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Every NHL Player With 300 Career Goals (Updated List)

While 500 career goals represents the most exclusive offensive achievement in professional hockey, and 1,000 career points measures sustained excellence across multiple dimensions, the 300-goal milestone occupies a unique position: it separates elite goal scorers from competent ones while remaining within reach of talented players who lack the durability or supporting cast to reach higher thresholds. The 300-goal plateau marks entry into an elite but less rarefied club than 500 goals. As of January 2026, approximately 60-70 players have reached this milestone—roughly double the number in the 500-goal club but far fewer than the 100-member 1,000-point society. This level represents the most common marker of Hall of Fame-caliber offensive performance for goal-oriented players.

January 25, 2026

The Significance of 300 Goals

The 300-goal milestone signals sustained excellence across a decade or more of professional hockey, demonstrating ability to adapt to defensive evolution while maintaining scoring touch.

Modern Context: Reaching 300 goals now requires approximately 500-600 games due to lower-scoring eras, meaning today's 300-goal scorers typically spend 8-10 seasons in the NHL.

For decades, 300 career goals served as quasi-official Hall of Fame threshold for forwards. Nearly all post-1970 skaters with 300+ goals have been inducted or are destined for induction.

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The All-Time Leader and Active Pursuit

Alexander Ovechkin leads all active players with 916 career goals, having surpassed Wayne Gretzky's longstanding record of 894 in early 2025. His path to 500 took 801 games, making him slower than pure goal-scoring specialists like Pavel Bure (372 games) or Brett Hull (411 games), yet his sustained production across nearly two decades demonstrates durability those stars couldn't maintain.

Among Active 300+ Goal Scorers:

Steven Stamkos: 600 goals

Sixth all-time
Despite injuries, maintained elite scoring across 18+ seasons

Sidney Crosby: 649 goals

Fourth all-time
Combination of goal-scoring, playmaking, leadership

Patrick Kane: 500 goals

Joined 500-goal club January 2026
Most balanced 500-goal career (500 goals, 870 assists)

Evgeni Malkin: 523 goals

Entire career in Pittsburgh alongside Crosby
Elite production in second-fiddle role

Leon Draisaitl: 420 goals

Current pace suggests 500+ is realistic
Elite two-way forward

Brad Marchand: 447 goals

Below-elite goal rate
Primary value from two-way play

Fastest to 300 Goals: Elite Peak Performance

The speed to 300 reveals pure goal-scoring ability during peak performance:

Top 15 Fastest:

Wayne Gretzky: 350 games
Pavel Bure: 372 games
Mario Lemieux: 378 games
Maurice Richard: 381 games
Jari Kurri: 400 games
Brett Hull: 411 games
Marcel Dionne: 417 games
Mike Bossy: 433 games
Tim Kerr: 433 games
Alex Ovechkin: 441 games
Paul Kariya: 444 games
Eric Lindros: 454 games
Teemu Selanne: 460 games
Auston Matthews: 482 games
Steven Stamkos: ~490 games

Gretzky's Dominance: Gretzky's 350 games remains unmatched. He reached 300 goals before his 25th birthday while operating at goal-per-game rate no player in any era has approached.

Matthews' Modern Excellence: Auston Matthews achieved 300 in 482 games at age 24 (October 2024), establishing him as one of fastest ever. If Matthews maintains elite production, he could realistically reach 500+ goals before age 32.

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The Modern Generation: Active 300+ Goal Scorers

Thirteen active NHL players have surpassed 300 career goals as of January 2026:

Player / Goals / Games / GPG / Team(s)

