McDavid heating up, what are odds on 150 points this season?

[beowulf]

The odds seem to get better with every passing day. Only needs 26 points in what 17 games? He is pacing to 68 goals and 156 points right now.

 

[Rob Brown]

Guy is unreal. Hope he gets to 150.

 

[MrSnrub]

I still remember HFBoarders declaring "I knew his playstyle wasn't suited to the NHL" after he went pointless in his first two or three career games.

 

[The Panther]

Because in the first two expansion years the league had two divisions: An Original Six division and an Expansion division. The divisions did not play each other often. This created false parity, as it wasn't until the playoffs that it became more than obvious how weak the expansion division was (St. Louis, arguably the best expansion team during this era, had a 5-13-6 record against the O6 division in their inaugural season. Their record against their own division was 22-17-11. They were swept by the O6 division team in three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals).

After a couple years these rules were relaxed but the expansion continued, adding 2 more teams every 2 years until the 80s, when it absorbed the WHA. In the span of 12 years the league went from 6 teams to 21 -- an increase of 350%. With USA underdeveloped and half of Europe behind the Iron Curtain, where were all those new players going to come from? That's right: Lesser tier Canadian leagues.

It is against these lesser players (who normally would not have made the NHL if it did not expand so rapidly) that Esposito, Orr, Dionne, Lafleur, and ultimately Gretzky would absolutely feast on nightly. It took an entire generation for the global talentpool to catch up with the explosive growth of the league, and during this time there were a lot of very bad players playing very bad NHL hockey, as characterized in movies like Slap Shot.

You are absolutely right about the two divisions in 1967-68. I had forgotten about that important fact.

But I think your analysis of the growth of the League is slightly inaccurate. I think, in 1967, expansion was already long overdue (the NHL had had more than six teams back in the 1930s) and having about twelve clubs from then was about right. Naturally, it takes the new teams years to find their way and many were weaker at first, but anyway I think a dozen teams in the late sixties was about correct for the talent pool (for which a six team League was too small).

I certainly agree with you that the expansion got a bit out of control by the early/mid-1970s, and, after the start of the WHA in 1972 , there were 32 professional hockey clubs in 1975 (i.e., the same as today). This was far too many for the talent pool at the time (there was several Europeans in the WHA and the odd one in the NHL), and as result we got things like the c. 1974 to 1976 Washington Capitals, likely the worst NHL team of all time. The imbalance was too large in this period. The WHA had an odd mixture of very elite players (who were also stars at the NHL level) and very bad players, who should never have been at the level of professional hockey.

When the WHA ended, four clubs 'merged' into the NHL, to make, as you say, 21 teams. But this 21 teams was 11 fewer pro-teams than there had been four years earlier, and the number of Europeans and Americans was increasingly markedly at this point.

(I don't agree with all the OP's points in this thread, but if you're interested in this, you may find it interesting: Estimating the size of the NHL's talent pool (1950-2023) )

 

[TGOSnipes99]

Sabres pretty much dominated the game last night, but McDavid and Skinner pulled out a win.

They did? Oilers won the possession battle at evens. Yamm missed an empty net. Hyman missed an empty net. Oilers had a goal disallowed. Anderson robbed Yammo on another. Oilers had a few odd man rushes that didn't lead to a shot.

The Oilers themselves could have had 6 goals last night.

It was a coin flip game. The only time the Sabres played a lot better as the 2nd period.

 

[iCanada]

Sabres pretty much dominated the game last night, but McDavid and Skinner pulled out a win.

Dominated is a strange way to look at a game that was essentially dead even.

 

[KCC]

Sabres pretty much dominated the game last night, but McDavid and Skinner pulled out a win.

Yeah, Edm looked a step behind much of the game Though the game was pretty even still. only McDavid and skinner played well Enough imo. But not every game will be pretty. I’m surprised Edm even put up around 40 shots. Def didn’t feel like it. But looking back I think both sides had good chances. Lol

 

[bucks_oil]

They did? Oilers won the possession battle at evens. Yamm missed an empty net. Hyman missed an empty net. Oilers had a goal disallowed. Anderson robbed Yammo on another. Oilers had a few odd man rushes that didn't lead to a shot.

The Oilers themselves could have had 6 goals last night.

It was a coin flip game. The only time the Sabres played a lot better as the 2nd period.

I particularly liked the part where we had a 2-0 breakaway and managed NOT to get a shot off. Wifey almost put the remote through the TV... turns out South American's are passionate about their hockey.

 

[ponder]

If he gets to 156+ points, passing Stevie Y for “most points in a season, other than Gretz/Mario”, that would be EXTREMELY cool.

 

[norrisnick]

If he gets to 156+ points, passing Stevie Y for “most points in a season, other than Gretz/Mario”, that would be EXTREMELY UNcool.

Fixed it

 

[McShogun99]

I think he's gunning for 160 points.

 

[Iggys Dome]

I hope he somehow gets 70 goals and 150 points. Even as a flames fan this guy is something to witness.

 

[Macheteops]

Sabres pretty much dominated the game last night, but McDavid and Skinner pulled out a win.

A lot of people seem to think that. I thought it was fairly even. Slight edge to Buffalo. Skinner played really well. If Campbell was in net that's an L for Edmonton likely though

They did a good job on McDavid I thought too. Sure he scored two but he capitalized on his chances. Some games he looks like he could of scored 6

 

[innitfam]

26 points in 17 games seems like child's play at this point.

 

[BTO]

70 goals, 164 points (or 71/165). Get ‘er done Connor!

 

[Shanahanigans]

I posted this here a longgg while back



Fast forward a few months and the guy has legit become the best five hole shooter in the entire league. He scores like one every game now.

Goalies can’t overplay it either because he can snipe top shelf or make the pass instead.

