All Time Leaders in Leading in Month, PTS (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024)

[pnep]

All Time Leaders in Leading in Month*, PTS** (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024)


* - Months with min. 5 team games.

** - tiebreakers:
1. Player with most goals.
2. Player with fewer games played.




Most Times "#1 in PTS", Month (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024)

Most Times "#1 in PTS", Month (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024)

tinyurl.com

Most Times "Top 5 in PTS", Month (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024)

Most Times "Top 5 in PTS", Month (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024)

tinyurl.com

Most Times "Top 10 in PTS", Month (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024)

Most Times "Top 10 in PTS", Month (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024)

tinyurl.com

Best %, "#1 in PTS", Month (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024)

Best %, "#1 in PTS", Month (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024)

tinyurl.com

Best %, "TOP5 in PTS", Month (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024)

Best %, "TOP5 in PTS", Month (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024)

tinyurl.com

Best %, "TOP10 in PTS", Month (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024)

Best %, "TOP10 in PTS", Month (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024)

tinyurl.com

Click to read more...

 

[The Pale King]

As always, thanks for the data. If I'm understanding this properly, Wayne was the monthly points leader in 43% of the months that he was in the league for?

That is truly and utterly wild if so.

 

[The Panther]

As always, thanks for the data. If I'm understanding this properly, Wayne was the monthly points leader in 43% of the months that he was in the league for?

That is truly and utterly wild if so.

Yes, but I think counting only 5-6 games per month as "a month" (as the OP did) kind of lowers everyone's percentages, most likely. In the late-70s through mid-90s (?), April was usually only a handful of games, which leads to a lot of randomness.

 

[pnep]

Wayne was the monthly points leader in 43% of the months that he was in the league for?

excluding months when team games < 5

Player	Season	month	Games_MAX
Gretzky Wayne	1979​	1980-04	4​
Gretzky Wayne	1980​	1981-04	3​
Gretzky Wayne	1981​	1982-04	3​
Gretzky Wayne	1982​	1983-04	2​
Gretzky Wayne	1984​	1985-04	4​
Gretzky Wayne	1985​	1986-04	4​
Gretzky Wayne	1986​	1987-04	3​
Gretzky Wayne	1987​	1988-04	2​
Gretzky Wayne	1988​	1989-04	2​
Gretzky Wayne	1991​	1992-04	3​
Gretzky Wayne	1994​	1995-05	2​

 

[The Panther]

This what I got:

Nov. 1979
25 PTS -- Gretzky
23 PTS -- Trottier

Jan. 1980
25 PTS -- Gretzky
24 PTS -- Dionne / Lafleur / McCourt

Feb. 1980
25 PTS -- Gretzky
24 PTS -- Stoughton

March 1980
30 PTS -- Gretzky
25 PTS -- Middleton

_____________

Jan. 1981
35 PTS -- Gretzky
31 PTS -- K. Nilsson

Feb. 1981
30 PTS -- Gretzky
28 PTS -- Statsny

March 1981
34 PTS -- Gretzky
26 PTS -- J. Richard

(Gretzky also led in April 1981, with 9 points but in only three games.)

_____________

Oct. 1981
27 PTS -- Gretzky
23 PTS -- R. Cloutier

Nov. 1981
37 PTS -- Gretzky
24 PTS -- Tardif / M. Stastny / Savard

Dec. 1981
44 PTS -- Gretzky
27 PTS -- Lumley / P. Stastny

Jan. 1982
38 PTS -- Gretzky
26 PTS -- Maruk

Feb. 1982
35 PTS -- Gretzky
34 PTS -- Bossy

March 1982
30 PTS -- Gretzky
29 PTS -- Bossy

_____________

Oct. 1982
28 PTS -- Gretzky
24 PTS -- Bossy

Nov. 1982
35 PTS -- Gretzky
24 PTS -- M. Stastny

Dec. 1982
32 PTS -- Gretzky
26 PTS -- Messier

Jan. 1983
36 PTS -- Gretzky
29 PTS -- Messier

Feb. 1983
23 PTS -- Gretzky / Pederson
22 PTS -- Dionne

March 1983
36 PTS -- Gretzky
31 PTS -- Smyl

(Gretzky also co-led -- along with John Ogrodnick and Tom Rowe -- in April 1983, with 6 points but in only two games.)

