown continues.

Play Gridzy Hockey Free Every Day

Gridzy Hockey is Shurzy's daily NHL grid game where you pretend you're "just messing around" and then suddenly you're 15 minutes deep arguing with yourself about whether some 2009 fourth-liner qualifies as a 40-goal guy.

You get nine guesses to fill a 3×3 grid, you can't reuse players, and every pick is either a genius flex or instant regret, so yeah, it's basically hockey trivia with stakes.

New grid drops every day at 6:00am ET, which is perfect because nothing says "healthy morning routine" like panicking over who won the Lady Byng in 1998. If you think you know puck, prove it.

Go play Gridzy right now!

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