There is something magical about a 50-goal season in the NHL.
Only nine active NHL players have scored 50 goals in a season: Alex Ovechkin (9x), Leon Draisaitl and Steven Stamkos (2x), Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Corey Perry, Chris Kreider, Auston Matthews, and Connor McDavid reached 50 for the first time on Monday. McDavid became the 95th player in NHL history to score 50, and he did it in 61 games. Three of those active players will be on the ice tonight.
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McDavid is the fastest to 50 goals in a season since Mario Lemieux (50 games), Jaromir Jagr (60) and Alex Mogilny (61) did it in 1995-96. Here’s a list of all the players who scored 50 goals in 61 games or less and how many goals they finished that season with.
Player
Game #
Total G
Player
Game #
Total G
W. Gretzky
39
92
Brett Hull
54
72
W. Gretzky
42
87
P. Esposito
54
61
M. Lemieux
44
85
S. Yzerman
55
65
C. Neely
44
50
W. Gretzky
55
62
A. Mogilny
46
76
P. Esposito
56
68
M. Lemieux
48
69
C. Simmer
57
56
Brett Hull
49
86
J. Kurri
57
52
W. Gretzky
49
73
P. Esposito
58
76
J. Kurri
50
71
M. Bossy
58
69
Brett Hull
50
70
J. Jagr
59
62
M. Lemieux
50
69
W. Gretzky
60
71
M. Bossy
50
68
P. Esposito
60
66
M. Richard
50
50
L.McDonald
60
66
M. Lemieux
51
70
A. Mogilny
61
60
B. Nicholls
51
70
D. Maruk
61
60
C. Simmer
51
56
M.Bossy
61
58
Bobby Hull
52
54
C. McDavid
61
???
M. Lemieux
53
54
McDavid is the 17th player to score 50 goals in 61 games or fewer. (This list includes the player’s games played, not the team’s. Cam Neely for instance scored 50 goals in 44 games played, but it was the Bruins’ 66th game).
McDavid is on pace for 67 goals, but maintaining this type of goal pace is difficult.
If he reaches 60 goals he will be the fourth active player (Ovechkin, Stamkos, Matthews) and 22nd overall.
If he scores 65 goals he will become the 13th player to reach that mark and first since Ovechkin had 65 in 2008.
If he scores 70 goals he’d be the ninth player to do it and first since Teemu Selanne and Alex Mogilny each scored 76 in 1993.
I feel some have overlooked how big of an accomplishment 50 goals is, never mind doing it in 61 games, and when he’s on pace to score 155 points. He’s having an amazing season, one for the ages, and I’m surprised by the lack of focus on it. Only 95 players have scored 50 goals in a season and even fewer have scored 50 goals and 100 points.
McDavid is the 56th to reach both milestones in the same season. Only 24 have done it twice, including Leon Draisaitl, and he is on pace to do it for a third season.
The 50-100 is a great mark, but he’s on pace for 60 goals and at least 130-points, possibly 150. The list of players who scored 50 goals and 130 points is down to 16. It shrinks to eight who have had 50 goals and 140 points. And only five players have scored 60 goals and 150 points.
McDavid is on pace to win the scoring race by 30 points. To dominate your peers by that many points in a season is rare. The list of players to lead the scoring race by 20 points is small.
Player
Year
Points
Lead
W. Gretzky
1984
205
79
W. Gretzky
1987
183
75
W. Gretzky
1986
215
74
W. Gretzky
1985
208
73
W. Gretzky
1983
196
72
W. Gretzky
1982
212
65
W. Gretzky
1991
163
32
M. Lemieux
1989
199
31
W. Gretzky
1981
164
29
P. Esposito
1973
130
26
G. Howe
1953
95
24
P. Esposito
1974
145
23
B. Orr
1970
120
21
C. McDavid
2021
105
21
G. Howe
1951
86
20
J. Jagr
1999
127
20
McDavid led the 2021 season by 21 points and that was in a 56-game season. McDavid is already in an exclusive club and he could join Gretzky and Lemieux as the only players to have a 30+ points scoring lead. And when anyone tells you everyone scored in the 1980s, just remind them that only Gretzky (and Lemieux, once) scored at his pace. It’s ridiculous how many more points he had than his peers and teammates.
As you watch the final 21 games this season, don’t take for granted what you are watching. McDavid’s season is going to go down in history as one of the best of all time.

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LINEUPS…

Oilers

RNH – McDavid – Hyman
Draisaitl – Yamamoto
Foegele – Mcleod – Janmark
Kostin– Ryan – Shore
Nurse – Ceci
Ekholm – Bouchard
Kulak – Broberg
Desharnais
Skinner
Mattias Ekholm will make his Oilers debut. I think the D pairs would run like the forwards for the next few games as Dave Manson tries different combos in different situations. Evan Bouchard will take Tyson Barrie’s spot on the first unit power play. Barrie’s departure will give him more PP time, but also more 5×5 time and I think he will benefit. Offensive players need to feel the puck. The more they have the puck, the more opportunities they have to make plays.
Bouchard spoke today about how even completing a few more passes can boost your confidence. He will do that on the PP, and with more ice time, he could do it more at 5×5 as well. When he is feeling it he’s a very good passer. His current 39-game goal drought has impacted his confidence. He hasn’t scored since November 28th. He hasn’t had a drought like this since his first year in junior. It does impact a player, even though they don’t want it to. But the good news is, one shot can change his fortunes, and with more PP time will come more shooting chances.
I’m not sure Skinner will start. He didn’t take part in the optional this morning, while Jack Campbell took a brief 15-minute skate. My gut says Skinner, but that is just a hunch. Campbell and head coach Jay Woodcroft wouldn’t confirm who starts.

Maple Leafs…

Bunting – Matthews – Marner
Tavares – O’Reilly – Nylander
Kerfoot – Kampf – Jarnkrok
Aston-Reece – Acciari – Lafferty
Reilly – Holl
McCabe – Brodie
Giordano – Liljegren
Samsonov
Luke Schenn will arrive later today and won’t play, while Erik Gustafsson will meet them in Calgary. The Leafs have dominated the Oilers in their last four visits to Edmonton going 4-0 and outscoring them 18-2. Three of those games occurred in the 2021 North Division and the Leafs won all three over a five-day span by scores of 3-0, 4-0 and 6-1. They defeated the Oilers 5-1 last year.

TONIGHT…

Photoshop: Tom Kostiuk
GAME DAY PREDICTION: I expect another fast-paced game like we saw Monday v. Boston, but this time the Oilers win 5-4.
OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: McDavid scores his 51st goal of the season.
NOT-SO-OBVIOUS GAME DAY PREDICTION: Mattias Janmark scores his first career goal v. Toronto.