Rolling 10-Year Point Champions

[WarriorofTime]

Thought this was an interesting topic. To look at the rolling leader in 10 points over a 10-year (I'll keep it year for the sake of lockouts rather than seasons, as I think that's more of an even sense of "time frame" as humans still biologically age when a Lockout occurs). You often see decades (arbitrary cutoffs) or intentionally cherry-picked 10 years to make a point. Could also look at 3 years, 5 years, 7 years, 15 years, etc.

Source is NHL.com

2014-15 through 2023-24: Connor McDavid: 982 points in 645 games
2013-14 through 2022-23: Connor McDavid: 850 points in 569 games
2012-13 through 2021-22: Patrick Kane: 811 points in 708 games
2011-12 through 2020-21: Patrick Kane: 785 points in 712 games
2010-11 through 2019-20: Patrick Kane: 792 points in 729 games
2009-10 through 2018-19: Sidney Crosby: 819 points in 653 games
2008-09 through 2017-18: Sidney Crosby: 822 points in 651 games
2007-08 through 2016-17: Alexander Ovechkin: 837 points in 758 games
2006-07 through 2015-16: Alexander Ovechkin: 860 points in 758 games
2005-06 through 2014-15: Alexander Ovechkin: 895 points in 760 games
2004-05* through 2013-14: Alexander Ovechkin: 814 points in 679 games
2003-04 through 2012-13: Joe Thornton: 770 points in 693 games
2002-03 through 2011-12: Joe Thornton: 831 points in 722 games
2001-02 through 2010-11: Joe Thornton: 822 points in 706 games
2000-01 through 2009-10: Joe Thornton: 823 points in 698 games
1999-00 through 2008-09: Joe Thornton 794 points in 700 games
1998-99 through 2007-08: Jaromir Jagr: 864 points in 692 games
1997-98 through 2006-07: Jaromir Jagr: 895 points in 687 games
1996-97 through 2005-06: Jaromir Jagr: 894 points in 668 games
1995-96 through 2004-05*: Jaromir Jagr: 920 points in 668 games
1994-95 through 2003-04: Jaromir Jagr: 990 points in 716 games
1993-94 through 2002-03: Jaromir Jagr: 1015 points in 719 games
1992-93 through 2001-02: Jaromir Jagr: 1032 points in 725 games
1991-92 through 2000-01: Jaromir Jagr: 1022 points in 726 games
1990-91 through 1999-00: Jaromir Jagr: 958 points in 725 games
1989-90 through 1998-99: Wayne Gretzky: 1020 points in 713 games
1988-89 through 1997-98: Wayne Gretzky: 1126 points in 721 games
1987-88 through 1996-97: Wayne Gretzky: 1185 points in 703 games
1986-87 through 1995-96: Wayne Gretzky: 1271 points in 700 games
1985-86 through 1994-95: Wayne Gretzky: 1384 points in 700 games
1984-85 through 1993-94: Wayne Gretzky: 1544 points in 732 games
1983-84 through 1992-93: Wayne Gretzky: 1619 points in 725 games
1982-83 through 1991-92: Wayne Gretzky: 1750 points in 760 games
1981-82 through 1990-91: Wayne Gretzky: 1841 points in 766 games
1980-81 through 1989-90: Wayne Gretzky: 1842 points in 768 games
1979-80 through 1988-89: Wayne Gretzky: 1837 points in 774 games
1978-79 through 1987-88: Wayne Gretzky: 1669 points in 696 games
1977-78 through 1986-87: Wayne Gretzky: 1520 points in 632 games
1976-77 through 1985-86: Wayne Gretzky: 1337 points in 553 games
1975-76 through 1984-85: Marcel Dionne: 1139 points in 774 games
1974-75 through 1983-84: Marcel Dionne: 1134 points in 774 games
1973-74 through 1982-83: Marcel Dionne: 1120 points in 782 games
1972-73 through 1981-82: Marcel Dionne: 1103 points in 779 games
1971-72 through 1980-81: Marcel Dionne: 1063 points in 779 games
1970-71 through 1979-80: Phil Esposito: 1087 points in 782 games
1969-70 through 1978-79: Phil Esposito: 1108 points in 778 games
1968-69 through 1977-78: Phil Esposito: 1156 points in 772 games
1967-68 through 1976-77: Phil Esposito: 1159 points in 767 games