_____________

Oct. 1983
27 PTS -- Gretzky
24 PTS -- Goulet / P. Stastny

Nov. 1983
49 PTS -- Gretzky
36 PTS -- Kurri

Dec. 1983
37 PTS -- Gretzky
30 PTS -- Trottier

Jan. 1984
40 PTS -- Gretzky
27 PTS -- Goulet

(In Feb. 1984, Gretzky was injured, playing about six fewer games than other players, but still fell only 2 points short of the lead for the month.)

March 1984
28 PTS -- Gretzky / Coffey
27 PTS -- Pederson

_____________

Oct. 1984
30 PTS -- Gretzky
28 PTS -- Bossy

Nov. 1984
38 PTS -- Gretzky
24 PTS -- Kurri / Bossy / Hawerchuk / MacLean

Dec. 1984
40 PTS -- Gretzky
30 PTS -- Kurri

Jan. 1985
37 PTS -- Gretzky
29 PTS -- Dionne

Feb. 1985
26 PTS -- Gretzky
20 PTS -- Tonelli

March 1985
29 PTS -- Gretzky
25 PTS -- Ogrodnick / Hawerchuk / Dionne

_____________

Oct. 1985
24 PTS -- Gretzky
19 PTS -- Simmer / Propp

Nov. 1985
28 PTS -- Gretzky
22 PTS -- Kerr / M. Lemieux / Naslund

Dec. 1985
44 PTS -- Gretzky
29 PTS -- Kurri / Coffey

Jan. 1986
43 PTS -- Gretzky
30 PTS -- Bossy

Feb. 1986
33 PTS -- Gretzky
31 PTS -- M. Lemieux

March 1986
37 PTS -- Gretzky
27 PTS -- Coffey

_____________

Oct. 1986
33 PTS -- Gretzky
29 PTS -- M. Lemieux

Nov. 1986
25 -- Hawerchuk / Gretzky
24 -- Bossy

Dec. 1986
36 -- Gretzky
23 -- Savard

Jan. 1987
35 -- Gretzky
25 -- Kurri

Feb. 1987
21 -- Gretzky
19 -- Larouche

March 1987
32 -- Gretzky
26 -- Muller

_____________

Oct. 1987
26 -- M. Lemieux / Gretzky
23 -- Stastny

Nov. 1987
34 -- Gretzky
28 -- Savard

NOTE: December 1987 is the first full NHL month since February 1984 that Gretzky did not lead or co-lead in scoring (he was third behind Yzerman and M. Lemieux). Not counting that earlier month (when he was injured), this was the first full NHL month since December 1980 -- a seven-year period -- that he didn't lead or co-lead in scoring every single month.)

Gretzky was injured most of January 1988 (M. Lemieux led) and some of February 1988 (Messier led).

March 1988
38 PTS -- Gretzky
36 PTS -- M. Lemieux

_____________

Nov. 1988
31 PTS -- Gretzky
30 PTS -- Nicholls / Yzerman

_____________

Oct. 1989
26 -- Gretzky
24 -- Nieuwendyk

_____________

Oct. 1990
26 PTS -- Gretzky / Cullen
25 PTS -- MacInnis

Nov. 1990
22 PTS -- Gretzky
21 PTS -- Tocchet

Jan. 1991
30 PTS -- Gretzky / Oates
22 PTS -- Bourque

Feb. 1991
30 PTS -- Hull / Oates / Gretzky
26 PTS -- Yzerman

March 1991
33 PTS -- Gretzky
27 PTS -- Hull

_____________

Oct. 1993
29 PTS -- Gretzky
21 PTS -- Lindros / Fedorov / Sakic

Jan. 1994
26 PTS -- Gretzky
24 PTS -- Sheppard

_____________

Jan. 1996
25 PTS -- Gretzky
24 PTS -- M. Lemieux

_____________

March 1998
23 PTS -- Gretzky
20 PTS -- Jagr

_____________

(Gretzky was tied for 2nd in December 1998, the last time he'd reach that high.)

 

[MadLuke]

in 43% of the months that he was in the league for?

Specially when compared to a McDavid that have 0 games past his prime played yet....

 

[blogofmike]

This what I got:

Nov. 1979
25 PTS -- Gretzky
23 PTS -- Trottier

Jan. 1980
25 PTS -- Gretzky
24 PTS -- Dionne / Lafleur / McCourt

Feb. 1980
25 PTS -- Gretzky
24 PTS -- Stoughton

March 1980
30 PTS -- Gretzky
25 PTS -- Middleton

_____________

Jan. 1981
35 PTS -- Gretzky
31 PTS -- K. Nilsson

Feb. 1981
30 PTS -- Gretzky
28 PTS -- Statsny

March 1981
34 PTS -- Gretzky
26 PTS -- J. Richard

(Gretzky also led in April 1981, with 9 points but in only three games.)

