Best Single-Season Goal Scorers in NHL History (Top 50)

The Top 10 Single-Season Goal Totals

1. Wayne Gretzky: 92 goals (1981-82)

• Edmonton Oilers
• 80-game season
• Reached 50 goals in 39 games
• 212 total points

2. Wayne Gretzky: 87 goals (1983-84)

• Edmonton Oilers
• Elite power-play production
• 205 total points

3. Brett Hull: 86 goals (1990-91)

• St. Louis Blues
• Elite one-timer specialist
• 131 total points

4. Mario Lemieux: 85 goals (1988-89)

• Pittsburgh Penguins
• 199 total points
• Art Ross and Hart Trophy winner

5. Phil Esposito: 76 goals (1970-71)

• Boston Bruins
• First player to 70+ goals
• 152 total points

6. Alexander Mogilny: 76 goals (1992-93)

• Buffalo Sabres
• Shared Rocket Richard lead with Selanne
• Elite speed and finishing

7. Teemu Selanne: 76 goals (1992-93)

• Winnipeg Jets
• Rookie season
• Calder Trophy winner

8. Wayne Gretzky: 73 goals (1984-85)

• Edmonton Oilers
• 208 total points
• Part of dynasty era

9. Brett Hull: 72 goals (1989-90)

• St. Louis Blues
• Back-to-back elite seasons
• 113 total points

10. Wayne Gretzky: 71 goals (1982-83)

• Edmonton Oilers
• 196 total points
• Multiple record-setting seasons

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Gretzky's Dominance of the Top 50

Wayne Gretzky appears multiple times in the top 50 single-season goal totals, crowding out space for others:

Gretzky's Top 50 Appearances:

• Four seasons with 70+ goals
• Nine seasons with 50+ goals
• 92, 87, 73, 71, 62, 55, 54, 52, 51 goal seasons

His peak came during the highest-scoring era in NHL history, but his dominance relative to peers was equally impressive.

Era Dominance: The 1980s Boom

The vast majority of top 50 seasons occurred between roughly 1978-79 and 1993-94:

Why the 1980s Exploded:

• Looser defensive systems
• Smaller goalie equipment
• Heavy power-play time
• Wide-open offensive style
• League average 7-8 goals per game

Examples: In 1992-93, both Mogilny (76) and Selanne (76) cracked the upper range of the list in the same year. Multiple players scored 50+ goals annually during this era.

Modern Comparison: League average now: 6-6.5 goals per game

• More sophisticated defensive systems
• Larger goalie equipment
• Better goaltending technique

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Modern Entries and Era Context

Alexander Ovechkin's Best Seasons:

• 65 goals (2007-08)
• 56 goals (2008-09)
• 53 goals (2009-10)
• Multiple 50+ goal seasons

These slot into the top 50 but in lower-scoring environment, making them arguably more impressive than raw numbers suggest.

Auston Matthews:

• 69 goals (2021-22, modern salary cap record)
• 60 goals (2021-22 adjusted for 82 games)

Matthews' 60-goal season sits lower on raw list but arguably higher in difficulty once era is considered. Scoring 60+ goals in modern NHL represents outlier dominance.

Recent Scoring Increases: Slight uptick in scoring could allow new names to sneak into lower half of top 50. Players like Leon Draisaitl, David Pastrnak, and Nathan MacKinnon have threatened 60-goal seasons.

Read more: NHL Players With 50+ Goals in a Season (All-Time)

Top 50 Breakdown by Decade

1970s: 8 seasons

• Phil Esposito dominance
• Guy Lafleur emergence
• Mike Bossy debut

1980s: 32 seasons

• Gretzky, Lemieux, Kurri, Hull
• Peak offensive era
• Dynasty teams (Edmonton, Islanders)

1990s: 8 seasons

• Early 90s high scoring
• Dead Puck Era begins
• Mogilny, Selanne peaks

2000s-2020s: 2 seasons

• Ovechkin, Matthews
• Lower-scoring environment
• Outlier performances

Franchise Representation

Which teams have most top 50 seasons:

Edmonton Oilers: 15+ seasons

• Gretzky, Kurri, Anderson
• Dynasty era dominance
• High-octane offense

St. Louis Blues: 6+ seasons

• Brett Hull primarily
• Power-play specialists
• 1990s excellence

Pittsburgh Penguins: 5+ seasons

• Mario Lemieux dominance
• Jagr contributions
• Offensive system

Boston Bruins: 4+ seasons

• Phil Esposito
• Cam Neely
• Historical powerhouse

Washington Capitals: 4+ seasons

• Alexander Ovechkin
• Modern era representative
• Power-play mastery

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Positional Breakdown

Wingers Dominate: Nearly all top 50 seasons belong to wingers:

• Right wingers: Hull, Selanne, Bossy
• Left wingers: Ovechkin, Tkachuk
• Position specialization for finishing

Centers: Fewer but elite:

• Gretzky, Lemieux, Esposito
• Complete offensive game
• Playmaking plus finishing

Defensemen: Zero appearances in top 50, reinforcing positional specialization. Bobby Orr's career-high was 46 goals, impressive for defenseman but nowhere near top 50.

Shooting Percentage vs. Volume

Different paths to elite goal totals:

Volume Shooters:

• Ovechkin: 400+ shots per season
• Phil Kessel: High shot totals
• Generate goals through sheer volume

Efficiency Scorers:

• Mario Lemieux: Elite shooting percentage
• Brett Hull: Lethal accuracy
• Mike Bossy: Never below 15% shooting

Balanced:

• Auston Matthews: High shots + elite percentage
• Wayne Gretzky: Volume and efficiency
• Best of both approaches

Read more: All 32 NHL Teams Ranked by Offense (2025-2026 Season)

Can Anyone Threaten 65-70 Goals Today?

Modern context makes 65+ goals extremely difficult:

Requirements:

• Elite shooting talent
• Heavy power-play usage
• Good team creating chances
• Health for full 82 games
• Career-year shooting percentage

Best Modern Candidates:

• Auston Matthews: Already did 60+
• Leon Draisaitl: Strong candidate
• David Pastrnak: Capable
• Alex Ovechkin: Did it multiple times

Realistic Modern Ceiling: 60-65 goals represents realistic peak in modern NHL. Reaching 70+ would require perfect storm of talent, usage, and team success.

Betting and Analytics Context

For betting markets, historical goal-scoring provides context:

Season Goal Totals: Sportsbooks offer over/under on elite scorers. Understanding historical context helps evaluate these props.

Modern vs. Historical: A player with 55-goal projection in modern NHL would have scored 70+ in 1980s environment, making historical comparisons crucial for accurate evaluation.

Read more: Everything You Need to Know About NHL Prop Betting

Legacy of the Top 50

The top 50 single-season goal totals represent pinnacle of finishing ability across NHL history. While dominated by 1980s offensive explosion, modern entries from Ovechkin and Matthews prove elite snipers can still produce massive totals despite lower-scoring environment.

Gretzky's 92 goals remains untouchable, but the evolution of goal-scoring from Esposito through Bossy, Hull, Lemieux, Ovechkin, and Matthews tells story of how the game has changed while elite finishing remains constant.

Read more: NHL Betting: The Ultimate Guide for the 2025/2026 Hockey Season

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