Wayne Gretzky and Connor McDavid
Dylan Larkin, the Red Wings’ active leading scorer, could play for Detroit until he’s 52 and he still wouldn’t overtake Gordie Howe as the franchise’s all-time point producer. It’s just not going to happen.
But maybe … maybe … Connor McDavid has a shot at passing Wayne Gretzky’s point mark in Edmonton? Did we really just say that?
Here are the all-time point leaders and active point leaders for the NHL’s 31 teams:
ANAHEIM DUCKS
All-time point leader: Teemu Selanne (988 points)
Active point leader: Ryan Getzlaf (971 points)
Getzlaf’s productivity has slowed significantly, but he should be able to pass Selanne before the end of the season. The 35-year-old Ducks captain has a chance to become Anaheim’s first 1,000-point player, although his contract is up at the end of the 2020-21 campaign and he’s unlikely to get there before then. Defenseman Cam Fowler is the Ducks’ second-leading active scorer with 306 points.
ARIZONA COYOTES
All-time point leader: Shane Doan (972 points)
Active point leader: Oliver Ekman-Larsson (368 points)
Ekman-Larson is one of five defensemen who’s the active scoring leader for their franchise, but Doan’s record is safe for the foreseeable future. Clayton Keller is the Coyotes’ second-leading active scorer with 169 points.
BOSTON BRUINS
All-time point leader: Ray Bourque (1,506 points)
Active point leader: Patrice Bergeron (887 points)
It’s no surprise to see Bourque in the all-time top spot for the Bruins, and it’s no surprise to see Bergeron as the active leader. David Krejci (696 points) and Brad Marchand (664 points) are next behind Bergeron on the active list, but 24-year-old David Pastrnak (390 points) is probably the one to watch.
BUFFALO SABRES
All-time point leader: Gilbert Perreault (1,326 points)
Active point leader: Jack Eichel (350 points)
Perreault is more than 500 points ahead of the Sabres’ second all-time leading scorer (Dave Andreychuk, 804 points), so Eichel has his work cut out for him. Sam Reinhart is the Sabres’ second-leading active scorer with 265 points.
CALGARY FLAMES
All-time point leader: Jarome Iginla (1,095 points)
Active point leader: Mark Giordano (492 points)
Giordano is a 37-year-old defenseman, so he’s not going to get close to Iginla’s mark. Johnny Gaudreau (462 points), on the other hand, is a 27-year-old winger. If he stays in Calgary long-term, he could take a run at the record.
CAROLINA HURRICANES
All-time point leader: Ron Francis (1,175 points)
Active point leader: Jordan Staal (304 points)
Jordan Staal actually isn’t even Carolina’s highest-scoring active Staal – brother Eric had 775 points for the franchise before moving on. Jordan, however, can lay claim as the Canes’ most prolific member who’s still with the team. Not for long, though: Sebastian Aho (279 points) is catching up fast.
CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS
All-time point leader: Stan Mikita (1,467 points)
Active point leader: Patrick Kane (1,048 points)
Kane’s a good bet to surpass Denis Savard (1,096 points), Bobby Hull (1,153 points) and perhaps even Mikita for Chicago’s career scoring crown. Jonathan Toews is the Blackhawks’ second-leading active scorer with 815 points.
COLORADO AVALANCHE
All-time point leader: Joe Sakic (1,641 points)
Active point leader: Nathan MacKinnon (513 points)
MacKinnon’s a scoring machine, but he’s a pile of points behind Sakic. The Avs’ active leading scorer might have to be satisfied with one day joining Sakic and Peter Stastny (1,048 points) on the 1,000-point plateau. Gabriel Landeskog is the Avalanche’s second-leading active scorer with 468 points.
COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS
All-time point leader: Rick Nash (510 points)
Active point leader: Cam Atkinson (382 points)
Cam Atkinson, Columbus’ all-time leading scorer? He’s under contract for four more years after this season, so he’s definitely got Nash in his sights. Team captain Nick Foligno is the Blue Jackets’ second-leading active scorer – and third all-time – with 328 points.