_____________

Oct. 1981
27 PTS -- Gretzky
23 PTS -- R. Cloutier

Nov. 1981
37 PTS -- Gretzky
24 PTS -- Tardif / M. Stastny / Savard

Dec. 1981
44 PTS -- Gretzky
27 PTS -- Lumley / P. Stastny

Jan. 1982
38 PTS -- Gretzky
26 PTS -- Maruk

Feb. 1982
35 PTS -- Gretzky
34 PTS -- Bossy

March 1982
30 PTS -- Gretzky
29 PTS -- Bossy

_____________

Oct. 1982
28 PTS -- Gretzky
24 PTS -- Bossy

Nov. 1982
35 PTS -- Gretzky
24 PTS -- M. Stastny

Dec. 1982
32 PTS -- Gretzky
26 PTS -- Messier

Jan. 1983
36 PTS -- Gretzky
29 PTS -- Messier

Feb. 1983
23 PTS -- Gretzky / Pederson
22 PTS -- Dionne

March 1983
36 PTS -- Gretzky
31 PTS -- Smyl

(Gretzky also co-led -- along with John Ogrodnick and Tom Rowe -- in April 1983, with 6 points but in only two games.)

_____________

Oct. 1983
27 PTS -- Gretzky
24 PTS -- Goulet / P. Stastny

Nov. 1983
49 PTS -- Gretzky
36 PTS -- Kurri

Dec. 1983
37 PTS -- Gretzky
30 PTS -- Trottier

Jan. 1984
40 PTS -- Gretzky
27 PTS -- Goulet

(In Feb. 1984, Gretzky was injured, playing about six fewer games than other players, but still fell only 2 points short of the lead for the month.)

March 1984
28 PTS -- Gretzky / Coffey
27 PTS -- Pederson

_____________

Oct. 1984
30 PTS -- Gretzky
28 PTS -- Bossy

Nov. 1984
38 PTS -- Gretzky
24 PTS -- Kurri / Bossy / Hawerchuk / MacLean

Dec. 1984
40 PTS -- Gretzky
30 PTS -- Kurri

Jan. 1985
37 PTS -- Gretzky
29 PTS -- Dionne

Feb. 1985
26 PTS -- Gretzky
20 PTS -- Tonelli

March 1985
29 PTS -- Gretzky
25 PTS -- Ogrodnick / Hawerchuk / Dionne

_____________

Oct. 1985
24 PTS -- Gretzky
19 PTS -- Simmer / Propp

Nov. 1985
28 PTS -- Gretzky
22 PTS -- Kerr / M. Lemieux / Naslund

Dec. 1985
44 PTS -- Gretzky
29 PTS -- Kurri / Coffey

Jan. 1986
43 PTS -- Gretzky
30 PTS -- Bossy

Feb. 1986
33 PTS -- Gretzky
31 PTS -- M. Lemieux

March 1986
37 PTS -- Gretzky
27 PTS -- Coffey

_____________

Oct. 1986
33 PTS -- Gretzky
29 PTS -- M. Lemieux

Nov. 1986
25 -- Hawerchuk / Gretzky
24 -- Bossy

Dec. 1986
36 -- Gretzky
23 -- Savard

Jan. 1987
35 -- Gretzky
25 -- Kurri

Feb. 1987
21 -- Gretzky
19 -- Larouche

March 1987
32 -- Gretzky
26 -- Muller

_____________

Oct. 1987
26 -- M. Lemieux / Gretzky
23 -- Stastny

Nov. 1987
34 -- Gretzky
28 -- Savard

NOTE: December 1987 is the first full NHL month since February 1984 that Gretzky did not lead or co-lead in scoring (he was third behind Yzerman and M. Lemieux). Not counting that earlier month (when he was injured), this was the first full NHL month since December 1980 -- a seven-year period -- that he didn't lead or co-lead in scoring every single month.)

Gretzky was injured most of January 1988 (M. Lemieux led) and some of February 1988 (Messier led).

