The Panther
Registered User
Here's a fun one -- choose the top 5 seasons by an NHL player, regular-season + playoffs. I personally am considering the player's performance in the regular season and playoffs, as well as the team's, as a criterion. It ends up that my Top 5 are all players/seasons that ended in Stanley Cup wins. But feel free to use any such criteria you like.
Today, I'll go for:
1. Wayne Gretzky (Edm.) 1984-85:
RS = 80GP 73G 135A 215PTS (+100) Team was 2nd-overall.
P = 18GP 17G 30A 47PTS (+28) Team won the Stanley Cup.
Team won the Stanley Cup at 15W, 3L.
RS: Gretzky was #1 in goals, #1 in assists (setting the new all-time record), #1 in points (won the scoring title by 73 points), #1 in plus/minus (highest all-time for a forward). He won the Hart Trophy, the Lester Pearson, the Art Ross. He was also #1 in even-strength goals, short-handed goals, and shots on goal.
P: Gretzky was #2 in goals (to his line-mate, Kurri), #1 in assists (new record), and #1 in points (new record, still standing today after almost 30 years). He had a 2.61 points-per-game in the playoffs, slightly better than in the RS. His best hockey was in the Finals, against the #2 defensive team, Philadelphia, whom he destroyed for 7 goals in the last 4 games.
(Although not really an individual stat, Gretzky's +28 in the '85 playoffs -- in 18 games (!) -- deserves mention. This is the best plus/minus I can find from anyone in the playoffs since the stat was recorded.)
In sum, then, Gretzky scored 255 points in 98 games in 1984-85 while playing for a top team, winning every major award he was eligible for, winning the Stanley Cup, setting new marks for assists in a season (broken only by Gretzky), setting a new mark for points in the playoffs, and being -- in terms of goal-differential -- the most impactful player on his team in both RS and playoffs.
2. Wayne Gretzky (Edm.) 1983-84:
RS = 73GP 87G 118A 205PTS (+76) Team was 1st-overall.
P = 19GP 13G 22A 35PTS (+18) Team won the Stanley Cup.
Team won the Stanley Cup at 15W, 4L.
RS: Gretzky was #1 in goals, #1 in assists, #1 in points (won the scoring title by 79 points), #1 in plus/minus, #1 in even-strength goals, #1 in power-play goals, #1 in even-strength goals, #1 in short-handed goals, #1 in shooting-percentage. He won the Hart Trophy, the Lester Pearson, the Art Ross.
In '83-'84, Gretzky scored 50 goals in 42 games, and had a 1.19 goals-per-game average, best all-time of the modern era. He also had a 2.77 points-per-game average, best all time. (At the time of his late-January injury, he was scoring 3.0 points per game. The Oilers went winless in 6 of the 7 games without him.)
P: Gretzky was #2 in goals (to his line-mate, Kurri), #1 in assists, and #1 in points. (He had the 2nd-best plus/minus.)
The 1983-84 regular season is Gretzky's most dominant, per games played. He was slightly less effective in the playoffs, but ends up with 100 goals scored in 92 games, while playing for the #1 team and winning the Stanley Cup.
3. Bobby Orr (Bos.) 1969-70:
RS = 76GP 33G 87A 120PTS (+54) Team was 2nd-overall.
P = 12GP 9G 11A 20PTS Team won the Stanley Cup.
Team won the Stanley Cup at 12W, 2L.
Orr wins the NHL scoring title, setting marks for being the highest-scoring D-man ever, and -- today, 44 years later -- still the only one to ever win the scoring title. He powers both the Boston offense and the Boston defence. Orr leads the League not only in points but in assists (and plus/minus).
In the playoffs, Orr is 2nd in scoring to Esposito, and caps an epic season by scoring the Cup-winning goal in overtime.
Orr is the only player ever to simultaneously be 1st-team All-Star, The Hart Trophy winner, the Art Ross winner, The Norris winner, and the Conn Smythe winner.
4. Bobby Orr (Bos.) 1971-72:
RS = 76GP 37G 80A 117PTS (+86) Team was 1st-overall.
P = 15GP 5G 19A 24PTS Team won the Stanley Cup.
Team won the Stanley Cup at 12W, 3L.
Orr leads the League in assists (and plus/minus) and is 2nd to Esposito in points.
In the playoffs, Orr is #1 in assists and is tied for 1st in scoring with Esposito, and is the best player against the Rangers in the Finals.
In addition to being 1st-team All-Star, Orr wins the Hart Trophy, The Norris, and the Conn Smythe... all while playing for the best team and winning the Cup.
5. Jean Béliveau (Mon.) 1955-56:
RS = 70GP 47G 41A 88PTS (Hockey Ref. 'adjusts' this to 63 G, 119PTS) Team was 1st overall.
P = 10GP 12G 7A 19PTS Team won the Stanley Cup.
