Kukla's Korner Hockey

Kukla's Korner Hockey

Numbers After 946 Games Played By NHL Teams This Season

02/22/2020 at 6:46am EST

via the NHL PR department,

By the Numbers: Entering the final quarter of the 2019-20 NHL regular season, with comparative stats through 946 games. The 2019-20 regular season will reach the three-quarter mark midway through Saturday’s schedule.

5,736 – Goals scored (including shootout-deciding goals) for an average of 6.1 per game – on pace to mark the first instance of back-to-back campaigns each averaging at least six goals per game at season’s end since 1994-95 (6.0) and 1995-96 (6.3).

4,346 – Even-strength goals scored (not including shootout-deciding goals). Over three-quarters of all goals scored in regulation/overtime have been at even strength (76.8%; 4,346 of 5,660); the last season to feature at least 77% at this stage was 1977-78 (77.3%; 3,668 of 4,747).

2,058 – Goals scored by players age 24 or younger (not including shootout-deciding goals), including 43 apiece by 23-year-old Bruins forward David Pastrnak (43-43—86 in 62 GP) and 22-year-old Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (43-30—73 in 62 GP) who share the most in the NHL. Each of the last 13 NHL seasons excluding 2012-13 have now featured at least 2,000 goals scored by players age 24 or younger.

670 – Games decided by a one-goal margin or multiple goals with at least one empty netter, accounting for 70.8% of all games contested in 2019-20.

402 – Games won by a team who trailed by at least one goal, the third-most comeback wins through 946 games in NHL history.

220 – Games that have required overtime, equating to over one-fifth of all contests (23.3%).

194 – Games which featured at least one team erasing a multi-goal deficit (regardless of result), representing over one-fifth of all contests (20.5%).

178 – Shorthanded goals scored, the most at this stage since 2008-09 (188).

161 – Third-period comeback wins, the fourth-most in NHL history through 946 games.

131 – Points Oilers forward Leon Draisaitl (35-62—97 in 61 GP) is on pace to conclude the season with, which would be three more than Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov in 2018-19 (41-87—128 in 82 GP) and the most in a campaign since 1995-96 when the Penguins tandem of Mario Lemieux (69-92—161 in 70 GP) and Jaromir Jagr (62-87—149 in 82 GP) combined for the feat. The last Edmonton player to record as many in a season was Wayne Gretzky in 1987-88 (40-109—149 in 64 GP).

113 – Multi-goal comeback wins, equating to 12.0% of all games. The 2019-20 campaign is on pace to conclude with 152, which would shatter the League record for most through an entire regular season set in 2018-19 (138).

92 – Combined points by Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes (8-39—47 in 59 GP) and Avalanche blueliner Cale Makar (12-33—45 in 52 GP), who are separated by just two atop the rookie scoring race. Only two seasons in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) have concluded with a defenseman leading all rookies in scoring (outright or tied): 1966-67 (Bobby Orr: 13-28—41 in 61 GP) and 1988-89 (Brian Leetch: 23-48—71 in 68 GP).


86 – Years since a season concluded with players from Toronto and Boston ranking first and second in goals (outright or tied); Maple Leafs forward Charlie Conacher (1st; 32-20—52 in 42 GP) and Bruins forward Marty Barry (2nd; 27-12—39 in 48 GP) combined for the feat in 1933-34.

74 – Years since a Maple Leafs player has concluded a season leading the NHL in goals (Gaye Stewart in 1945-46: 37-15—52 in 50 GP).

70 – Points by Washington’s John Carlson (15-55—70 in 60 GP), tops among all defensemen this season and the most by any blueliner through 60 games played in a season since 1993-94 (Boston's Ray Bourque: 16-55—71; New York's Sergei Zubov: 11-59—70).

58 – Years since a season concluded with a player age 23 or younger and a player age 34 or older among the two highest goal scorers (outright or tied); 23-year-old Bobby Hull (1st; 50-34—84 in 70 GP) and 34-year-old Gordie Howe (t-2nd; 33-44—77 in 70 GP) in 1961-62 marked the last instance. Alex Ovechkin (age 34) ranks third in goals behind David Pastrnak (age 23) and Auston Matthews (age 22).

45 – Years since a Bruins player has concluded a season leading the NHL in goals (Phil Esposito in 1974-75: 61-66—127 in 79 GP).

40 – Wins by a team that trailed by multiple goals in the third period, the highest total in NHL history through 946 games in a season. The League record for most through an entire regular season is 49, set in 2009-10.