March 1988
38 PTS -- Gretzky
36 PTS -- M. Lemieux

_____________

Nov. 1988
31 PTS -- Gretzky
30 PTS -- Nicholls / Yzerman

_____________

Oct. 1989
26 -- Gretzky
24 -- Nieuwendyk

_____________

Oct. 1990
26 PTS -- Gretzky / Cullen
25 PTS -- MacInnis

Nov. 1990
22 PTS -- Gretzky
21 PTS -- Tocchet

Jan. 1991
30 PTS -- Gretzky / Oates
22 PTS -- Bourque

Feb. 1991
30 PTS -- Hull / Oates / Gretzky
26 PTS -- Yzerman

March 1991
33 PTS -- Gretzky
27 PTS -- Hull

_____________

Oct. 1993
29 PTS -- Gretzky
21 PTS -- Lindros / Fedorov / Sakic

Jan. 1994
26 PTS -- Gretzky
24 PTS -- Sheppard

_____________

Jan. 1996
25 PTS -- Gretzky
24 PTS -- M. Lemieux

_____________

March 1998
23 PTS -- Gretzky
20 PTS -- Jagr

_____________

(Gretzky was tied for 2nd in December 1998, the last time he'd reach that high.)

So discounting his 2 April "wins" Gretzky would be 51 out of 110?

 

[pnep]

Gretzky_Months

Gretzky_Months Player,Season,Month,Age,Games,G,A,PTS,PIM,#PTS Gretzky Wayne,1979-80,1979-10,18.73,9,2,8,10,2,42 Gretzky Wayne,1979-80,1979-11,18.80,13,8,17,25,4,1 Gretzky Wayne,1979-80,1979-12,18.89,12,9,9,18,0,10 Gretzky Wayne,1979-80,1980-01,18.97,15,9,16,25,2,1 Gretzky Wayne,1979-80,1980-02,1...

tinyurl.com

 

[The Panther]

The above list is great, but note that it's lowering rankings based on which player had more goals (this list should be by points alone).

So, in November 1986, it shows Gretzky as 2nd, but actually he was tied for 1st with Hawerchuk. In December 1998, it shows Gretzky as 6th, but actually he was in a three-way tie for 2nd.

 

[pnep]

but note that it's lowering rankings based on which player had more goals.

yep

Art Ross tiebreakers used

** - tiebreakers:
1. Player with most goals.
2. Player with fewer games played.

 

[The Panther]

So discounting his 2 April "wins" Gretzky would be 51 out of 110?

The more amazing thing is that from January 1981 through November 1987 (41 full NHL months), these are his monthly scoring-rank results:

1, 1, 1
1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
1, 1, 1, 1, 3, 1
1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
1, 1

The only time in 41 full NHL months that he wasn't first in scoring, he was 3rd (due to injury). And these were the PPG that month:
2.67 Gretzky
1.73 Nilsson
1.71 Bossy

There is absolutely no comparable scoring dominance, I think, in any N. American team sport in history. Especially when this period includes in 1981 Canada Cup, the 1982 World Championships, the 1984 Canada Cup, and the 1987 Canada Cup, all of which Gretzky led in scoring as well. (Not to mention the 1983, 1984, 1985, 1987 NHL playoffs.)

 

[Hockey Outsider]

The hockey gods look down from the heavens. And pnep looks down upon them.

 

[The Panther]

The hockey gods look down from the heavens. And pnep looks down upon them.

And Gretzky looks down upon pnep.

 

[pnep]

Specially when compared to a McDavid that have 0 games past his prime played yet....

Best %, "#1 in PTS", Month (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024; Players Age: 20-33)

Best %, "#1 in PTS", Month (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024; Players Age: 20-33)

tinyurl.com

Best %, "TOP5 in PTS", Month (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024; Players Age: 20-33)

Best %, "TOP5 in PTS", Month (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024; Players Age: 20-33)

tinyurl.com

Best %, "TOP10 in PTS", Month (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024; Players Age: 20-33)

Best %, "TOP10 in PTS", Month (Reg. Seasons 1917-2024; Players Age: 20-33)

tinyurl.com

 

[Staniowski]

yep

Art Ross tiebreakers used

** - tiebreakers:
1. Player with most goals.
2. Player with fewer games played.

No, you shouldn't be using the Art Ross tiebreakers in this thread. The Art Ross tiebreakers are only used to determine the winner (i.e. 1st place) of the Art Ross Trophy; it's only been used 3 times in NHL history, and it has no other use.

For November 1986, Gretzky should be (tied for) 1st, not 2nd.