1966-67 through 1975-76: Phil Esposito: 1140 points in 756 games
1965-66 through 1974-75: Phil Esposito: 1110 points in 751 games
1964-65 through 1973-74: Phil Esposito: 1038 points in 742 games
1963-64 through 1972-73: Phil Esposito: 898 points in 691 games
1962-63 through 1971-72: Bobby Hull: 835 points in 689 games
1961-62 through 1970-71: Stan Mikita: 846 points in 709 games
1960-61 through 1969-70: Stan Mikita: 827 points in 703 games
1959-60 through 1968-69: Bobby Hull: 800 points in 679 games
1958-59 through 1967-68: Gordie Howe: 757 points in 696 games
1957-58 through 1966-67: Gordie Howe: 752 points in 686 games
1956-57 through 1965-66: Gordie Howe: 776 points in 687 games
1955-56 through 1964-65: Gordie Howe: 780 points in 687 games
1954-55 through 1963-64: Gordie Howe: 766 points in 681 games
1953-54 through 1962-63: Gordie Howe: 774 points in 682 games
1952-53 through 1961-62: Gordie Howe: 783 points in 682 games
1951-52 through 1960-61: Gordie Howe: 792 points in 682 games
1950-51 through 1959-60: Gordie Howe: 806 points in 688 games
1949-50 through 1958-59: Gordie Howe: 801 points in 688 games
1948-49 through 1957-58: Gordie Howe: 760 points in 658 games
1947-48 through 1956-57: Gordie Howe: 727 points in 654 games
1946-47 through 1955-56: Gordie Howe: 660 points in 642 games
1945-45 through 1954-55: Maurice Richard: 588 points in 612 games
1944-45 through 1953-54: Maurice Richard: 587 points in 595 games
1943-44 through 1952-53: Maurice Richard: 574 points in 571 games
1942-43 through 1951-52: Elmer Lach: 535 points in 519 games
1941-42 through 1950-51: Maurice Richard: 480 points in 469 games
1940-41 through 1949-50: Doug Bentley: 475 points in 454 games
1939-40 through 1948-49: Doug Bentley: 441 points in 430 games
1938-39 through 1947-48: Toe Blake: 471 points in 472 games
1937-38 through 1946-47: Bill Cowley: 482 points in 414 games
1936-37 through 1945-46: Bill Cowley: 478 points in 409 games
1935-36 through 1944-45: Bill Cowley: 475 points in 431 games
1934-35 through 1943-44: Bill Cowley: 422 points in 423 games
1933-34 through 1942-43: Syd Howe: 359 points in 473 games
1932-33 through 1941-42: Syd Howe: 328 points in 471 games
1931-32 through 1940-41: Busher Jackson: 348 points in 448 games
1930-31 through 1939-49: Busher Jackson: 353 points in 445 games
1929-30 through 1938-39: Nels Stewart: 376 points in 451 games
1928-29 through 1937-38: Nels Stewart: 370 points in 449 games
1927-28 through 1936-37: Frank Boucher: 417 points in 456 games
1926-27 through 1935-36: Frank Boucher: 379 points in 456 games
1925-26 through 1934-35: Howie Morenz: 380 points in 424 games
1924-25 through 1933-34: Howie Morenz: 385 points in 406 games
1923-24 through 1932-33: Howie Morenz: 380 points in 391 games
1922-23 through 1931-32: Howie Morenz: 344 points in 345 games
1921-22 through 1930-31: Howie Morenz: 295 points in 297 games
1920-21 through 1929-30: Howie Morenz: 244 points in 258 games
1919-20 through 1928-29: Cy Denneny: 266 points in 290 games
1918-19 through 1927-28: Cy Denneny: 287 points in 285 games
1917-18 through 1926-27: Cy Denneny: 330 points in 262 games

Click to read more...

 

[VanIslander]

Gretzky 14 straight.
Howe 13 straight.

... apt.

 

[Professor What]

For a guy that some people try to suggest wasn't that offensively dominant, that's a long reign for Gordie Howe.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Gretzky 14 straight.
Howe 13 straight.

... apt.

Howe and Gretzky are the only ones that have reigns long enough to where you have book-ends that include no overlapping seasons.