DALLAS STARS
All-time point leader: Mike Modano (1,359 points)
Active point leader: Jamie Benn (695 points)
Nobody’s coming close to Modano’s total in Dallas anytime soon. Benn’s running mate Tyler Seguin is the Stars’ second-leading active scorer with 514 points.
DETROIT RED WINGS
All-time point leader: Gordie Howe (1,809 points)
Active point leader: Dylan Larkin (277 points)
Nobody in NHL history has more points for one franchise than Howe had for the Wings – and Mr. Hockey’s mark is not in jeopardy. Not even close. Darren Helm is the Red Wings’ second-leading active scorer with 243 points.
EDMONTON OILERS
All-time point leader: Wayne Gretzky (1,669 points)
Active point leader: Connor McDavid (506 points)
Crazy as it sounds, it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility that McDavid one day passes Gretzky for the Oilers’ all-time scoring lead. He’d have to remain in Edmonton for, oh, another decade or so – and stay healthy and keep racking 100-point seasons – but it’s, like, possible. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is the Oilers’ second-leading active scorer with 461 points, with Leon Draisaitl right behind him at 452.
FLORIDA PANTHERS
All-time point leader: Jonathan Huberdeau (459 points)
Active point leader: Jonathan Huberdeau (459 points)
Huberdeau is one of five active players who’s already the all-time scoring leader for their franchise, while teammate Aleksander Barkov (425 points) recently passed Olli Jokinen (419 points) for the runner-up position.
LOS ANGELES KINGS
All-time point leader: Marcel Dionne (1,307 points)
Active point leader: Anze Kopitar (971 points)
Kopitar, 33, will likely be the NHL’s next 1,000-point scorer, but Dionne’s place at the top of the L.A.’s list looks secure. Dustin Brown is the Kings’ second-leading active scorer with 667 points.
MINNESOTA WILD
All-time point leader: Mikko Koivu (709 points)
Active point leader: Zach Parise (388 points)
Things didn’t work out during his abbreviated seven-game stint in Columbus, but Koivu left a lasting legacy in Minnesota. Ryan Suter is the Wild’s second-leading active scorer with 356 points.
MONTREAL CANADIENS
All-time point leader: Guy Lafleur (1,246 points)
Active point leader: Brendan Gallagher (344 points)
Gallagher sits 41st on the Habs’ all-time scoring list, so he’s got his work cut out for him. It’s surprising to see defenseman Jeff Petry as the Canadiens’ second-leading active scorer with 194 points (which ranks 81st on Montreal all-time).
NASHVILLE PREDATORS
All-time point leader: David Legwand (566 points)
Active point leader: Roman Josi (421 points)
Legwand was the Preds’ first-ever draft pick when they selected him second overall in 1998, and he’s withstood the test of time. Josi should pass him in a few years, but second-leading active scorer Filip Forsberg (368 points) might be the one who eventually ends up on top.
NEW JERSEY DEVILS
All-time point leader: Patrik Elias (1,025 points)
Active point leader: Travis Zajac (534 points)
It’s been speculated that Elias’ career total would translate to about 1,200 points had he played for a less defensive team during his career. But he didn’t, so here we are. Zajac turns 36 in May, so he might reach 600 but that’s about it. Kyle Palmieri is the Devils’ second-leading active scorer with 256 points.
NEW YORK ISLANDERS
All-time point leader: Bryan Trottier (1,353 points)
Active point leader: Josh Bailey (485 points)
Bailey actually trails John Tavares (621 points) on the Isles’ list, but Bailey remains on Long Island while Tavares has moved on, so it’s Bailey who gets the New York glory. Team captain Anders Lee is the Isles’ second-leading active scorer with 311 points.
NEW YORK RANGERS
All-time point leader: Rod Gilbert (1,021 points)
Active point leader: Chris Kreider (322 points)
It’s a similar situation on New York’s other team. Derek Stepan (360 points) and Mats Zuccarello (352) had more points for the Rangers than Kreider’s total, but they’re suiting up elsewhere while Kreider remains a Blueshirt. Mika Zibanejad is the Rangers’ second-leading active scorer with 237 points.
