NHL Regular Season Recap: Offensive Milestones Aplenty in 2017-18

 

By Eddie Melville

April 4, 2018

(This is second segment of a 2-part series highlighting the offensive milestones accomplished during the 2017-18 NHL season, as well as those special goal, assist, and point-markers still within reach as the regular season draws to a close.)

If your favorite hockey highlight reels involve sick wrist shots, powerful slappers, ankle-breaking dekes, and dazzling assists, then you have probably enjoyed the 2017-18 NHL season up to this point.  While the races for the Rocket Richard and Art Ross always get the most press, it would be a crime to ignore the bigger picture of what has been going on league-wide.  At the conclusion of Tuesday night’s games, seven players have at least 90 points, the most since 2009-10.  By comparison, only two players eclipsed 90 points the previous two seasons (Connor McDavid and Patrick Kane) while Jamie Benn won the scoring title with just 87 points 3 years ago.  The point totals aren’t the only offensive stat on the rise.  Seven players also have scored at least 40 goals, the most since 2009-10 as you might have guessed.  Last season, only three men reached the 40 goal mark.  Four players have either 38 or 39 goals, which means more will likely reach the milestone.  Put simply, this has been a robust time for NHL offensive stars across the board.

The following takes a closer look at impressive numbers from individual standouts and the accomplishments some of them are still chasing as the regular season winds down:

Living Legends

• Sidney Crosby (28 goals, 58 assists, 86 points)
  • Accomplishments
    • 9th career 80-point season, the most such seasons of any player since Sid entered the league in 2005-06
    • 7th career 50-assist season
    • 10th season with at least 28 goals 
  • Chasing (2 games left)
    • 6th season with at least 90 points
    • 9th season with at least 30 goals
    • 5th season with at least 60 assists
    • 10th season finishing in the Top 10 in points (currently tied for 10th)
      • Only 3 years he did not finish in the Top 10 were injury-shortened

• Evgeni Malkin (42 goals, 54 assists, 96 points)
  • Accomplishments
    • 4th career 90-point season, his first since 2011-12.
    • 3rd career 40-goal season
    • 5th season with at least 50 assists
  • Chasing (2 games left)
    • 4th career 100-point season
      • would tie him with Ovechkin and put him one behind Crosby for most since all 3 studs joined the league)
    • 3rd career season with at least 45 goals
    • 1st career Rocket Richard Trophy (best finish was second in 2011-12)

• Alex Ovechkin (46 goals, 38 assists, 84 points)
  • Accomplishments
    • 9th career 40-goal season
    • 10th season with 15 or more power-play goals
    • 8th career 80-point season
  • Chasing (2 games left)
    • 8th career 50-goal season
    • 7th career Rocket Richard Trophy
    • 7th season with at least 40 assists

• Steven Stamkos (27 goals, 59 assists, 86 points)
  • Accomplishments
    • 4th career 80-point season
    • 1st career 50-assist season
    • 8th career 25-goal season
  • Chasing 
    • 4th career 90-point season
    • 1st career 60-assist season
    • 6th career 30-goal season 

Changing of the Guard

• Connor McDavid (41 goals, 62 assists, 103 points)
  • Accomplishments
    • 2nd career 100-point season in just his third year
    • 1st player w/ back-to-back 100 PTS since 2009-10 (Crosby, Ovechkin)
    • 1st career 40-goal season
    • 2nd career 60-assist season
  • Chasing (2 games left)
    • Back-to-back Art Ross Trophies
      • Would be first since Jaromir Jagr did it four times in a row (97/98, 98/99, 99/00, 00/01)
    • 1st Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy
    • Highest point total since Malkin put up 109 during the 11-12 season. 
    • Back-to-back points-per-game leader (currently trails MacKinnon)

• Nikita Kucherov (38 goals, 60 assists, 98 points)
  • Accomplishments
    • 1st career 90-point season
    • 3rd career 30-goal season
    • 1st career 60-assist season
  • Chasing (2 games left)
    • 1st career Art Ross Trophy (5 points back)
    • 1st career 100-point season
    • 1st career 40-goal season

• Nathan MacKinnon (38 goals, 56 assists, 94 points)
  • Accomplishments
    • 1st career 30-goal season
    • 1st career 50-assist season
    • 1st career 90-point season
  • Chasing (2 games left)
    • 1st career 40-goal season
    • 1st career 60-assist season
    • 1st career 100-point season
    • 1st career points-per-game title (leading with 1.31 at time of publishing)