 

[VanIslander]

Gordie was only top 5 in NHL scoring for 20 straight seasons.

With widely reported legendary strength, ambidetrious stickhandling, unending drive and wheels galore after two or three strides.

Howe and Gretzky are the only ones that have reigns long enough to where you have book-ends that include no overlapping seasons.

What bookends!

Rocket Richard & Bobby Hull (top-10 all-time guys) for Howe, Jagr (9 straight years after for Gretzky).

 

[MadLuke]

I made one after the 2022 season I think, top 3 of each 10 years window with the gap of the top 2 over the third one:

Stastny most points in the 80s after Gretzky

Always wondered legacy wise how good of a timing did Stastny had to have is best 10 season match a decade perfectly in that regard, did others players had the Would have had the most points during a stretch of 10 season would it not be of Gretzky that goes under the radars. One is Adam Oates...

forums.hfboards.com

Some of the most dominants windows of 10 year's (limited by one by player)
Gretzky (79 to 88): 187.4%
Denneny (17 to 26): 146.7%
Howe....(50 to 59): 146.0%
Esposito(64 to 73): 141.2%
Morenz..(22 to 31): 134.1%
Jagr....(97 to 06): 130.7%
Blake...(38 to 47): 125.6%
Dionne..(73 to 82): 122.8%
Lemieux.(84 to 93): 117.0% (as a second place)

Back in the days was the idea that Stastny most points in the 80s behind only Gretzky was getting quite more traction than Hawerchuck doing the exact same but between 81 and 91 instead or Adam Oates achieving this in the 90s or even Sakic doing it 7 years in a row.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Back in the days was the idea that Stastny most points in the 80s behind only Gretzky was getting quite more traction than Hawerchuck doing the exact same but between 81 and 91 instead or Adam Oates achieving this in the 90s or even SAkic doing it 7 years in a row.

Yeah, where you rank in a specific decade cutoff seems to get a lot of traction because of the "roundnesss" but in reality, all rolling 10-year periods are of equal weight to each other, it's just arbitrary.

 

[The Panther]

I like how Gretzky is the highest scoring player from 1976-77 through 1985-86, even though he didn't play in 1976-77, 1977-78, or 1978-79.

 

[solidmotion]

I like how Gretzky is the highest scoring player from 1976-77 through 1985-86, even though he didn't play in 1976-77, 1977-78, or 1978-79.

similar for mcdavid, he's the top scorer starting in 2013-14 but his career didn't start until 2015-16. he's going to pile up a few more of these. he's 141 points ahead of draisaitl for the 2015-16–2023-24 stretch.

 

[blogofmike]

I like how Gretzky is the highest scoring player from 1976-77 through 1985-86, even though he didn't play in 1976-77, 1977-78, or 1978-79.

Gretzky only needing 7 seasons to beat what everyone else does in 10 is huge. He's 11 points away from only needing 6.

McDavid gets there with 8 seasons from 2014 to 2023.

Back in the days was the idea that Stastny most points in the 80s behind only Gretzky was getting quite more traction than Hawerchuck doing the exact same but between 81 and 91 instead or Adam Oates achieving this in the 90s or even Sakic doing it 7 years in a row.

Stastny only needed 9 seasons to beat everyone below Gretzky over a 10 year span (1980-89, with Stastny missing 1980.)

How many guys win a 10 year scoring race when they only count a string of 9 seasons?

 

[WarriorofTime]

similar for mcdavid, he's the top scorer starting in 2013-14 but his career didn't start until 2015-16. he's going to pile up a few more of these. he's 141 points ahead of draisaitl for the 2015-16–2023-24 stretch.

Yes, McDavid doesn't even have his Rookie Year included in the beginning portion of a range yet. Gretzky and Morenz (but contextualize era there) are the only other person with his Pre-Rookie years included (3 for Gretzky vs. 2 for McDavid). Howe's rookie year is the start of his first rolling 10-year period (albeit that was only 22 points) and Esposito's first year only adds 5 points. Ovechkin hadn't started by 2004-05 but nobody played that year so it's not like other players were adding points at that first year of a 10-year period.

