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NHL Trivia Questions (Hard) + Answers

These hard NHL trivia questions are designed for serious fans, long-time viewers, and hardcore bar trivia competitors. Expect obscure records, deep historical knowledge, advanced statistics, and playoff moments that only diehards remember.

January 24, 2026

Obscure Records & Milestones

Q: Which player holds the NHL record for most career regular-season points by a defenseman? A: Ray Bourque with 1,579 points.

Q: Who is the only goaltender in NHL history credited with scoring a goal in both the regular season and the playoffs? A: Martin Brodeur. He scored three regular-season goals and one playoff goal during his career.

Q: Which player scored 50 goals in 39 games, a record often cited as "50 in 39"? A: Wayne Gretzky during the 1981-82 season.

Q: Who was the first NHL player to record 100 points in a single season? A: Phil Esposito in 1968-69 with 126 points.

Q: Which player holds the record for most career shorthanded goals in the regular season? A: Wayne Gretzky with 73 shorthanded goals.

Q: Who holds the record for most points in a single NHL season? A: Wayne Gretzky with 215 points (92 goals, 163 assists) in 1985-86.

Q: Which player has the most career assists in NHL history? A: Wayne Gretzky with 1,963 assists. Even without his goals, he'd still be the all-time points leader.

Q: Who scored the fastest goal from the start of an NHL game? A: Multiple players have scored at 5 seconds, but the official record is often debated between several claims.

Q: Which goalie holds the record for most career shutouts? A: Martin Brodeur with 125 shutouts.

Q: What is the NHL record for longest point streak? A: Wayne Gretzky's 51-game point streak during the 1983-84 season.

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Deep History & Expansion Oddities

Q: Which team joined the NHL via WHA merger and later relocated to become the Colorado Avalanche? A: The Quebec Nordiques. They moved to Denver in 1995 and became the Avalanche.

Q: Before becoming the Dallas Stars, which city did the franchise call home? A: Minneapolis-St. Paul as the Minnesota North Stars from 1967 to 1993.

Q: Which now-defunct team was based in Atlanta before moving to become the Calgary Flames? A: The Atlanta Flames, who relocated to Calgary in 1980.

Q: Which team's relocation created the current Arizona Coyotes franchise? A: The original Winnipeg Jets moved to Phoenix in 1996 and eventually became the Arizona Coyotes.

Q: The "Miracle on Manchester" playoff comeback involved which two teams? A: The Los Angeles Kings and the Edmonton Oilers. The Kings came back from a 5-0 deficit in the third period to win in overtime during the 1982 playoffs.

Q: Which team was the last of the Original Six to win their first Stanley Cup? A: The New York Rangers, who won their first Cup in 1928.

Q: What were the six teams added during the 1967 NHL expansion? A: Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, St. Louis Blues, Minnesota North Stars, Los Angeles Kings, and Oakland Seals.

Q: Which Canadian city lost both of its NHL franchises before getting one back? A: Winnipeg. The original Jets left in 1996, and the city didn't get a team back until the Atlanta Thrashers relocated in 2011.

Q: Which expansion team made the Stanley Cup Final in three of its first four seasons? A: The St. Louis Blues from 1968 to 1970, though they lost all three times.

Q: What was the name of the Atlanta team that relocated to become the Winnipeg Jets in 2011? A: The Atlanta Thrashers.

Advanced Stats & Oddities

Q: Which goalie has the record for most career regular-season wins? A: Martin Brodeur with 691 wins.

Q: Which player has the highest career points-per-game average in NHL history (minimum 500 games played)? A: Wayne Gretzky with 1.921 points per game.

Q: Which player won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP despite playing on the losing team in the Stanley Cup Final? A: Jean-Sébastien Giguère in 2003 for the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, and Roger Crozier in 1966 for the Detroit Red Wings.

Q: Who was the first European-trained captain of a Stanley Cup-winning team? A: Nicklas Lidström of the Detroit Red Wings in 2008.

Q: What is the term for a player recording a goal, an assist, and a fight in the same game? A: A Gordie Howe hat trick.

Q: Which player holds the record for most goals in a single playoff year? A: Reggie Leach with 19 goals in 1976, and Jari Kurri also scored 19 in 1985.

Q: Who was the last player to score 50 goals in 50 games or fewer? A: Brett Hull in 1990-91, reaching 50 goals in his 49th game.

Q: Which player has the most career overtime goals in the regular season? A: Alexander Ovechkin with over 20 career OT goals.

Q: What is the record for most penalty minutes in a single NHL season? A: Dave Schultz with 472 penalty minutes in 1974-75.

Q: Which goalie has the best career save percentage in NHL history (minimum 400 games)? A: Dominik Hasek with a career save percentage around .922.

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Playoff Lore & Rare Feats

Q: Which franchise won four consecutive Stanley Cups from 1980 to 1983? A: The New York Islanders.

Q: Who scored the famous overtime goal in 1970 while flying through the air? A: Bobby Orr. The image of Orr flying through the air after scoring became one of hockey's most iconic photographs.

Q: Which team came back from a 3-0 series deficit to beat the Boston Bruins in 2010? A: The Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Q: Who scored the Cup-winning overtime goal in 1999 that caused a major controversy over a skate in the crease? A: Brett Hull for the Dallas Stars against the Buffalo Sabres.

Q: Which player scored the series-clinching goal in double overtime of Game 7 for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1993 against Detroit? A: Nikolai Borschevsky.

Q: Whose triple-overtime goal in 2000 won Game 6 and the Stanley Cup for the New Jersey Devils? A: Jason Arnott.

Q: Which player scored the Game 6 overtime goal in 2010 that clinched the Stanley Cup for Chicago? A: Patrick Kane, though his goal was so quick that few in the arena initially realized it went in.

Q: Which goaltender recorded the most career playoff shutouts? A: Patrick Roy and Martin Brodeur are tied with 24 playoff shutouts each.

Q: Who holds the record for most points in a single playoff year? A: Wayne Gretzky with 47 points (17 goals, 30 assists) in 1985.

Q: Which team won the Cup after entering the playoffs as an 8-seed? A: The Los Angeles Kings in 2012.

Why Hard Trivia Matters

Hard NHL trivia separates casual fans from diehards. These questions require years of watching hockey, reading about history, and remembering obscure moments that don't make highlight reels. Knowing this material signals genuine investment in the sport beyond just watching your favorite team.

The Line Between Hard and Impossible

The best hard trivia questions are answerable by dedicated fans who follow hockey closely. They're difficult but not impossible, requiring specific knowledge rather than lucky guesses. Questions about specific stat thresholds, franchise relocations, and playoff heroics fall into this category.

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