100 Assists vs 70 Goals: Which club is better?

[User9992]

100 Assists vs 70 Goals: Which club is better?


100 Assists Club:
1) Wayne Gretzky (1980-81, 1981-1982, 1982-1983, 1983-84, 1984-85, 1985-86, 1986-87, 1987-88, 1988-89, 1989-90, 1990-91)
2) Mario Lemieux (1988-89)
3) Bobby Orr (1970-71)
4) Conor McDavid (2023-24)
5) Nikita Kucherov (2023-24)


70 Goals Club:
1) Phil Esposito (1970-71)
2) Wayne Gretzky (1981-82, 1982-83, 1983-84, 1984-85)
3) Jari Kurri (1984-85)
4) Mario Lemieux (1987-88, 1988-89)
5) Bernie Nicholls (1988-89)
6) Brett Hull (1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92)
7) Alexander Mogilny (1992-93)
8) Teemu Selanne (1992-93)

Click to read more...

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

At this point they're both pretty special. Neither has been done in 30+ years. It's still 100 assists, but the list becomes a little less exclusive with two players hitting it this year.

 

[Albatros]

The 70-goal seasons are certainly much more memorable.

 

[Dion TheFluff]

considering that there are roughly 1.6 assists (which is low balling it) for every goal, 63 goals would be the equivalent of 100 assists and 112 assists would be the equivalent to 70 goals.

 

[Miro4Norris]

This year 70 is more impressive because the next guy has 54 goals.

2 players are hitting 100 assist and 3rd probably 90.

 

[Sky04]

This year 70 is more impressive because the next guy has 54 goals.

2 players are hitting 100 assist and 3rd probably 90.

Which club is better? Lemieux and Gretzky who both hit 100 assists in 89' or Bernie Nicholls who scored 70 that year.

Exactly.

 

[Regal]

Which club is better? Lemieux and Gretzky who both hit 100 assists in 89' or Bernie Nicholls who scored 70 that year.

Exactly.

Except those numbers are wildly different and not in any way relevant to the point that poster was making, since Lemieux and Gretzky had 114 assists, Lemieux had more goals than Nicholls at 85 and Yzerman was right behind Nicholls at 65.

 

[Sky04]

Except those numbers are wildly different and not in any way relevant to the point that poster was making, since Lemieux and Gretzky had 114 assists, Lemieux had more goals than Nicholls at 85 and Yzerman was right behind Nicholls at 65.

So? His post wasn't even relevant to the question in the poll? The talent level in the 100 assist club is far superior and less diluted.

 

[rea]

Can we figure out how many of those 100 assists are secondary?

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

100 assists puts you in the company of the best players ever. 70 goals puts you in company with some great players.

 

[JoVel]

The 100 assist club arguably includes the top 3 best players ever and no one else. For now at least.

 

[pcruz]

Why choose?

Both are extremely exclusive clubs.

Maybe the only tie-breaker is that you can score goals without an assist on the play, but you can't assist on a non-existent goal.

 

[Golden_Jet]

100 assist club, only done by 3 players, and are in the top 3 or 4 players of all time.

 

[Dion TheFluff]

Can we figure out how many of those 100 assists are secondary?

38 for both McDavid and Kucherov ATM

 

[Three On Zero]

70 goals.

One player has a chance at 70 goals while multiple can hit 100 assists. You also statistically have a 66% chance to get an assist but only a 33% chance to score a goal. Or 40%/20% if you want to use all 5 skaters

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

38 for both McDavid and Kucherov ATM

That makes it the 62 assist club then. Gathering the ticker-tape for that parade right now.

It's 70 goals. Even with the league's increased softness and aversion to obstruction, it's still tougher to get that bread in the basket than it is to make a pass to anyone on the ice.

 

[authentic]

Matthews has 9 more goals than McDavid has primary assists, 13 more than Kucherov and 20 more than MacKinnon. That's more impressive and it shouldn't really be a debate.

 

[TheStatican]

The 100 assist club arguably includes the top 3 best players ever and no one else. For now at least.

100 assist club, only done by 3 players, and are in the top 3 or 4 players of all time.

You guys do realize that entire argument will go right out the window should Kucherov hit 100.

What's the new argument going to be after that I wonder

 

[Mirka the Turka]

70 goals quite easily.

In the NHL currently I can see quite a few hitting that 100 assist mark: McDavid, Kucherov, Draisaitl, Mackinnon

For goal scoring, only Matthews and maybe McDavid. Nobody is gonna score 70 for a while unless Matthews wants to do it again.

 

[JoVel]

You guys do realize that entire argument will go right out the window should Kucherov hit 100.

What's the new argument going to be after that I wonder

I'm not sure I understand your point. The argument will still be the same. Kucherov will be in a club with only Gretzky, Lemieux and Orr. While a lot more players and a lot worse players have hit 70 goals.

 

[Buck Naked]

100 assist obviously. If the club consist of Gretzky doing it multiple times and Lemieux and Orr only doing it once, it's a pretty exclusive club and says a lot about how hard it is to accomplish. 70 goals is of course incredible too, but rookie Selänne, Nicholls, Kurri, Mogilny..

 

[klefbombs shoulder]

I'm not sure I understand your point. The argument will still be the same. Kucherov will be in a club with only Gretzky, Lemieux and Orr. While a lot more players and a lot worse players have hit 70 goals.

Its not a good argument. When the "weakest" member of a club is Kucherov (a top 3 Russian player all time/top 5 winger) its a VERY exclusive club. Whereas the 70 goal club has some less impressive members in Nicholls, Mogilny, Selanne, Kurri. All great players, but not on the level of 99, 66, 4, 97, or 86.

 

[Haatley]

Can we figure out how many of those 100 assists are secondary?

Why do people have this misconception that secondary assists are less valuable?

 

[Evergreen]

I honestly can’t decide which feat is more impressive, but the 100 assists club is better because it’s more exclusive and has the more elite list of names.

 

[Stalhandske]

considering that there are roughly 1.6 assists (which is low balling it) for every goal, 63 goals would be the equivalent of 100 assists and 112 assists would be the equivalent to 70 goals.

Because the assist ratios are somewhat inflated by defensemen that has a different ratio of assists to goals due to outlet passes. Adding on that, you can't get two assists to yourself on a goal. This number is a bit inflated compared to reality.

In order to get true apples to apples comparison, in my model I looked at the top 10 goal scorers versus 10 top assists and averaged the difference over 30 years. I found that among forwards that assists were 70% of rarity value compared to goals. In other words , 70 goals was exactly the same as 100 assists.