McDavid has pretty massive leads for everything range beginning 2021-22 and earlier, so he will certainly add a bunch more barring something very unexpected. Then consider he has a healthy 2-year lead for 2022-23 and is younger than both Kucherov and MacKinnon (who are within striking distance). He is going to add a lot to this list. It starts to get more into speculation, but looking around the League, I'd be really surprised if he isn't the leader in every period from 2023-24 to 2032-33 (he will be 36 by 2035) and earlier.

 

[MadLuke]

Stastny only needed 9 seasons to beat everyone below Gretzky over a 10 year span (1980-89, with Stastny missing 1980.)

How many guys win a 10 year scoring race when they only count a string of 9 seasons?

His closest competition Savard&Kurri started at the same time (675-676-676 games played that stretch for those 3). While Marcel Dionne retired during the 88-89 season.

NHL Stats

The official source for NHL Stats including skaters, goalies, teams stats and more.

www.nhl.com

It was not a case of winning a second place playing less here.

 

[blogofmike]

His closest competition Savard&Kurri started at the same time (675-676-676 games played that stretch for those 3). While Marcel Dionne retired during the 88-89 season.

NHL Stats

The official source for NHL Stats including skaters, goalies, teams stats and more.

www.nhl.com

It was not a case of winning a second place playing less here.

And Savard and Kurri finished behind Dionne, who was not released by New York until the start of the 89-90 season, and racking up 729 games played over 10 seasons from 1980-89.

 

[MadLuke]

who was not released by New York until the start of the 89-90 season,

Not sure the relevance of this, his last nhl game was in the 88-89 season, he added only 88 pts after the 86-87 season.

no one outside Gretzky was on their prime from 1980 to 1990 to compete with, the big name still going on by 1989 started in 1981 like him (or I checked too fast).

 

[WarriorofTime]

Not sure the relevance of this, his last nhl game was in the 88-89 season, he added only 88 pts after the 86-87 season.

no one outside Gretzky was on their prime from 1980 to 1990 to compete with, the big name still going on by 1989 started in 1981 like him (or I checked too fast).

Indeed, Gretzky has the most games played in the League 1979-80 through 1988-89. Of the 16 others within 30 games of Gretzky's 774 GP total

Bernie Federko (Forward): 914 points (6th overall)
Bryan Trottier (Forward): 905 points (8th overall)
Michel Goulet (Forward): 901 points (9th overall)
Bobby Smith (Forward): 832 points (13th overall)
Brian Propp (Forward): 821 points (14th overall)
Mike Gartner (Forward): 803 points (15th overall)
John Tonnelli (Forward): 668 points
Mike Foligno (Forward): 622 points
Ryan Walter (Forward): 545 points
Rob Ramage (Defenseman): 451 points
Gordie Roberts (Defenseman): 339 points
Dave Hunter (Forward): 323 points
Kevin Lowe (Defenseman): 310 points
Brad McCrimmon (Defenseman): 305 points
Rod Langway (Defenseman): 293 points
Brad Marsh (Defensemen): 151 points

 

[Yozhik v tumane]

Why did I think I’d heard that Claude Giroux had a 10-year span at the top… I thought it had been brought up in one of the four hundred “does X belong in the HHoF”-threads, but it must have concerned assists specifically where he indeed almost leads the 2010s in the category, and does lead for example 2010-11 through 2019-20. Behind Kane, Crosby and Ovechkin for overall points however.

 

[WarriorofTime]

Why did I think I’d heard that Claude Giroux had a 10-year span at the top… I thought it had been brought up in one of the four hundred “does X belong in the HHoF”-threads, but it must have concerned assists specifically where he indeed almost leads the 2010s in the category, and does lead for example 2010-11 through 2019-20. Behind Kane, Crosby and Ovechkin for overall points however.

Giroux peaks out at third from 2011-12 through 2020-21

Patrick Kane - 785 points
Sidney Crosby - 753 points
Claude Giroux - 708 points
Alexander Ovechkin - 706 points
John Tavares - 698 points
Evgeni Malkin - 686 points
Blaker Wheeler - 680 points
Brad Marchand - 673 points
Phil Kessel - 659 points
Nicklas Backstrom - 657 points

 

[solidmotion]

Why did I think I’d heard that Claude Giroux had a 10-year span at the top… I thought it had been brought up in one of the four hundred “does X belong in the HHoF”-threads, but it must have concerned assists specifically where he indeed almost leads the 2010s in the category, and does lead for example 2010-11 through 2019-20. Behind Kane, Crosby and Ovechkin for overall points however.

it's a five-year span for giroux, 2010-11 to 2014-15. all because crosby was injured of course.

