Obscure hockey facts/stats (Part 2)

[Hockey Outsider]

Ovechkin and Crosby rank 9th and 10th all-time. Ovechkin will likely reach 800 first, but it should be close.

When I posted this nearly seven weeks ago, Ovechkin was ahead 792-780 in ES primary points. Since then, Crosby has outscored him 13-4, and their career totals now stand at 796-793 (in Ovechkin's favour). It looks like it'll be a close race to 800.

Either of them could climb to as high as 7th place all-time by the end of the year. (And based on seventies' rough era adjustment, by this point, both of them are already 4th and 5th all-time - but far from Jagr in third place).

(EDIT - as of January 27th, it's now 799-797 for Crosby).

 

[mobilus]

Wayne Gretzky scored fewer than 100 goals (91) in his last five seasons in the league.

 

[jigglysquishy]

Gordie Howe played more NHL/WHA games after turning 40 (714) than Bobby Orr played in his whole career (657).

Gordie Howe was almost 20 years old when Bobby Orr was born. He played exactly 200 more games than Orr after Orr debuted in the league.


Gordie Howe was in the NHL when William Lyon Mackenzie King was prime minister. He played finished under Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Six PMs in total.

Marc Andre Fleury has the record amongst active players with four (he debuted when Chretien was PM).


Gordie Howe was the last NHLer to play in the 40s. He was also the last NHLer to play in the 50s. Brad Park was the last player to play in the 60s. His last season was 1984-85.

Mark Messier was the last player to have played in the 70s. He retired in 2003-04.

Mark Recchi and Mike Modano were the last players to have played in the 80s. They retired in 2010-11.

Zdeno Chara and Joe Thornton were the last players to have played in the 90s. They retired in 2021-22.

Only 56 players remain that played prior to 2010.

 

[Crosby2010]

There were 4 sweeps in a row in the Cup finals from 1995 to 1998. The NHL hated the idea of this. Since then there have been 0 sweeps in the Cup finals. 4 in a row and then none for the last 25 years.

The longest by my count outside of the current timeline that there hasn't been a sweep in the Cup final is 8 years from 1960 to 1968 by my counts at least. Yet three times the amount is the current drought.

 

[FerrisRox]

Gordie Howe was the last NHLer to play in the 40s. He was also the last NHLer to play in the 50s. Brad Park and Borje Salming were last players to play in the 60s. Their last season was 1984-85.

Borje Salming didn't play in the 60's.

And his last season was 1989-90.

 

[carjackmalone]

Dave Keon played in the early 60’s to Park who started late 60’s but pretty much retired at the same time

What about Carol Vadnais

 

[The Panther]

Only three Toronto Maple Leafs have ever scored 100 points in one season (Sittler, Gilmour, Matthews).

Since 1980, only one Montreal Canadien has scored 100 points in one season (Naslund 1986).

Only one San Jose Shark has ever scored more than 44 goals in one season (Cheechoo with 56 in 2006).

No New Jersey Devil / Colorado Rocky has ever scored 100 points in one season or 50 goals in one season.

 

[McGarnagle]

Jakub Lauko has the highest winning percentage of any skater in NHL history (min. 50 games played).

 

[The Panther]

Peter Forsberg's career points-per-game of 1.25 is highly impressive to me.

Of players with min. 500 career points, Forsberg currently ranks 9th all time in NHL history. This is (to me) hugely impressive simply because pretty much Forsberg's entire career (and certainly his entire peak) is within the Dead-Puck Era.

Other than Mario Lemieux (when old and frequently injured), nobody else among the top-12 PPG players played any of their career whatsoever in this hard-to-score period of time.

 

[Crosby2010]

1985 Bears points allowed 198.
1986 Bears points allowed 187.

Look, I know the difference. Buddy Ryan was gone by 1986 and they didn't dominate in the playoffs like the 1985 team did. In fact they lost right away in 1986. But I do find it funny how the 1986 team allowed less points. A good trivia question and not to take anything away from the legendary 1985 team.

 

[blundluntman]

It took 35 years for a player to score 50 goals in 50 games after Maurice Richard did it for the first time in 1945.

