NHL Records: Most Goals in an NHL Season

Originally posted on NHL Rumors | By Mark Easson | Last updated 4/18/24

Today’s NHL is very different from the 1980s, but it is still impressive that Wayne Gretzky scored 92 goals in the 1980-81 season. It is the record most goals in an NHL season. A record that still stands today and may be one of the unbreakable Gretzky records.

With the regular season ending, Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews fell one goal short of becoming the first player to score 70 goals since the 1992-93 season.

That year, Teemu Selanne of the Winnipeg Jets and Alexander Mogilny of the Buffalo Sabres each scored 76 goals.

Matthews played in all 82 games, tried, and had chances in the final two games to hit 70. He probably should have gotten it. However, he ties Mario Lemieux and Mike Bossy for the most goals in a season.

Alex Ovechkin had the most in the modern game, with 65 goals, and Connor McDavid was right behind him at 64.

Wayne Gretzky scored over 60 goals five times, with his best being 92 goals. He also had an 87-goal campaign as well. Mario Lemieux accomplished the feat four times. Lemieux’s best was 85 goals in the 1988-89 season.

Rk	Name	Season	GP	G	ESG	PPG	SHG	G/GP	Shots	SH%
1	Wayne Gretzky	1981‑82	80	92	68	18	6	1.15	370	0.249
2	Wayne Gretzky	1983‑84	74	87	55	20	12	1.176	326	0.267
3	Brett Hull	1990‑91	78	86	57	29	0	1.103	389	0.221
4	Mario Lemieux	1988‑89	76	85	41	31	13	1.118	313	0.272
T5	Alexander Mogilny	1992‑93	77	76	49	27	0	0.987	360	0.211
	Phil Esposito	1970‑71	78	76	51	24	1	0.974	550	0.138
	Teemu Selänne	1992‑93	84	76	52	24	0	0.905	387	0.196
8	Wayne Gretzky	1984‑85	80	73	54	8	11	0.913	354	0.206
9	Brett Hull	1989‑90	80	72	45	27	0	0.9	385	0.187
T10	Jari Kurri	1984‑85	73	71	54	14	3	0.973	267	0.266
	Wayne Gretzky	1982‑83	80	71	47	18	6	0.888	343	0.207
T12	Brett Hull	1991‑92	73	70	45	20	5	0.959	408	0.172
	Mario Lemieux	1987‑88	77	70	38	22	10	0.909	382	0.183
	Bernie Nicholls	1988‑89	79	70	41	21	8	0.886	385	0.182
T15	Mario Lemieux	1992‑93	60	69	47	16	6	1.15	286	0.241
	Mario Lemieux	1995‑96	70	69	30	31	8	0.986	338	0.204
	Mike Bossy	1978‑79	80	69	42	27	0	0.863	279	0.247
	Auston Matthews	2023‑24	81	69	51	18	0	0.852	369	0.187
T19	Phil Esposito	1973‑74	78	68	50	14	4	0.872	393	0.173
	Jari Kurri	1985‑86	78	68	46	16	6	0.872	236	0.288
	Mike Bossy	1980‑81	79	68	38	28	2	0.861	315	0.216
T22	Phil Esposito	1971‑72	76	66	37	27	2	0.868	426	0.155
	Lanny McDonald	1982‑83	80	66	49	17	0	0.825	275	0.24
T24	Steve Yzerman	1988‑89	80	65	45	17	3	0.813	388	0.168
	Alexander Ovechkin	2007‑08	82	65	43	22	0	0.793	446	0.146

** Stats taken from QuantHockey

Wayne Gretzky has appeared in the top 10 for most goals in a season three times, and Brett Hull has been in the top 10 twice. The offensive output back then compared to now is remarkable.

However, the game is heading in that direction again with Matthews, McDavid, Nikita Kucherov, and the list goes on.

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NHL Records: Most Goals in an NHL Season

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