 

[WarriorofTime]

it's a five-year span for giroux, 2010-11 to 2014-15. all because crosby was injured of course.

Rolling 5-year would also be an interesting (albeit more time consuming) project. With an even more concentrated timeframe, you're likely to see some more "unusual" results compared to the 10-year project which has a nice cadence to it.

 

[norrisnick]

Why did I think I’d heard that Claude Giroux had a 10-year span at the top… I thought it had been brought up in one of the four hundred “does X belong in the HHoF”-threads, but it must have concerned assists specifically where he indeed almost leads the 2010s in the category, and does lead for example 2010-11 through 2019-20. Behind Kane, Crosby and Ovechkin for overall points however.

Giroux had a 10 year run as the top PP producer.

 

[Hockey Outsider]

Rolling 5-year would also be an interesting (albeit more time consuming) project. With an even more concentrated timeframe, you're likely to see some more "unusual" results compared to the 10-year project which has a nice cadence to it.

Top five scorers over rolling five year periods

Year	1st​	2nd​	3rd​	4th​	5th​
1931​	Howie Morenz	Frank Boucher	Bill Cook	Nels Stewart	Ace Bailey
1932​	Howie Morenz	Frank Boucher	Bill Cook	Nels Stewart	Aurel Joliat
1933​	Bill Cook	Howie Morenz	Frank Boucher	Nels Stewart	Cooney Weiland
1934​	Bill Cook	Frank Boucher	Howie Morenz	Charlie Conacher	Nels Stewart
1935​	Charlie Conacher	Busher Jackson	Bill Cook	Joe Primeau	Frank Boucher
1936​	Charlie Conacher	Busher Jackson	Marty Barry	Frank Boucher	Hooley Smith
1937​	Marty Barry	Busher Jackson	Charlie Conacher	Paul Thompson	Larry Aurie
1938​	Paul Thompson	Marty Barry	Busher Jackson	Nels Stewart	Larry Aurie
1939​	Sweeney Schriner	Marty Barry	Nels Stewart	Paul Thompson	Busher Jackson
1940​	Sweeney Schriner	Bill Cowley	Marty Barry	Syl Apps Sr	Gordie Drillon
1941​	Bill Cowley	Syl Apps Sr	Gordie Drillon	Sweeney Schriner	Neil Colville
1942​	Gordie Drillon	Bill Cowley	Syl Apps Sr	Bryan Hextall	Toe Blake
1943​	Bill Cowley	Bryan Hextall	Toe Blake	Lynn Patrick	Gordie Drillon
1944​	Bill Cowley	Bryan Hextall	Syd Howe	Toe Blake	Lorne Carr
1945​	Bill Cowley	Toe Blake	Syd Howe	Lorne Carr	Elmer Lach
1946​	Toe Blake	Bill Cowley	Elmer Lach	Doug Bentley	Clint Smith
1947​	Elmer Lach	Toe Blake	Doug Bentley	Bill Cowley	Maurice Richard
1948​	Doug Bentley	Maurice Richard	Elmer Lach	Max Bentley	Toe Blake
1949​	Max Bentley	Maurice Richard	Doug Bentley	Elmer Lach	Gaye Stewart
1950​	Maurice Richard	Max Bentley	Doug Bentley	Ted Lindsay	Gaye Stewart
1951​	Maurice Richard	Ted Lindsay	Sid Abel	Max Bentley	Roy Conacher