• Patrik Laine (44 goals, 25 assists, 69 points)
  • Accomplishments
    • 5th most goals all-time for a teenager (age 19) in a single-season
    • 3rd most goals all-time for a teenager through his first 2 seasons
    • At least 36 goals in each of his first 2 seasons
    • 2nd career 60-point season
  • Chasing (2 games left)
    • 1st career Rocket Richard Trophy
    • 1st career 70-point season

• Auston Matthews (33 goals, 27 assists, 60 points, +25 in just 60 games)
  • Accomplishments
    • At least 33 goals in each of his first 2 seasons
    • 2nd career 60-point season
    • 26th most goals all-time for a teenager through 2 seasons despite injuries
  • Chasing
    • 1st career point-per-game season
    • Back to back seasons with at least 35 goals
    • 1st career 30-assist season

• Taylor Hall (39 goals, 54 assists, 93 points)
  • Accomplishments
    • 1st career 90-point season
    • 2nd career 30-goal season
    • 2nd career 50-assist season
  • Chasing (2 games left)
    • 1st career 40-goal season
    • 3rd career top 10 finish in points
    • 1st career top 10 finish in goals

Age Is Just A Number

• Phil Kessel (31 goals, 56 assists, 87 points)
  • Accomplishments
    • Career-high in points
    • 3rd career 80-point season
    • 6th career 30-goal season
    • 1st career 50-assist season
  • Chasing (2 games left)
    • 1st career 90-point season
    • 1st career 60-assist season
    • 4th career Top 10 finish in points

• Eric Staal (40 goals, 34 assists, 74 points)
  • Accomplishments
    • 3rd career 40-goal season (1st since 08-09)
    • 1 of 18 players ever to score 40 at age 33 or older
    • 8th career 70-point season
  • Chasing (3 games left)
    • 1st top 10 finish in goals since 2008-09
    • 2nd career 80-point season

• Anze Kopitar (35 goals, 56 assists, 91 points)
  • Accomplishments
    • Career-high in points, his 1st 90-point season
    • Career-high in goals, his 3rd 30-goal season
    • Career-high in assists, his 2nd 50-assist season
  • Chasing (2 games left)
    • 1st top 10 finish in points
    • 4th top 10 finish in assists

• Claude Giroux (30 goals, 67 assists, 97 points, +22)
  • Accomplishments
    • Career-high in points, his 2nd 90-point season
    • Career-high in goals, his 1st 30-goal season
    • Career-high in assists, his 2nd 60-assist season
  • Chasing (2 games left)
    • 1st 100-point season
    • 1st player age 30 or older with 100-point year since Daniel Sedin in 10-11
    • 1st career 70-assist season
    • Career-high +/- total

• Blake Wheeler (22 goals, 67 assists, 89 points)
  • Accomplishments
    • 6th career 20-goal season
    • Career-high in assists, his 2nd 50-assist season
    • Career-high in points, his 3rd-career 70-point season
  • Chasing (2 games left)
    • 2nd career top 10 finish in points
    • 1st career 90-point season
    • 1st career 70-assist season

A Cinderella Story, Wild Bill-Style

• William Karlsson (43 goals, 35 assists, 78 points, +49)
  • Accomplishments
    • 1st career 40 goal-season (previous high of 9)
    • Career-high in assists (previous high of 19)
    • Career-high in points (previous high of 25)
  • Chasing (2 games left)
    • 1st career Art Ross Trophy 
    • 1st career +/- Title
    • 1st career 80-point season
    • Highest +/- total since 02-03 (Peter Forsberg, Milan Hejduk, +52)

The Great Scapegoat

• Brad Marchand (34 goals, 50 assists, 84 points, +31 in just 64 games)
  • Accomplishments
    • 2nd-career 80-point season
    • 3rd career 30-goal season
    • Career-high in assists
  • Chasing (3 games left)
    • 1st career points-per-game title (2nd with 1.29 at time of publishing)
    • Career-high in points
    • 1st career 90-point season

Honorable Mentions

• Matt Barzal (82 points to guarantee a point-per-game season average)
• John Tavares (3rd career 80-point season)
• Vladimir Tarasenko (4th straight 30-goal season)
• Tyler Seguin (1st career 40-goal season)
• Johnny Gaudreau (1st career 80-point season)
• Anders Lee (1 goal away from 40)
• James van Riemsdyk (career-high 36 goals)
• Jamie Benn (4th career 30-goal season)