Fastest to 500 Goals and 1,000 Points in NHL History

Fastest to 500 Goals

1. Wayne Gretzky: 575 games

• Reached December 22, 1986
• Age 25
• Elite even-strength and power-play scoring

2. Mario Lemieux: 605 games

• October 26, 1995
• Multiple injuries already
• 1.88 career points per game

3. Mike Bossy: 647 games

• January 2, 1986
• New York Islanders dynasty
• Nine consecutive 50-goal seasons

4. Brett Hull: 693 games

• December 22, 1996
• Elite one-timer specialist
• 741 career goals

5. Jari Kurri: 716 games

• October 17, 1992
• Playing alongside Gretzky
• Edmonton Oilers dynasty

6. Marcel Dionne: 740 games

• December 14, 1982
• Los Angeles Kings star
• 731 career goals

7. Phil Esposito: 803 games

• March 2, 1974
• Boston Bruins
• 717 career goals

8. Alex Ovechkin: 801 games

• January 10, 2016
• Modern era record
• All-time goals leader (916)

9. Mike Gartner: 821 games

• October 14, 1991
• Model consistency
• 708 career goals

10. Guy Lafleur: 886 games

• December 20, 1983
• Montreal Canadiens dynasty
• 560 career goals

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.

Fastest to 1,000 Points

1. Wayne Gretzky: 424 games

• December 19, 1984
• Age 23
• Unmatched pace

2. Mario Lemieux: 513 games

• March 24, 1992
• Age 26
• Injuries slowed pace

3. Mike Bossy: 656 games

• January 24, 1986
• Pure goal-scorer
• Career ended at age 30

4. Peter Stastny: 682 games

• October 19, 1989
• Quebec Nordiques star
• Defected from Czechoslovakia

5. Jari Kurri: 716 games

• January 2, 1990
• Edmonton Oilers dynasty
• Playing with Gretzky

6. Guy Lafleur: 720 games

• March 4, 1981
• Montreal Canadiens
• Elite playmaker

7. Connor McDavid: 756 games

• November 14, 2023
• Fastest active player
• Modern era record

8. Denis Savard: 781 games

• March 11, 1990
• Chicago Blackhawks
• Flashy playmaker

9. Marcel Dionne: 740 games

• January 7, 1981
• Los Angeles Kings
• 1,771 career points

10. Phil Esposito: 745 games

• February 15, 1974
• Boston Bruins
• 1,590 career points

If you love stats and milestones, Gridzy is built for you: a daily NHL grid where players must match stat thresholds, awards, and team history.

Gretzky's Untouchable Pace

500 Goals in 575 Games:

• 0.87 goals per game
• Reached at age 25
• Would have hit 500 even faster without playmaking focus

1,000 Points in 424 Games:

• 2.36 points per game
• Reached at age 23
• Most dominant offensive stretch ever

Why It's Untouchable: Gretzky's pace required combination of elite skill, high-scoring era, powerhouse team, and perfect health. No modern player can replicate these conditions.

Read more: NHL Players With 500 Career Goals (Updated List)

Lemieux's Elite Pace Despite Injuries

Mario Lemieux's Speed:

• 500 goals: 605 games
• 1,000 points: 513 games
• 1.88 career points per game (second to Gretzky)

What Could Have Been: Lemieux missed significant time to back injuries, Hodgkin's lymphoma, and retirement. If healthy throughout, he might have challenged Gretzky's speed records.

Modern Era: McDavid's Record-Breaking Pace

Connor McDavid:

• 1,000 points in 756 games (fastest ever)
• Broke Gretzky's previous record of 849 games by 93 games
• 1.53 points per game
• Age 27 at milestone

500 Goals Projection: McDavid currently at 390+ goals. At his current pace, he should reach 500 around 850-900 games, unlikely to crack top 10 fastest due to playmaking focus.

Other Modern Stars:

• Leon Draisaitl: On pace for fast 1,000 points
• Auston Matthews: Fastest active player to 300 goals (482 games)
• Nathan MacKinnon: Strong pace to 1,000

Ready to prove you know your 500-goal and 1,000-point guys? Gridzy Hockey turns those milestones into a daily puzzle, and you only get 9 guesses.

Stylistic Differences

Pure Goal Scorers:

• Mike Bossy: 647 games to 500 goals
• Brett Hull: 693 games to 500 goals
• Focus on finishing over playmaking

Dual-Threat Scorers:

• Wayne Gretzky: Elite goals and assists
• Mario Lemieux: Balanced production
• Alex Ovechkin: Goal-scoring specialist

Playmakers:

• Connor McDavid: Assists-focused
• Peter Stastny: Elite setup man
• Points accumulate through assists

Power-Play vs. Even-Strength

Power-Play Reliance:

• Alex Ovechkin: 300+ power-play goals
• Brett Hull: Elite power-play scorer
• Specialized role accelerates pace

Even-Strength Dominance:

• Wayne Gretzky: Elite at both
• Mario Lemieux: Dominated 5-on-5
• Mike Bossy: Even-strength excellence

Read more: NHL Records Trivia: Single Season & Career Records

Era Adjustment: Fair Comparison?

1980s Scoring Environment:

• League average 7-8 goals per game
• Easier to accumulate points quickly
• Gretzky, Lemieux, Bossy all benefited

Modern Scoring:

• League average 6-6.5 goals per game
• Better goaltending
• Sophisticated defensive systems

Adjusted Comparison: McDavid's 756 games to 1,000 points in modern era arguably more impressive than some 1980s performances, though still slower than Gretzky and Lemieux.

Active Players' Projections

Auston Matthews (302+ goals):

• Current pace: 0.63 goals per game
• Projected 500 goals: ~800 games
• Unlikely to crack top 15 fastest

Leon Draisaitl (420+ goals):

• Current pace: 0.50 goals per game
• Projected 500 goals: ~850-900 games
• Strong offensive pace

Nathan MacKinnon (403+ goals):

• Current pace: 0.44 goals per game
• Projected 500 goals: ~1,000+ games
• More playmaker than goal-scorer

Connor McDavid (390+ goals):

• Current pace: 0.52 goals per game
• Projected 500 goals: ~900 games
• Playmaking focus limits goal pace

Betting and Futures Context

Milestone Props: Sportsbooks offer "Will Player X reach 500 goals by age 32" type markets. Understanding historical pace provides edge:

• Elite scorers reach 500 in 650-800 games
• Modern stars need 40+ goals per year
• Injury risk major factor

Fastest to Projections: Current players' pace helps evaluate long-term futures. Matthews has legitimate shot at top 15 fastest to 500 goals if maintains health and production.

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

Legacy of Speed Records

The fastest to 500 goals and 1,000 points showcases peak offensive dominance. Gretzky's records remain untouchable, with Lemieux providing only realistic historical challenge.

Modern stars like McDavid prove elite talent still exists, with his record-breaking pace to 1,000 points showing evolution hasn't eliminated offensive dominance, just changed its form.

These speed records provide framework for evaluating greatest offensive players in NHL history, separating peak performance from longevity-based accumulation.

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

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