Alexander Ovechkin: 916 / 1,536 / 0.60 / Washington

Steven Stamkos: 600 / 1,207 / 0.50 / Tampa Bay/Nashville

Sidney Crosby: 649 / 1,395 / 0.47 / Pittsburgh

Patrick Kane: 500 / 1,333 / 0.38 / Chicago/Buffalo/Detroit

Evgeni Malkin: 523 / 1,241 / 0.42 / Pittsburgh

Brad Marchand: 447 / 1,141 / 0.39 / Boston

Leon Draisaitl: 420 / 834 / 0.50 / Edmonton

Nathan MacKinnon: 403 / 914 / 0.44 / Colorado

Connor McDavid: 390 / 756 / 0.52 / Edmonton

Nikita Kucherov: 379 / 842 / 0.45 / Tampa Bay

Claude Giroux: 375 / 1,307 / 0.29 / Philadelphia/Buffalo/Ottawa

Corey Perry: 421 / 1,300+ / 0.32 / Multiple

Auston Matthews: 302+ / 482 / 0.63 / Toronto

Matthews' Special Case: At age 24 with 302+ goals in just 482 games, Matthews maintains .63 goals-per-game average—second only to Gretzky and Bure among anyone on this list. If he sustains even 45 goals per season, he could realistically reach 600+ goals by age 32-33.

Comparison Across Eras: Scoring Rate Evolution

Goal-scoring rates have declined significantly across NHL history, with modern players achieving 300 goals in far more games than predecessors:

Era Comparison:

Maurice Richard (381 games to 300):

Played when season was 70 games
.79 goals-per-game rate
Much higher-scoring environment

Brett Hull (411 games to 300):

Played in 1980s-90s
Defensive systems tightening
Scoring remained elevated

Alex Ovechkin (441 games to 300):

Multiple eras and defensive evolutions
0.68 goals-per-game still elite
Sophisticated penalty-kill units

Auston Matthews (482 games to 300):

0.63 goals-per-game
Modern lower-scoring era
Contemporary defensive sophistication

This comparison underscores that comparing cross-era goal-scoring requires context. Richard's .79 GPG seems superior to Ovechkin's .68 or Matthews' .63, but modern players accomplish this in league where:

Goaltenders wear equipment 35% larger
Defensive systems exponentially more sophisticated
Teams employ dedicated defensive specialists
Game film allows complete tendency scouting
Competition spans entire globe

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The Path Forward: Who's Next to 300?

Several active players are approaching or will likely reach 300 goals:

Auston Matthews: Will almost certainly exceed 400-500+ goals if he plays into 30s, potentially joining 500-goal club before age 32.

Connor McDavid: 390 goals Could realistically add 100+ more goals, reaching 500 total by age 32-33 if injuries don't derail trajectory.

Leon Draisaitl: 420 goals At age 28 could easily reach 500+ depending on career longevity.

Nathan MacKinnon: 403 goals Recently crossed 400, will likely add significantly more given age and trajectory.

The Hall of Fame Marker

Nearly all post-1970 skaters with 300+ goals have been inducted into Hall of Fame or are destined for induction.

Exceptions:

Corey Perry (421 goals):

Borderline Hall of Fame case
Production decline in recent seasons

Claude Giroux (375 goals):

May be Hall of Fame edge case
Elite playmaking balances modest goal-scoring

Most others with 300+ goals are either already inducted (Richard, Howe, Gretzky, Hull) or will be within five years of retirement eligibility.

Historical Perspective

Maurice Richard reached 300 goals in 1954-55 at age 33, having played 12 seasons. Gordie Howe accumulated 300 goals across first 14 seasons and would reach 801 total by age 52. Brett Hull hit 300 during 1990-91 peak, before injuries limited production.

The evolution from Original Six (when 300 goals was virtually unattainable) through expansion era (when 300 became elite) to modern period (where 300 remains elite but achievable for true stars) reflects both rule changes and scoring evolution.

The 300-Goal Benchmark

Three hundred career goals occupies unique historical space. It's more attainable than 500 goals (roughly 60-70 members vs. 50), yet far less common than 1,000 points (100 members).

For players whose primary value comes from goal-scoring rather than playmaking, 300 goals represents definitive marker of Hall of Fame caliber.

From Maurice Richard's pioneering achievement to Auston Matthews' modern ascent, the 300-goal club encompasses elite performers across seven decades of professional hockey. Its members have redefined what's possible through consistent excellence, delivering sport's most viscerally exciting plays: goals that decide games, define seasons, and etch players into hockey immortality.

Alexander Ovechkin's 916 goals dwarf all others. Steven Stamkos' 600 places him in rarefied company. But even Auston Matthews' 300+ in just 482 games represents achievement fewer than one percent of professional hockey players ever accomplish.

That's what makes it marker of genuine, elite-level offensive excellence worthy of historical recognition and respect.

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