1952​	Gordie Howe	Ted Lindsay	Sid Abel	Maurice Richard	Elmer Lach
1953​	Gordie Howe	Ted Lindsay	Maurice Richard	Sid Abel	Paul Ronty
1954​	Gordie Howe	Ted Lindsay	Maurice Richard	Red Kelly	Paul Ronty
1955​	Gordie Howe	Maurice Richard	Ted Lindsay	Red Kelly	Ted Kennedy
1956​	Gordie Howe	Maurice Richard	Ted Lindsay	Bernie Geoffrion	Bert Olmstead
1957​	Gordie Howe	Maurice Richard	Ted Lindsay	Jean Beliveau	Bert Olmstead
1958​	Gordie Howe	Jean Beliveau	Maurice Richard	Bernie Geoffrion	Ted Lindsay
1959​	Jean Beliveau	Gordie Howe	Andy Bathgate	Dickie Moore	Bernie Geoffrion
1960​	Gordie Howe	Jean Beliveau	Andy Bathgate	Dickie Moore	Henri Richard
1961​	Jean Beliveau	Andy Bathgate	Gordie Howe	Dickie Moore	Henri Richard
1962​	Andy Bathgate	Gordie Howe	Jean Beliveau	Dickie Moore	Bernie Geoffrion
1963​	Andy Bathgate	Gordie Howe	Jean Beliveau	Bobby Hull	Bernie Geoffrion
1964​	Andy Bathgate	Gordie Howe	Bobby Hull	Jean Beliveau	Frank Mahovlich
1965​	Gordie Howe	Stan Mikita	Andy Bathgate	Bobby Hull	Frank Mahovlich
1966​	Stan Mikita	Bobby Hull	Gordie Howe	Andy Bathgate	Norm Ullman
1967​	Stan Mikita	Bobby Hull	Gordie Howe	Norm Ullman	Alex Delvecchio
1968​	Stan Mikita	Bobby Hull	Gordie Howe	Norm Ullman	Alex Delvecchio
1969​	Stan Mikita	Bobby Hull	Gordie Howe	Phil Esposito	Norm Ullman
1970​	Stan Mikita	Bobby Hull	Phil Esposito	Gordie Howe	Norm Ullman
1971​	Phil Esposito	Stan Mikita	Bobby Hull	Bobby Orr	Gordie Howe
1972​	Phil Esposito	Bobby Orr	Bobby Hull	Jean Ratelle	Stan Mikita
1973​	Phil Esposito	Bobby Orr	Jean Ratelle	John Bucyk	Frank Mahovlich
1974​	Phil Esposito	Bobby Orr	John Bucyk	Jean Ratelle	Frank Mahovlich
1975​	Phil Esposito	Bobby Orr	Bobby Clarke	John Bucyk	Jean Ratelle
1976​	Phil Esposito	Bobby Clarke	Bobby Orr	Jean Ratelle	Marcel Dionne
1977​	Phil Esposito	Bobby Clarke	Marcel Dionne	Guy Lafleur	Jean Ratelle
1978​	Guy Lafleur	Phil Esposito	Bobby Clarke	Marcel Dionne	Darryl Sittler
1979​	Guy Lafleur	Marcel Dionne	Bobby Clarke	Gilbert Perreault	Darryl Sittler
1980​	Guy Lafleur	Marcel Dionne	Bryan Trottier	Darryl Sittler	Gilbert Perreault
1981​	Marcel Dionne	Guy Lafleur	Bryan Trottier	Darryl Sittler	Gilbert Perreault
1982​	Marcel Dionne	Bryan Trottier	Mike Bossy	Guy Lafleur	Wayne Gretzky
1983​	Wayne Gretzky	Marcel Dionne	Mike Bossy	Bryan Trottier	Guy Lafleur
1984​	Wayne Gretzky	Mike Bossy	Marcel Dionne	Bryan Trottier	Peter Stastny
1985​	Wayne Gretzky	Mike Bossy	Peter Stastny	Marcel Dionne	Denis Savard
1986​	Wayne Gretzky	Mike Bossy	Peter Stastny	Paul Coffey	Jari Kurri
1987​	Wayne Gretzky	Jari Kurri	Mike Bossy	Paul Coffey	Peter Stastny
1988​	Wayne Gretzky	Jari Kurri	Dale Hawerchuk	Denis Savard	Peter Stastny