32 – League-leading win total by 25-year-old Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who also paced the NHL in 2018-19 (39; outright) and 2017-18 (44; tied with Connor Hellebuyck). He can become the second goaltender in League history to lead the NHL in wins (outright or tied) in three or more seasons before age 26, joining Terry Sawchuk from 1950-51 to 1954-55 (5x).

32 – Instances of a team recording a win streak of five-plus games, including three double-digit runs achieved by the Islanders from Oct. 12 – Nov. 5, 2019 (10-0-0) and Lightning from Dec. 23, 2019 – Jan. 11, 2020 (10-0-0) as well as Jan. 29 – Feb. 17, 2020 (11-0-0).

25 – Goals scored by Blackhawks forward Dominik Kubalik (25-13—38 in 59 GP), tops among all rookies. He is on pace to conclude 2019-20 with 35, which would be the third-most in a season by a Chicago rookie behind Steve Larmer in 1982-83 (43-47—90 in 80 GP) and Darryl Sutter in 1980-81 (40-22—62 in 76 GP).

23 – Teams either occupying or within six points of a playoff spot, including eight clubs who did not reach the 2019 postseason (Arizona, Chicago, Edmonton, Florida, Minnesota, NY Rangers, Philadelphia and Vancouver).

20 – Wins by a team that trailed by three or more goals, 10 back of the League record for most through an entire regular season set in 1989-90 (30). Ten of the three-goal comeback wins have occurred in the third period, tied with 1983-84 for the second-most in an entire campaign behind 2006-07 (12).

18 – Goals by Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski (18-18—36 in 55 GP), tops among all blueliners. The last defenseman with as many through 55 games played in a season was San Jose’s Brent Burns in 2016-17 (22-35—57).

17 – Points which separated the Bruins (20-3-6, 46 points) and Lightning (13-10-3, 29 points) on Dec. 7, 2019. The reigning Presidents’ Trophy winners have reeled off a League-leading 27-6-2 (56 points) record since then to close the gap to just five.

13 – Points which separated the Capitals (23-5-5, 51 points) and Penguins (17-10-4, 38 points) on Dec. 12, 2019. Pittsburgh (37-16-6, 80 points) has gone 20-6-2 (42 points) since then to pass Washington (37-17-6, 80 points) for first place in the Metropolitan Division standings.

12 – Players each with 70 or more points, with 10 different teams represented among that cohort.

12 – Points separating all eight teams occupying a playoff spot in the Western Conference standings. Since 1981-82 when the playoff format has continuously featured eight qualifiers in both conferences, only one season has concluded with all eight postseason-bound teams in a conference separated by 10 points or fewer (Eastern in 2007-08).

10 – Shutouts recorded by rookies, including five by Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins which leads all netminders. Only two seasons in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) have concluded with a rookie leading all goaltenders in shutouts (outright or tied): 1969-70 (Tony Esposito: 15) and 2008-09 (Steve Mason: 10).

10 – Players with 30 or more goals, including eight age 24 or younger.

9 – Goals required by Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (699-570—1,269 in 1,143 GP) to simultaneously tie longtime Washington forward Mike Gartner (708-627—1,335 in 1,432 GP) for seventh place on the NHL’s all-time list and record his ninth career 50-goal season – which would match Mike Bossy and Wayne Gretzky for the most in League history.

6 – Teams that occupy a playoff spot or are within three points of one after making an in-season head coaching change. Two of the last four Stanley Cup champions have featured a head coach who took over the reins midseason: St. Louis in 2019 (Craig Berube) and Pittsburgh in 2016 (Mike Sullivan).

5 – Instances of a team overcoming a deficit of four-plus goals to win a game, tied with 1983-84 and 1985-86 for the most through an entire regular season in NHL history.

5 – The most standings points separating the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds in all divisions.

4 – Points separating the top five teams in the Pacific Division standings. No regular season in NHL history has featured the top five teams in a single division finishing the campaign separated by so few points. The closest such finish occurred 50 years ago, in 1969-70; the East Division's top five teams were separated by five points on April 3, two days prior to the end of the season. The season-ending gap from first to fifth was seven points.

0 – Seasons in NHL history which have featured each of the four highest-scoring players all being under the age of 25 at its conclusion. Will 2019-20 be the first?

Create an Account

In order to leave a comment, please create an account.

About Kukla's Korner Hockey

Paul Kukla founded Kukla’s Korner in 2005 and the site has since become the must-read site on the ‘net for all the latest happenings around the NHL.

From breaking news to in-depth stories around the league, KK Hockey is updated with fresh stories all day long and will bring you the latest news as quickly as possible.

Email Paul anytime at [email protected]