from Ed Burmila of Deadspin,

The number of NHL players on pace to score 100 or more points this season—12, as of the all-star break—is equal to the total number of 100-point scorers in the last 19 seasons combined. Beyond that dozen, more elite offensive players could make a run at 100 if they heat up down the stretch—guys like Alex Ovechkin and Steven Stamkos.

Goals per game are up leaguewide, but the return of the 100-point scorer is outpacing even that. The last single season with 12 different 100-point scorers was so long ago (1995–96) that there was still one guy playing without a helmet.

How hot are the NHL’s top scorers this year? Nikita Kucherov has an outside chance at posting 100 assists. He’s on pace to score 131 points, which would make him the first player in over 20 years to cross that line (Mario Lemieux, 161, and Jaromir Jagr, 149, both in 1995–96). Guys like Mikko Rantanen, Johnny Gaudreau, and Connor McDavid are likely to approach 120.

If the goal was to erase memories of the Dead-Puck Era, the NHL succeeded.

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