1989​	Wayne Gretzky	Mario Lemieux	Jari Kurri	Dale Hawerchuk	Denis Savard
1990​	Wayne Gretzky	Mario Lemieux	Jari Kurri	Mark Messier	Bernie Nicholls
1991​	Wayne Gretzky	Mario Lemieux	Steve Yzerman	Mark Messier	Bernie Nicholls
1992​	Wayne Gretzky	Mario Lemieux	Steve Yzerman	Luc Robitaille	Mark Messier
1993​	Wayne Gretzky	Mario Lemieux	Steve Yzerman	Brett Hull	Adam Oates
1994​	Wayne Gretzky	Adam Oates	Steve Yzerman	Brett Hull	Luc Robitaille
1995​	Wayne Gretzky	Adam Oates	Brett Hull	Mark Recchi	Steve Yzerman
1996​	Adam Oates	Mario Lemieux	Jaromir Jagr	Joe Sakic	Wayne Gretzky
1997​	Jaromir Jagr	Adam Oates	Mario Lemieux	Ron Francis	Pierre Turgeon
1998​	Jaromir Jagr	Wayne Gretzky	Ron Francis	Eric Lindros	Adam Oates
1999​	Jaromir Jagr	Teemu Selanne	Peter Forsberg	Eric Lindros	John LeClair
2000​	Jaromir Jagr	Teemu Selanne	John LeClair	Peter Forsberg	Joe Sakic
2001​	Jaromir Jagr	Teemu Selanne	Joe Sakic	Peter Forsberg	Mats Sundin
2002​	Jaromir Jagr	Joe Sakic	Alexei Yashin	Teemu Selanne	Mats Sundin
2003​	Jaromir Jagr	Joe Sakic	Mike Modano	Markus Naslund	Alexei Yashin
2004​	Jaromir Jagr	Joe Sakic	Markus Naslund	Mats Sundin	Joe Thornton
2006​	Jaromir Jagr	Joe Thornton	Markus Naslund	Joe Sakic	Daniel Alfredsson
2007​	Joe Thornton	Jaromir Jagr	Marian Hossa	Daniel Alfredsson	Markus Naslund
2008​	Joe Thornton	Jaromir Jagr	Daniel Alfredsson	Marian Hossa	Vincent Lecavalier
2009​	Joe Thornton	Ilya Kovalchuk	Pavel Datsyuk	Daniel Alfredsson	Jarome Iginla
2010​	Alex Ovechkin	Joe Thornton	Sidney Crosby	Dany Heatley	Pavel Datsyuk
2011​	Alex Ovechkin	Sidney Crosby	Martin St. Louis	Joe Thornton	Henrik Sedin
2012​	Alex Ovechkin	Henrik Sedin	Evgeni Malkin	Martin St. Louis	Joe Thornton
2013​	Alex Ovechkin	Henrik Sedin	Martin St. Louis	Steven Stamkos	Daniel Sedin
2014​	Martin St. Louis	Alex Ovechkin	Henrik Sedin	Steven Stamkos	Sidney Crosby
2015​	Claude Giroux	Alex Ovechkin	Steven Stamkos	Martin St. Louis	John Tavares
2016​	Claude Giroux	Sidney Crosby	Patrick Kane	Alex Ovechkin	Jamie Benn
2017​	Sidney Crosby	Patrick Kane	Nicklas Backstrom	Jamie Benn	Alex Ovechkin
2018​	Sidney Crosby	Patrick Kane	Jamie Benn	Alex Ovechkin	Claude Giroux
2019​	Sidney Crosby	Patrick Kane	Nikita Kucherov	Alex Ovechkin	Blake Wheeler
2020​	Connor McDavid	Patrick Kane	Nikita Kucherov	Brad Marchand	Artemi Panarin
2021​	Connor McDavid	Leon Draisaitl	Brad Marchand	Patrick Kane	Nathan MacKinnon
2022​	Connor McDavid	Leon Draisaitl	Nathan MacKinnon	Patrick Kane	Brad Marchand
2023​	Connor McDavid	Leon Draisaitl	Nathan MacKinnon	Artemi Panarin	Mitch Marner
2024​	Connor McDavid	Leon Draisaitl	Nathan MacKinnon	Artemi Panarin	Auston Matthews