This is a great observation, and a really smart shot by Mcdavid. Every time he scores 5 hole I see opposing fans saying it was a weak goal, but it's actually pretty tough to save. Mcdavid is always moving laterally before he takes those shots, and he moves laterally faster than any player in league history. For the goalie to keep up with him and cut down the angle, they have to rotate with him, opening up their hips. That exact moment when the goalie opens up is when Mcdavid goes back against the grain and shoots 5 hole. It's a deliberate shot that Mcdavid has added to his arsenal, and it's a lot tougher of a save than it looks. This goal last night is a perfect example of that.

 

[bucks_oil]

A lot of people seem to think that. I thought it was fairly even. Slight edge to Buffalo. Skinner played really well. If Campbell was in net that's an L for Edmonton likely though

They did a good job on McDavid I thought too. Sure he scored two but he capitalized on his chances. Some games he looks like he could of scored 6

To the bolded: Not uniquely relevant to this game... pretty much a universal truth lately.

 

[bucks_oil]

This is a great observation, and a really smart shot by Mcdavid. Every time he scores 5 hole I see opposing fans saying it was a weak goal, but it's actually pretty tough to save. Mcdavid is always moving laterally before he takes those shots, and he moves laterally faster than any player in league history. For the goalie to keep up with him and cut down the angle, they have to rotate with him, opening up their hips. That exact moment when the goalie opens up is when Mcdavid goes back against the grain and shoots 5 hole. It's a deliberate shot that Mcdavid has added to his arsenal, and it's a lot tougher of a save than it looks. This goal last night is a perfect example of that.

Totally true... I think something like 6 of his last ten goals are fiver's.

And you are right, with him it isn't a weak goal. You've gotta be in that deep crouch anyway so that if he does make a cut, you've got edges primed to move with him. Then as soon as you are making a c-cut, he's zipping it under you. ... more than that, he's placing it above the goal stick, which is the last part to seal up.

 

[Mez]

I don’t think I’ve actually taken in how insane this is.

Right? Me too... I'm trying not to take it for granted.

 

[Slats432]

Sabres pretty much dominated the game last night, but McDavid and Skinner pulled out a win.

I didn't see the whole game but the stats don't look like dominated. I heard Skinner made some big saves but Anderson did as well.

 

[Homesick]

Doesn't look good for your playoff hopes if you get beat by two players

 

[kruezer]

With McDavid gunning for best non-Gretzky/Lemieux season I was curious how many more people he had to pass to get there. He is currently at the 67th best season by total points right now but removing players who have had more than 124 multiple times there are 27 players left for him to pass to get there, here is who is still ahead of him...

Next up are Robitaille and Thornton's peak seasons of 125 points.

Player	Season	Team	S/C	Pos	GP	G	A	P
Wayne Gretzky	19851986​	EDM	L	C	80​	52​	163​	215​
Mario Lemieux	19881989​	PIT	R	C	76​	85​	114​	199​
Steve Yzerman	19881989​	DET	R	C	80​	65​	90​	155​
Phil Esposito	19701971​	BOS	L	C	78​	76​	76​	152​
Bernie Nicholls	19881989​	LAK	R	C	79​	70​	80​	150​
Jaromir Jagr	19951996​	PIT	L	R	82​	62​	87​	149​
Pat LaFontaine	19921993​	BUF	R	C	84​	53​	95​	148​
Mike Bossy	19811982​	NYI	R	R	80​	64​	83​	147​
Adam Oates	19921993​	BOS	R	C	84​	45​	97​	142​
Bobby Orr	19701971​	BOS	L	D	78​	37​	102​	139​
Peter Stastny	19811982​	QUE	L	C	80​	46​	93​	139​
Paul Coffey	19851986​	EDM	L	D	79​	48​	90​	138​
Marcel Dionne	19791980​	LAK	R	C	80​	53​	84​	137​
Dennis Maruk	19811982​	WSH	L	C	80​	60​	76​	136​
Guy Lafleur	19761977​	MTL	R	R	80​	56​	80​	136​
Jari Kurri	19841985​	EDM	R	R	73​	71​	64​	135​
Bryan Trottier	19781979​	NYI	L	C	76​	47​	87​	134​
Pierre Turgeon	19921993​	NYI	L	C	83​	58​	74​	132​
Teemu Selanne	19921993​	WIN	R	R	84​	76​	56​	132​
Brett Hull	19901991​	STL	R	R	78​	86​	45​	131​
Denis Savard	19871988​	CHI	R	C	80​	44​	87​	131​
Kent Nilsson	19801981​	CGY	L	C	80​	49​	82​	131​
Dale Hawerchuk	19841985​	WIN	L	C	80​	53​	77​	130​
Mark Messier	19891990​	EDM	L	C	79​	45​	84​	129​
Nikita Kucherov	20182019​	TBL	L	R	82​	41​	87​	128​
Alexander Mogilny	19921993​	BUF	L	R	77​	76​	51​	127​
Doug Gilmour	19921993​	TOR	L	C	83​	32​	95​	127​
Joe Thornton	20052006​	BOS,SJS	L	C	81​	29​	96​	125​
Luc Robitaille	19921993​	LAK	L	L	84​	63​	62​	125​

 

[Sheppy]

Bernie Nicholls 1988-89 season is still hilarious to me

 

[kruezer]

Bernie Nicholls 1988-89 season is still hilarious to me

it frustrates me a lot that he only played 79 games that year, a stat line of 80-70-80-150 would be the most aesthetically pleasing of all time.

 

[KevinFinnerty]

Honestly, even If he hits 65+ goals, that's not gonna be as impressive to me in this scoring environment as when Ovechkin did it. Ovechkin's 65 goals back then is so much more meaningful than Mcdavid's 66 or whatever it might be at the end of the season.