Team won the Stanley Cup at 8W, 2L.
"Le gros Bill" led the NHL in goals (every one scored at even-strength) and points. His team totally dominated the NHL at 24 points better than 2nd place (in a 70-game season). He won the Art Ross and the Hart Tropy.
He then scored 12 goals in 10 playoff games in an era when the top scorers struggled to score 1 in every 2. (He was clearly the Conn Smythe winner, except the award didn't exist yet... when it came into existence 9 years later, Béliveau was the first recipient). Montreal kicked butt through the playoffs, winning the first of five straight Cups.
Runners-up:
-- Gordie Howe 1952-53: did everything but win the Cup; amazingly dominant season; won the scoring title by a 26% margin; team was 1st overall.
-- Bobby Orr 1970-71: as above, one of the two or three most dominant regular seasons in history -- probably his greatest ever -- but slightly marred by the Bruins' playoffs collapse against the Habs. Orr's +124 is the best such figure ever.
-- Phil Esposito 1970-71: sets all-time records for goals (76) and points (152), not broken for 12 and 11 years, respectively.
-- Guy Lafleur 1976-77: (this probably came closest to making my Top Five): While playing for arguably the greatest single-season team of all-time, Lafleur is 2nd in goals, 1st in assists, 1st in points (and 2nd in plus/minus). In the playoffs, he leads everyone with 26 points in 14 games. Lafleur thus was 1st-team all-star, and won the Hart, Pearson, Art Ross, and Smythe, all while playing for the #1 regular season team of all time. Oh, and the Habs were 12-2 in the playoffs.
-- Wayne Gretzky 1981-82: sets all-time records that still stand today for fastest 50 goals (39 games) and most goals in a season (92), and the then-most assists and points (both broken later by Gretzky). Epic choke by Edmonton in the playoffs, however.
-- Wayne Gretzky 1985-86: sets all-time record for assists (163) that not only hasn't been broken in 28 years, but hasn't even been approached at a distance by any other player. Sets all-time record with 215 points. Season slightly marred by Edmonton's tough loss to Calgary in the 2nd-round.
-- Mario Lemieux 1988-89: Mario wins his first clear-cut scoring title over a healthy Gretzky by 31 points, scoring 4th-best-ever 85 goals along the way. Leads Pens to playoffs for the first time.
-- Mario Lemieux 1992-93: as with the above two -- unbelievable regular-season play (though didn't lead the league in either goals or assists), despite missing games due to cancer treatment -- and a top-team that was expected to 'Three-peat'. Tough playoff loss to NY Islanders in 2nd round is a small stain on a brilliant season.
What are your choices?
Today, I'll go for:
1. Wayne Gretzky (Edm.) 1984-85:
RS = 80GP 73G 135A 215PTS (+100) Team was 2nd-overall.
P = 18GP 17G 30A 47PTS (+28) Team won the Stanley Cup.
Team won the Stanley Cup at 15W, 3L.
RS: Gretzky was #1 in goals, #1 in assists (setting the new all-time record), #1 in points (won the scoring title by 73 points), #1 in plus/minus (highest all-time for a forward). He won the Hart Trophy, the Lester Pearson, the Art Ross. He was also #1 in even-strength goals, short-handed goals, and shots on goal.
P: Gretzky was #2 in goals (to his line-mate, Kurri), #1 in assists (new record), and #1 in points (new record, still standing today after almost 30 years). He had a 2.61 points-per-game in the playoffs, slightly better than in the RS. His best hockey was in the Finals, against the #2 defensive team, Philadelphia, whom he destroyed for 7 goals in the last 4 games.
(Although not really an individual stat, Gretzky's +28 in the '85 playoffs -- in 18 games (!) -- deserves mention. This is the best plus/minus I can find from anyone in the playoffs since the stat was recorded.)
In sum, then, Gretzky scored 255 points in 98 games in 1984-85 while playing for a top team, winning every major award he was eligible for, winning the Stanley Cup, setting new marks for assists in a season (broken only by Gretzky), setting a new mark for points in the playoffs, and being -- in terms of goal-differential -- the most impactful player on his team in both RS and playoffs.
2. Wayne Gretzky (Edm.) 1983-84:
RS = 73GP 87G 118A 205PTS (+76) Team was 1st-overall.
P = 19GP 13G 22A 35PTS (+18) Team won the Stanley Cup.
Team won the Stanley Cup at 15W, 4L.
RS: Gretzky was #1 in goals, #1 in assists, #1 in points (won the scoring title by 79 points), #1 in plus/minus, #1 in even-strength goals, #1 in power-play goals, #1 in even-strength goals, #1 in short-handed goals, #1 in shooting-percentage. He won the Hart Trophy, the Lester Pearson, the Art Ross.
