By The Numbers: Recapping the year of the goal scorer
Published
A total of 19 players hit the 40-goal mark in the National Hockey League in 2022-23, the most in any season in nearly 30 years.
The last time the league saw more players reach the milestone was back in 1993-94, when 23 players hit the plateau, led by Pavel Bure at 60 goals.
With an additional four players falling just shy of 40 goals with 39, it's safe to reflect on the 2022-23 campaign as the year of the goal scorer – at least in this millennium.
Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid won his first Rocket Richard Trophy last season with 64 goals, topping Boston Bruins winger David Pastrnak, who hit the 60-goal mark as well with 61.
The last time two players hit the 60-goal mark was way back in 1995-96, when Mario Lemieux had 69 goals and his Pittsburgh Penguins teammate Jaromir Jagr finished second with 62.
Three other players topped the 50-goal mark last season, led by Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen at 55. He was followed by Oilers centre Leon Draisaitl at 52 and Tampa Bay Lightning centre Brayden Point at 51. Five players topping 50 had not happened since 2005-06, when Jonathan Cheechoo led the league with 56 goals.
The 40-goal surge followed a trend from 2021-22, when 17 players scored 40 goals as the league’s goals per team per game shot back up above three after a dip in the shortened 2020-21 season.
The 2022-23 season saw goal totals boosted by a variety of factors, including the highest power-play success rate since the 1985-86 season at a 21.31 per cent league-wide. Teams also averaged more than three power-play opportunities a game for the first time in five years.
Goaltenders suffered as scorers thrived last season, with the league average save percentage dropping to .904 - the lowest mark since 2005-06.
NHL Goal Breakdown - Since 2004-05 Lockout
| Season | Goals per team per game | PP% | PP per game | PK% | SV% | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022-23 | 3.18 | 21.31 | 3.07 | 78.69 | .904 | 2.97 |
| 2021-22 | 3.14 | 20.61 | 2.89 | 79.39 | .907 | 2.92 |
| 2020-21 | 2.94 | 19.78 | 2.89 | 80.22 | .908 | 2.74 |
| 2019-20 | 3.02 | 20.03 | 2.97 | 79.97 | .910 | 2.82 |
| 2018-19 | 3.01 | 19.78 | 2.92 | 80.22 | .910 | 2.81 |
| 2017-18 | 2.97 | 20.18 | 3.04 | 79.82 | .912 | 2.78 |
| 2016-17 | 2.77 | 19.10 | 2.99 | 80.90 | .913 | 2.59 |
| 2015-16 | 2.71 | 18.66 | 3.11 | 81.34 | .915 | 2.51 |
| 2014-15 | 2.73 | 18.66 | 3.06 | 81.34 | .915 | 2.52 |
| 2013-14 | 2.74 | 17.89 | 3.27 | 82.11 | .914 | 2.56 |
| 2012-13 | 2.72 | 18.22 | 3.32 | 81.78 | .912 | 2.54 |
| 2011-12 | 2.73 | 17.31 | 3.31 | 82.69 | .914 | 2.54 |
| 2010-11 | 2.79 | 18.02 | 3.54 | 81.98 | .913 | 2.61 |
| 2009-10 | 2.84 | 18.23 | 3.71 | 81.77 | .911 | 2.66 |
| 2008-09 | 2.91 | 18.95 | 4.16 | 81.05 | .908 | 2.73 |
| 2007-08 | 2.78 | 17.75 | 4.28 | 82.25 | .909 | 2.61 |
| 2006-07 | 2.95 | 17.58 | 4.85 | 82.42 | .905 | 2.77 |
| 2005-06 | 3.08 | 17.68 | 5.85 | 82.32 | .901 | 2.92 |
Along with the Oilers duo of McDavid and Draisaitl, the Avalanche (Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon), New Jersey Devils (Jack Hughes and in-season addition Timo Meier), Florida Panthers (Carter Verhaeghe and Matthew Tkachuk), and Toronto Maple Leafs (Auston Matthews and William Nylander) all had two players hit the 40-goal mark last season.
The Vancouver Canucks fell just shy of joining that list, with Elias Pettersson and Andrei Kuzmenko among the players to stall at 39 goals.
The puck drops on the 2023-24 season on Oct. 10 and goaltenders could be under siege again if the trends from last season continue into this year.