Some important disclaimers relating to the table:

• This was a very difficult report to generate. It took a few tries to fix some recurring errors. Although I spot-checked the results, I haven't looked at each line, so it's possible there are further errors - let me know if anything looks off.
• I haven't attempted to break any ties. A player could be tied for 2nd, but shown as 4th. Or they could be tied for 5th, but not shown at all (for example, Tavares and Crosby were tied for 5th in the five year period ending 2015, and the output happened to list Tavares first). I can't find an easy way to fix this.
• I started in 1931 because that's five years after the NHL absorbed its rival leagues (so 1931 is the end of the first five year period with all North American talent in one league).
• The tables are based on seasons, not calendar years (so for example 2008 includes 2003 to 2008 even though it's six calendar years).

 

[Hockey Outsider]

Most years leading the league (over five year period)

Wayne Gretzky	13​
Gordie Howe	9​
Jaromir Jagr	9​
Phil Esposito	7​
Connor McDavid	5​
Stan Mikita	5​
Bill Cowley	4​
Alex Ovechkin	4​
Andy Bathgate	3​
Sidney Crosby	3​
Joe Thornton	3​
Guy Lafleur	3​
Howie Morenz	3​
Bill Cook	2​
Sweeney Schriner	2​
Charlie Conacher	2​
Maurice Richard	2​
Marcel Dionne	2​
Claude Giroux	2​
Jean Beliveau	2​

Most years in the top three (over five year period)

Gordie Howe	18​
Wayne Gretzky	14​
Jaromir Jagr	12​
Maurice Richard	10​
Phil Esposito	9​
Bobby Hull	8​
Bill Cowley	7​
Mario Lemieux	7​
Marcel Dionne	7​
Stan Mikita	7​
Ted Lindsay	7​
Andy Bathgate	7​
Bill Cook	6​
Sidney Crosby	6​
Mike Bossy	6​
Jean Beliveau	6​
Alex Ovechkin	6​
Bobby Orr	5​
Patrick Kane	5​
Connor McDavid	5​
Bobby Clarke	5​
Marty Barry	5​
Frank Boucher	5​
Howie Morenz	5​
Joe Thornton	5​
Guy Lafleur	4​
Steve Yzerman	4​
Adam Oates	4​
Jari Kurri	4​
Toe Blake	4​
Busher Jackson	4​
Doug Bentley	4​
Joe Sakic	4​
Leon Draisaitl	4​
Nathan MacKinnon	3​
Elmer Lach	3​
Charlie Conacher	3​
Henrik Sedin	3​
Teemu Selanne	3​
Bryan Trottier	3​
Martin St. Louis	3​

Most years in the top five (over five year period)

Gordie Howe	20​
Wayne Gretzky	16​
Maurice Richard	12​
Jaromir Jagr	12​
Bobby Hull	10​
Phil Esposito	10​
Marcel Dionne	10​
Alex Ovechkin	10​
Ted Lindsay	9​
Bill Cowley	8​
Stan Mikita	8​
Andy Bathgate	8​
Joe Thornton	8​
Jean Beliveau	8​
Toe Blake	7​
Guy Lafleur	7​
Patrick Kane	7​
Frank Boucher	7​
Sidney Crosby	7​
Mario Lemieux	7​
Joe Sakic	7​
Nels Stewart	7​
Bobby Orr	6​
Mike Bossy	6​
Adam Oates	6​
Elmer Lach	6​
Bill Cook	6​
Jean Ratelle	6​
Marty Barry	5​
Busher Jackson	5​
Bryan Trottier	5​
Doug Bentley	5​
Martin St. Louis	5​
Bernie Geoffrion	5​
Norm Ullman	5​
Howie Morenz	5​
Peter Stastny	5​
Jari Kurri	5​
Steve Yzerman	5​
Bobby Clarke	5​
Connor McDavid	5​

I think it's obvious, but to state this for the record - no, not every five year period is the same. The tables above don't take into account the size of the talent pool, the existence of any talent "vacuums" (ie WWII, WHA), whether Gretzky hogs the top spot for a decade, etc.

 

[MadLuke]

St-Louis being able to do it during his 33-38 season can be a sign of an easier window here (because of Malkin-Crosby-Stamkos game missed opening the door).

Because we saw the 10 years not really surprised, Kane-Oates look good, Kanes loose a win but still look strong.

Stastny and Hawerchuck loose the second only to Gretzky nice trivia, is Backstrom the one that gain the most from this exercise in modern days ? LeClair is an other one I could have missed 2 weeks ago, but when I looked for Selanne result I saw him in that top 3 of that window, he look good.


2 that could win a lot in the eye of some are Modano-Sundin, their individual season Top 10 finish maybe does not pop-up, but they were always solid and look really good over stretch of time.