In '83-'84, Gretzky scored 50 goals in 42 games, and had a 1.19 goals-per-game average, best all-time of the modern era. He also had a 2.77 points-per-game average, best all time. (At the time of his late-January injury, he was scoring 3.0 points per game. The Oilers went winless in 6 of the 7 games without him.)
P: Gretzky was #2 in goals (to his line-mate, Kurri), #1 in assists, and #1 in points. (He had the 2nd-best plus/minus.)
The 1983-84 regular season is Gretzky's most dominant, per games played. He was slightly less effective in the playoffs, but ends up with 100 goals scored in 92 games, while playing for the #1 team and winning the Stanley Cup.
3. Bobby Orr (Bos.) 1969-70:
RS = 76GP 33G 87A 120PTS (+54) Team was 2nd-overall.
P = 12GP 9G 11A 20PTS Team won the Stanley Cup.
Team won the Stanley Cup at 12W, 2L.
Orr wins the NHL scoring title, setting marks for being the highest-scoring D-man ever, and -- today, 44 years later -- still the only one to ever win the scoring title. He powers both the Boston offense and the Boston defence. Orr leads the League not only in points but in assists (and plus/minus).
In the playoffs, Orr is 2nd in scoring to Esposito, and caps an epic season by scoring the Cup-winning goal in overtime.
Orr is the only player ever to simultaneously be 1st-team All-Star, The Hart Trophy winner, the Art Ross winner, The Norris winner, and the Conn Smythe winner.
4. Bobby Orr (Bos.) 1971-72:
RS = 76GP 37G 80A 117PTS (+86) Team was 1st-overall.
P = 15GP 5G 19A 24PTS Team won the Stanley Cup.
Team won the Stanley Cup at 12W, 3L.
Orr leads the League in assists (and plus/minus) and is 2nd to Esposito in points.
In the playoffs, Orr is #1 in assists and is tied for 1st in scoring with Esposito, and is the best player against the Rangers in the Finals.
In addition to being 1st-team All-Star, Orr wins the Hart Trophy, The Norris, and the Conn Smythe... all while playing for the best team and winning the Cup.
5. Jean Béliveau (Mon.) 1955-56:
RS = 70GP 47G 41A 88PTS (Hockey Ref. 'adjusts' this to 63 G, 119PTS) Team was 1st overall.
P = 10GP 12G 7A 19PTS Team won the Stanley Cup.
Team won the Stanley Cup at 8W, 2L.
"Le gros Bill" led the NHL in goals (every one scored at even-strength) and points. His team totally dominated the NHL at 24 points better than 2nd place (in a 70-game season). He won the Art Ross and the Hart Tropy.
He then scored 12 goals in 10 playoff games in an era when the top scorers struggled to score 1 in every 2. (He was clearly the Conn Smythe winner, except the award didn't exist yet... when it came into existence 9 years later, Béliveau was the first recipient). Montreal kicked butt through the playoffs, winning the first of five straight Cups.
Runners-up:
-- Gordie Howe 1952-53: did everything but win the Cup; amazingly dominant season; won the scoring title by a 26% margin; team was 1st overall.
-- Bobby Orr 1970-71: as above, one of the two or three most dominant regular seasons in history -- probably his greatest ever -- but slightly marred by the Bruins' playoffs collapse against the Habs. Orr's +124 is the best such figure ever.
-- Phil Esposito 1970-71: sets all-time records for goals (76) and points (152), not broken for 12 and 11 years, respectively.
-- Guy Lafleur 1976-77: (this probably came closest to making my Top Five): While playing for arguably the greatest single-season team of all-time, Lafleur is 2nd in goals, 1st in assists, 1st in points (and 2nd in plus/minus). In the playoffs, he leads everyone with 26 points in 14 games. Lafleur thus was 1st-team all-star, and won the Hart, Pearson, Art Ross, and Smythe, all while playing for the #1 regular season team of all time. Oh, and the Habs were 12-2 in the playoffs.
-- Wayne Gretzky 1981-82: sets all-time records that still stand today for fastest 50 goals (39 games) and most goals in a season (92), and the then-most assists and points (both broken later by Gretzky). Epic choke by Edmonton in the playoffs, however.
-- Wayne Gretzky 1985-86: sets all-time record for assists (163) that not only hasn't been broken in 28 years, but hasn't even been approached at a distance by any other player. Sets all-time record with 215 points. Season slightly marred by Edmonton's tough loss to Calgary in the 2nd-round.
-- Mario Lemieux 1988-89: Mario wins his first clear-cut scoring title over a healthy Gretzky by 31 points, scoring 4th-best-ever 85 goals along the way. Leads Pens to playoffs for the first time.
-- Mario Lemieux 1992-93: as with the above two -- unbelievable regular-season play (though didn't lead the league in either goals or assists), despite missing games due to cancer treatment -- and a top-team that was expected to 'Three-peat'. Tough playoff loss to NY Islanders in 2nd round is a small stain on a brilliant season.
What are your choices?
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