It's now been 32 years since a player last officially scored 50 goals in 50 games in 1992 (Brett Hull)

 

[Davenport]

In the inaugural season of the NHL, 1917-18, Joe Malone (Canadiens) scored 44 goals in 20 regular season games. Seeing that, you'd probably assume that hitting the 40-goal mark was no great feat, but - before expansion - few NHLers did it. The Rangers had one 40-goal scorer before expansion, Andy Bathgate. Bobby Hull was the only Hawk. Frank Mahovlich was the only Leaf.

 

[frisco]

Only two Montreal Canadiens have had multiple 50-goal seasons: Guy Lafleur and Stephane Richer.


Five of the ten highest single-season shooting percentages were recorded by players who played with Mario Lemieux:

3. Craig Simpson 31.64 1987-88
4. Warren Young 30.53 1984-85
5. Rob Brown 30.00 1987-88
7. Rob Brown 28.99 1988-89
10. Terry Ruskowski 28.26 1985-86


Ryan Suter is the current active points leader among American defenseman with 675 points. He is 557 points behind Phil Housley for the lead among American defenseman all-time.


John Carlson is the current active goals leader among American defenseman with 144. He is 194 goals behind Phil Housley for the lead among American defenseman all-time.

My Best-Carey

 

[Davenport]

In 1952-53, Maurice Richard led the NHL in PIM (112), while scoring 28 goals and adding 33 assists in 70 games. His 61 points are the most by a player who led the league in PIM. In 1954-55, the Rocket spent 125 minutes in the penalty box - the highest total in his career - while leading the NHL in goals (38).

Later comment:

Apparently, there were a couple of players who led the league in PIM, and had more than 61 points. Scroll down and see who.

 

[The Panther]

It took 35 years for a player to score 50 goals in 50 games after Maurice Richard did it for the first time in 1945.

It's now been 32 years since a player last officially scored 50 goals in 50 games in 1992 (Brett Hull)

Yeah, maybe we're do for another as scoring has slowly been inching up?

As Matthews appears (never know) to have peaked this season and two years ago, it seems to me unlikely that he'd do it in future. So, is anyone else bubbling up who might have a shot in the next few years?

Only two Montreal Canadiens have had multiple 50-goal seasons: Guy Lafleur and Stephane Richer.


Five of the ten highest single-season shooting percentages were recorded by players who played with Mario Lemieux:

3. Craig Simpson 31.64 1987-88
4. Warren Young 30.53 1984-85
5. Rob Brown 30.00 1987-88
7. Rob Brown 28.99 1988-89
10. Terry Ruskowski 28.26 1985-86


Ryan Suter is the current active points leader among American defenseman with 675 points. He is 557 points behind Phil Housley for the lead among American defenseman all-time.


John Carlson is the current active goals leader among American defenseman with 144. He is 194 goals behind Phil Housley for the lead among American defenseman all-time.

My Best-Carey

While technically correct, your post should maybe note that Simpson played most of 1987-88 in Edmonton. Simpson also has the highest shooting percentage in playoff history, and none of his games in the playoffs were with Pittsburgh.

 

[Kahvi]

In 1952-53, Maurice Richard led the NHL in PIM (112), while scoring 28 goals and adding 33 assists in 70 games. His 61 points are the most by a player who led the league in PIM.

Bob Probert, 62 points in 87-88 season, and 398PIM to lead the league.

Elite Prospects - NHL Stats 1987-1988

1987-1988 regular season player stats for NHL, including top goal scorers, most games played, PPG leaders and more.

www.eliteprospects.com

 

[mrhockey193195]

Brad Park was the last player to play in the 60s. His last season was 1984-85.

Oh wow, this one is quite surprising to me! There was no one who was a rookie in, say, 68-69 or 69-70 who played more than 17 seasons?

 

[jigglysquishy]

Oh wow, this one is quite surprising to me! There was no one who was a rookie in, say, 68-69 or 69-70 who played more than 17 seasons?

Guy Lapointe and Tony Esposito were both rookies in 1968-69 and played their last NHL season in 1983-84.


Butch Goring also had his last season in 1984-85, a 1969-70 rookie.

Bobby Clarke, a 1969 rookie, would typically be the best bet to do it, but he retired at 35.

