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NHL Players With 40+ Goals in a Season (All-Time)

A 40-goal season is often the line where a good scorer becomes an undeniable star. Dozens of players have hit 40 at least once, but the story of 40-goal seasons is really about repeat offenders and how offensive environments have shifted around them.

February 19, 2026

The Record Holders: Ovechkin and Gretzky

Alex Ovechkin holds the mark for the most 40-goal seasons in history, surpassing Wayne Gretzky when he recorded his 13th 40-goal campaign.

The Leaders:

Alex Ovechkin: 13 seasons with 40+ goals
Wayne Gretzky: 12 seasons with 40+ goals
Marcel Dionne: 10 seasons
Mario Lemieux: 9 seasons
Mike Bossy: 9 seasons
Mike Gartner: 8 seasons

These names illustrate how consistently elite shooters turn 40 goals into a baseline rather than a career high.

Ovechkin's Dominance: Ovechkin accomplished his 13 seasons in a league that was often more defensive than the 1980s. His consistency from the left circle on the power play, combined with relentless shooting volume, made him an outlier across multiple eras.

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How the 40-Goal Plateau Became a Thing

The milestone really starts to appear regularly in the expansion and post-expansion era once schedules lengthen and offensive systems develop.

Era Evolution:

1970s-1980s Explosion: As scoring explodes, 40 goals becomes almost expected from top-line wingers on powerhouse teams, not just transcendent stars. Edmonton, the Islanders, and Pittsburgh routinely produced multiple 40-goal scorers in the same year.

Dead Puck Era (Mid-1990s to Early 2000s): Hitting 40 in a trap-heavy, low-event environment becomes a major achievement again, highlighting the skill of snipers who manage it. A 40-goal season in 1998 was more impressive relative to league scoring than 40 goals in 1985.

Post-2005 Rule Changes: Rule changes briefly opened the door for more 40-goal performances before systems tightened again. Players like Ilya Kovalchuk and Dany Heatley capitalized on this brief window.

Modern Era: Recent scoring upticks and elite power-play structures have allowed stars like Auston Matthews, David Pastrnak, and Leon Draisaitl to convert heavy shot volume into 40+ goals in modern conditions.

All-Time 40-Goal Specialists

Alex Ovechkin: 13 Seasons

Ovechkin's 13 campaigns with 40+ goals came across three different scoring eras:

High-scoring late 2000s
Lower-scoring 2010s
Modern uptick in late 2010s/early 2020s

His ability to adapt while maintaining elite goal-scoring separates him from all others.

Wayne Gretzky: 12 Seasons

Gretzky produced 12 seasons with at least 40 goals, combining volume shooting with elite playmaking. For Gretzky, 40 was often just a stepping stone to 60 or more.

His 12 seasons came during the 1980s offensive explosion, when defensive systems were looser and goaltending equipment smaller.

Marcel Dionne and Mario Lemieux

Both produced multiple 40-goal years as centerpieces of high-powered attacks in Los Angeles and Pittsburgh during high-scoring eras.

Dionne: 10 seasons with 40+ goals Lemieux: 9 seasons with 40+ goals

Lemieux's total would likely be higher without injuries and illness that cost him significant playing time.

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Mike Bossy and Mike Gartner

Both built reputations on consistency, regularly crossing 40 and often 50, showing how pure goal scorers can sustain production over a decade.

Mike Bossy: 9 seasons

New York Islanders dynasty era
Never scored fewer than 51 goals in first nine seasons
Career cut short by back injuries

Mike Gartner: 8 seasons

Model of consistency across 19 NHL seasons
708 career goals
Crossed 40 goals with multiple franchises

Era and Team Context

Understanding 40-goal seasons requires era context:

1980s Powerhouses: Teams like Edmonton, the Islanders, and the mid-90s Penguins routinely produced multiple 40-goal scorers in the same year, a rarity today. Edmonton in particular had multiple players hitting 40+ goals simultaneously during their dynasty.

Dead Puck Era Achievements: Dead Puck Era 40-goal seasons (mid-90s to early 2000s) can be framed as more impressive relative to league scoring levels than the same raw totals in 1985. When league average was 5.5 goals per game, scoring 40 required elite ability.

Modern Scoring Environment: Recent upticks in scoring, driven by improved power-play tactics and skill development, have made 40-goal seasons slightly more common but still rare. Typically 5-10 players reach 40 goals per season in modern NHL.

Volume Shooters vs. Surgical Scorers

Volume Shooters:

Alex Ovechkin: 400+ shots per season at peak
Phil Kessel: High shot totals, elite conversion
Strategy: Generate goals through sheer volume

Surgical Scorers:

Mario Lemieux: Hit 40+ on fewer shots
Brett Hull: Elite shooting percentage
Strategy: Selective attempts, high conversion rate

Both approaches can produce 40-goal seasons, but the underlying process differs dramatically.

Modern 40-Goal Scorers

Recent players who've crossed 40 multiple times:

Auston Matthews:

Three 50+ goal seasons
Multiple 40+ goal campaigns
Elite shooting percentage

Leon Draisaitl:

Multiple 40+ goal seasons
Playing alongside McDavid
Power-play specialist

David Pastrnak:

Multiple 40+ goal seasons
Elite one-timer from circle
Boston's primary goal-scorer

Alex Ovechkin (continued):

Still producing 40+ goals into late 30s
Remarkable longevity
All-time goals leader

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40-Goal Seasons by Franchise

Some franchises have historically produced more 40-goal scorers:

Edmonton Oilers:

Wayne Gretzky: 12 seasons
Jari Kurri: 7 seasons
Glenn Anderson: 2 seasons
Leon Draisaitl: 2+ seasons
Dynasty era produced multiple simultaneously

Washington Capitals:

Alex Ovechkin: 13 seasons
Dennis Maruk: 1 season (60 goals in 1981-82)
Franchise built around elite goal-scoring

Pittsburgh Penguins:

Mario Lemieux: 9 seasons
Jaromir Jagr: 5 seasons
Sidney Crosby: 1 season
Consistent offensive firepower

Toronto Maple Leafs:

Auston Matthews: 3+ seasons
Rick Vaive: 3 consecutive 50-goal seasons
Modern resurgence of goal-scoring

Betting and Prop Context

For betting markets, 40-goal seasons provide crucial context:

Player Props: Sportsbooks offer season-long goal totals on elite scorers. Historical data shows:

Players who hit 60 once often get to 40 multiple times
Consistency matters more than single-season outliers
Power-play usage heavily influences 40-goal probability

Franchise Trends: Markets that historically produce elite scorers (Edmonton, Washington, Pittsburgh) offer better value for goal-scoring props than teams that rarely see anyone reach 40.

One-Year Wonders: Some players hit 40 once and never approach it again. Jonathan Cheechoo (56 goals in 2005-06) exemplifies this, making repeat 40-goal scorers more valuable for betting purposes.

What 40 Goals Means Today

In modern NHL, 40 goals represents elite but achievable milestone:

Current Landscape:

Typically 5-10 players reach 40 per season
30-35 goals now considered excellent
40 goals separates very good from elite
Power-play efficiency crucial

The distribution remains heavily skewed toward the very best finishers, making 40-goal seasons a reliable marker of elite goal-scoring ability regardless of era.

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