Hockey fans have been treated to a lot of scoring and excitement so far this NHL season and there’s still plenty more action on the way.
A good majority of the league’s Top 50 scorers head into the break averaging just under or just over a point per game and are on pace to having career seasons across the board. Nine of the 50 players in the NHL point race right now have already surpassed last year’s point total, while a handful of players are a point or two away from topping last year’s numbers.
Nathan MacKinnon
The Colorado Avalanche centreman has been playing like a man possessed this season. Not only does he have 24 goals and 60 points through 48 games, but he’s one goal away and four assists away from setting career-highs across the board.
Last year’s totals – GP: 82 G: 16 A: 37 P: 53
This year’s totals – GP: 48 G: 24 A: 36 P: 60
Steven Stamkos
This one isn’t very surprising considering Steven Stamkos only played 17 games last season, but that doesn’t mean he gets excluded from this list. Through 49 games, Stamkos has 18 goals and 40 assists for 58 points for the NHL-leading Tampa Bay Lightning.
Last year’s totals - GP: 17 G: 9 A: 11 P: 20
This year’s totals - GP: 49 G: 18 A: 40 P: 58
Sean Couturier
The Philadelphia Flyers experienced a brutal stretch early on in the season when they dropped 10 straight games, but now they’re sitting in a playoff spot thanks to a lot of their players turning it on. One guy who has really helped the Flyers this season is Sean Couturier. His career-high 26 goals leads the team and he has 23 assists for 49 points in 49 games.
Last year’s totals - GP: 66 G: 14 A: 20 P: 34
This year’s totals - GP: 49 G: 26 A: 23 P: 49
Mikko Rantanen
Mikko Rantanen had a pretty impressive rookie campaign considering he played on a pretty bad Colorado Avalanche team and he’s showing no signs of a sophomore slump this season. The 21-year-old currently sits tied for second in goals and sits second in assists and points on the Avalanche.
Last year’s totals – GP: 75 G: 20 A: 18 P: 38
This year’s totals – GP: 48 G: 17 A: 30 P: 47
Jonathan Huberdeau
Jonathan Huberdeau is dealing with a similar situation as Steven Stamkos since he had last season cut short due to injuries, but he’s come out firing this year and has been showing why he was a top 3 pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft as he leads the team in assists and points.
Last year’s totals – GP: 31 G: 10 A: 16 P: 26
This year’s totals – GP: 47 G: 16 A: 31 P: 47
Brayden Point
Brayden Point was very impressive as a rookie last season and he’s looked even better this year. The 21-year-old currently sits second on the team in goals and third in total points.
Last year’s totals – GP: 68 G: 18 A: 22 P: 40
This year’s totals – GP: 49 G: 20 A: 24 P: 44
Vladislav Namestnikov
Vlad Namestnikov was rewarded for his play early on this season by getting to spend some time on a line with Steven Stamkos and Nikita Kucherov and it shows on the stat sheet. Not only does he already have 18 goals through 49 games, but he’s already having a career season across the board.
Last year’s totals – GP: 74 G: 10 A: 18 P: 28
This year’s totals – GP: 49 G: 18 A: 21 P: 39
Brock Boeser
It wasn’t very hard for Brock Boeser to top last year’s point totals considering he only played in nine games, but what he’s accomplished so far during his rookie season as a 20-year-old is absolutely incredible.
Last year’s totals – GP: 9 G: 4 A: 1 P: 9
This year’s totals – GP: 46 G: 24 A: 19 P: 43
William Karlsson
The Columbus Blue Jackets probably didn’t think twice about protecting William Karlsson at the NHL Expansion Draft, but they probably wish they did right about now. Not only is the 25-year-old having a career year, but this year’s point total nearly equals the last two years combined.
Last year’s totals – GP: 81 G: 6 A: 19 P: 25
This year’s totals – GP: 48 G: 27 A: 15 P: 42
Honourable mentions:
Claude Giroux
Last year's totals - GP: 82 G: 14 A: 44 P: 58
This year's totals - GP: 49 G: 14 A: 43 P: 57
Josh Bailey
Last year's totals - GP: 82 G: 13 A: 43 P: 56
This year's totals - GP: 46 G: 12 A: 42 P: 54
Anze Kopitar
Last year's totals - GP: 76 G: 12 A: 40 P: 52
This year's totals - GP: 49 G: 19 A: 32 P: 51
Mathew Barzal
Last year's totals - GP: 2 G: 0 A: 0 P: 0
This year's totals - GP: 50 G: 16 A: 35 P: 51
*Since Barzal only played two games last year, we saved him for the honourable mentions category*
John Klingberg
Last year's totals - GP: 80 G: 13 A: 36 P: 49
This year's totals - GP: 50 G: 6 A: 42 P: 48