OTTAWA SENATORS
All-time point leader: Daniel Alfredsson (1,108 points)
Active point leader: Thomas Chabot (128 points)
There are actually 11 active NHL players with more points for the Sens than Chabot, but they’ve all left Ottawa while he remains. It’s kind of amazing, really, that a defenseman who just turned 24 is the team’s leading active scorer, but that’s what happens when you blow it all up and go full rebuild. Ryan Dzingel, recently traded back to Ottawa, is the Senators’ second-leading active scorer with 126 points.
PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
All-time point leader: Bobby Clarke (1,210 points)
Active point leader: Claude Giroux (826 points)
Giroux, 33, should eventually crack the 1,000-point plateau, but Clarke’s perch atop Philadelphia’s scoring list seems secure. Jakub Voracek is the Flyers’ second-leading active scorer with 573 points.
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
All-time point leader: Mario Lemieux (1,723 points)
Active point leader: Sidney Crosby (1,278 points)
Pittsburgh joins Original Six teams Chicago and Detroit as the only NHL franchises with four 1,000-point scorers. Lemieux and Crosby are joined by Evgeni Malkin (1,086 points) and Jaromir Jagr (1,079 points). The question is obvious: can Crosby, 33, catch Lemieux? Never say never, but ‘The Kid’ who just played his 1,000th NHL game would need a big finish to this season and then reel off five more 80-point campaigns.
SAN JOSE SHARKS
All-time point leader: Patrick Marleau (1,106 points)
Active point leader: Patrick Marleau (1,106 points)
Marleau beats out Joe Thornton (1,055 points) for San Jose’s all-time top spot, and he holds a decided edge over Logan Couture (561 points) and defenseman Brent Burns (518 points), the Sharks’ second- and third-leading active scorers, respectively.
ST. LOUIS BLUES
All-time point leader: Bernie Federko (1,073 points)
Active point leader: Vladimir Tarasenko (428 points)
Federko was a great playmaker, but that’s sometimes forgotten because his career overlapped with greatest playmaker of all-time. Still, he piled up enough assists to lead all Blues players in all-time scoring. Tarasenko and Jaden Schwartz (373 points) have a long way to go.
TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING
All-time point leader: Martin St-Louis (953 points)
Active point leader: Steven Stamkos (847 points)
Stamkos passed Vincent Lecavalier for Tampa Bay’s all-time goal lead a couple years ago, and now he’s got St-Louis in his sights for point supremacy. Nikita Kucherov is the Lightning’s second-leading active scorer with 547 points.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
All-time point leader: Mats Sundin (987 points)
Active point leader: Mitch Marner (321 points)
Marner is 23 and so is Auston Matthews (314 points). It’s not difficult to envision one of them – or both – becoming the first Leaf(s) to reach 1,000 points.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS
All-time point leader: Henrik Sedin (1,070 points)
Active point leader: Alexander Edler (405 points)
Edler’s on the verge of moving into Vancouver’s all-time top 10 in scoring – he’s two points behind 10th-place Don Lever – but that’s probably as high as he’ll go. Bo Horvat is the Canucks’ second-leading active scorer with 290 points, but keep an eye on 22-year-old Elias Pettersson (146 points).
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
All-time point leader: Jonathan Marchessault (193 points)
Active point leader: Jonathan Marchessault (193 points)
It’s Marchessault by a nose over William Karlsson (190 points) for bragging rights on the NHL’s four-year-old franchise on The Strip.
WASHINGTON CAPITALS
All-time point leader: Alex Ovechkin (1,292 points)
Active point leader: Alex Ovechkin (1,292 points)
Ovechkin and sidekick center Nicklas Backstrom (947 points) rank 1-2 on Washington’s all-time list, with Petr Bondra (825 points), Mike Gartner (789 points) and Michal Pivonka (599 points) rounding out the top five.
WINNIPEG JETS
All-time point leader: Blake Wheeler (665 points)
Active point leader: Blake Wheeler (665 points)
It was weird when Ilya Kovalchuk (615 points) was Winnipeg’s all-time leading scorer, considering the ex-Atlanta Thrashers star had never actually played for the Jets. But Wheeler has made things right by taking over the top spot. Mark Scheifele is the Jets’ second-leading active scorer with 467 points.