Clarke could have played longer. 60 points in 73 points with elite defense is still an NHL player. I don't know if there was health challenges or something else.

 

[Crosby2010]

Mario never outright led the NHL in assists. But three times in his career he tied for the lead. 1989, 1996 and 1997. Gretzky, Francis, Gretzky in that order shared it with him. There were years where he gets it without Gretzky being there (1986, 1988, 1989, 1992) or years where if he played more games in the season he has it (1990, 1992, 1993, 1996, 2001, maybe 2003)

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

Bob Probert, 62 points in 87-88 season, and 398PIM to lead the league.

Elite Prospects - NHL Stats 1987-1988

1987-1988 regular season player stats for NHL, including top goal scorers, most games played, PPG leaders and more.

www.eliteprospects.com

Probert tied Tiger Williams who had 62 points in 1980-81, in addition to 343 PIMs.

Would be interesting doing a deeper dive on this.

A few noticeable names looking through the PIMS leaders per season:
Vic Hadfield once lead the league in PIMs with 177, however this was several years prior to his 50 goal 106 point 1971-72 season. Also added 142 PIMs, which was well off Bryan Watson’s 212. I never noticed what an utter one-off that season was in Hadfield’s career. His second best season (goals and points) he had 31 goals, 73 points (and 72 PIMs).

Carl Brewer and Pierre Pilote led the league in PIMs during seasons where they also were 2nd team all-stars. Pilote was third (to Brewer and Lindsay) in one of his Norris wins.

Ted Lindsay with 141 was just a 2 minute minor short of tying the PIMs leader (Gus Kyle) during his 78 point Art Ross campaign in 1949-50.

Hockey-Reference stopped working when I got there, but while non of the other PIMs leaders mentioned had managed so during a season where they averaged at least a point per game, Ottawa Senators’ Joe Lamb led the 1929-30 season with 119 penalty minutes, while also scoring 29-20-49 in just 44 games.

 

[Davenport]

Bob Probert, 62 points in 87-88 season, and 398PIM to lead the league.

Elite Prospects - NHL Stats 1987-1988

1987-1988 regular season player stats for NHL, including top goal scorers, most games played, PPG leaders and more.

www.eliteprospects.com

You're right. When I was checking the points accumulated by post-expansion players, I checked Evander Kane, but didn't even think to check Bob Probert.

 

[Neutrinos]

After leading the league with a 38.3 GSAA in 48 games as a 19-year old rookie, Hall of Famer Grant Fuhr would go on to post a GSAA of -69.8 over the remaining 820 games of his career

For comparison's sake, Sean Burke had a GSAA of 74.4 in 820 career games

 

[The Panther]

After posting a league leading 38.3 GSAA in 48 games as a 19-year old rookie, Hall of Famer Grant Fuhr would go on to post a GSAA of -69.8 over the final 820 games of his career

For comparison's sake, Sean Burke had a GSAA of 74.4 in 820 career games

Fuhr's rookie season really stands out in a lot of ways.

He has an odd career arc, considering how badly he dipped from 1988-89 through 1995, but then rebounded nicely later in St. Louis.

Someday when I have more time, I'd like to do a deeper-dive into Fuhr's stats in Edmonton during the Gretzky years of 1981-82 through 1987-88. Specifically, I'd like to find out how many goals against him were in 'garbage time' and were essentially meaningless.

 

[blundluntman]

Yeah, maybe we're do for another as scoring has slowly been inching up?

As Matthews appears (never know) to have peaked this season and two years ago, it seems to me unlikely that he'd do it in future. So, is anyone else bubbling up who might have a shot in the next few years?


While technically correct, your post should maybe note that Simpson played most of 1987-88 in Edmonton. Simpson also has the highest shooting percentage in playoff history, and none of his games in the playoffs were with Pittsburgh.

Yeah I'm honestly not too sure anybody really has a realistic chance as of right now. Matthews is still scoring at an otherworldy level but I really thought this would be the year if he was ever gonna do it. I guess it's still possible but I wouldn't count on it. Other than him? Maybe Bedard can do it eventually with his skillset but it's too early to tell. McDavid has the potential but I don't know if he's really interested in giving it a shot

 

[carjackmalone]

Steve and Jeff Larmer were both top 10 rookie scoring 82-83