Scoring a goal represents the ultimate individual feat for a hockey player, regardless of the level. It could come while playing street hockey with wooden sticks and tennis balls. Or during a long shift on a typical weekend, in an adult beer league. Goals might also come on a grander and more memorable scale, such as with prestigious invitational tournaments in minor hockey. The rush that engulfs a hockey player when he/she puts one between the pipes and past an opposing goalie represents the pinnacle, individual moment in the sport.
This past week, the NHL and the hockey community around the globe witnessed a record-breaking event that most prognosticators had thought would never happen.
“The Great 8,” Alex Ovechkin, had surpassed “The Great One,” Wayne Gretzky, scoring his 895th NHL goal, henceforth becoming the greatest goal scorer in NHL history.
Ovechkin has set the standard for the modern goal scorer. Throughout his 20-year NHL career, he has won the Maurice “Rocket” Richard trophy nine times as the NHL’s top goal scorer.
Ovi has also scored over 50 goals nine times, and once, in a magical 2007-08 season, scored an incredible 65.
These feats highlight a trend that has emerged in recent decades: the 50-goal season is now beyond exceptional. It is rare and represents the absolute best output and the emblem of goal-scoring prowess for an individual season.
Of course, there are recent, unique examples of two other players who are carving their own legacies, and like Ovechkin, they belong in the conversation as not only being the best of their era but perhaps the best of all time.
Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers and Auston Matthews of the Toronto Maple Leafs have surpassed the 60-goal mark. McDavid scored a remarkable 64 in 2022-23, Matthews scored exactly 60 in 2021-22, and a beyond impressive 69 in 2023-24.
Totals like those hit by Ovechkin in ‘08 or recently achieved by McDavid and Matthews are especially rare. Less emphatically, it would seem, but still exclusive and special, is the 50-goal season.
The NHL has seen a transformation of perspective regarding what the benchmark total might be for a truly outstanding season in goal-scoring.
Maurice “Rocket” Richard of the Montreal Canadiens became the NHL’s first 50-goal scorer in 1944-45, hitting that total in a phenomenal 50 games.
For decades, this mark stood as the true element of greatness until 50 goals became almost commonplace among a growing number of offensively gifted players.
To compare, 14 players scored over 50 goals in the 1992-93 NHL season.
This year, the NHL had one player, Edmonton Oilers sniper Leon Draisaitl, as the lone 50-goal man.
Recently, some seasons might have as many as four or five 50-goal scorers; the league has also concluded its 82-game schedule with two, one, or even zero.
The 50-goal season is becoming so difficult to achieve now that we can no longer justify that elusive number as being the token of a great season. Rather, the qualifier of “great” should now be linked to the select few who achieve 40 or more goals.
That in and of itself is great. Let’s leave 50, with a separate label on the goal scorer’s rubric and accolade of success.
Perhaps “Tansendent” or “Sublime” could be reserved for the 50-goal club? “Legendary” could be attached to those 60-plus seasons akin to Ovechkin, McDavid, or Matthews.
Times have changed, and so should our categorization and recognition of greatness. 40 goals is great by today’s NHL standards. William Nylander pocketed 44 goals through the 79 games, with three regular-season games remaining at the time of this article.
Nylander had a “great” season, as did Tage Thompson (44), Brayden Point (41), and yes, Alex Ovechkin, who, with 42 goals, broke the record once thought to be unbreakable.
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