Flukiest 50-Goal scorer

[begbeee]

Maurice Richard scored 50 goals in what was the weakest season in NHL history. Other than that, he didn't come close.

To be honest, it's interesting call. Even after amount of games growth to 60 and 70 he almost didnt crack 40.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

To be honest, it's interesting call. Even after amount of games growth to 60 and 70 he almost didnt crack 40.

it is true, i think, that the rocket's 50 in 50 year was against weak competition. still, no one came close to his totals that year. he outscored the next guy by 18 goals, which is insane.

plus, he scored at a 49 goal/80 game pace in the playoffs FOR HIS CAREER. i know no one here is suggesting that richard wasn't one of the greatest goal scorers of all time, but i don't know that his 50 in 50 year should be considered a "fluke" given all of his other goal scoring accolades, how 2 of his 3 gordie howe-era goal scoring titles were won by large margins (and his two pre-howe titles were by 18 and 15 goals).

 

[begbeee]

it is true, i think, that the rocket's 50 in 50 year was against weak competition. still, no one came close to his totals that year. he outscored the next guy by 18 goals, which is insane.

plus, he scored at a 49 goal/80 game pace in the playoffs FOR HIS CAREER. i know no one here is suggesting that richard wasn't one of the greatest goal scorers of all time, but i don't know that his 50 in 50 year should be considered a "fluke" given all of his other goal scoring accolades, how 2 of his 3 gordie howe-era goal scoring titles were won by large margins (and his two pre-howe titles were by 18 and 15 goals).

No doubt about Richard as a one of the best goal scorers. Just really interesting and original point.

 

[Oowatanite]

Gary Leeman comes to mind.

 

[MVP of West Hollywd]

I think Cheechoo deserved his stats, there's a difference between sucking after and the year being a fluke. He was that good that year.

I know he's definitely not #1 (you guys know much more about past players than me), but I've never loved Lecavalier's game and I think that year he had some fortune. He was someone who was still carrying that pre draft superstar hype so the media got behind him that year as a best in the league candidate, but realistically I think he was always a 30-35G/75-80 pt caliber guy and just played over his head pts wise for a season and through November the next year. I buy his 50 goals less than Cheechoo and Perry's personally

 

[Testluv]

I'll probably get flamed for this but who expected Sid to pot 50 after never having topped 40?

Won't call it a fluke though as I totally believe he can do it again. He literally altered his style of play to score more goals (and incidentally fewer assists).

 

[Hab-a-maniac]

To be honest, it's interesting call. Even after amount of games growth to 60 and 70 he almost didnt crack 40.

Well he did score 40 three more times and came within striking distance of 40 another three times. This in an era where only Gordie Howe was capable of scoring 40+ otherwise. That's more than most 50 goal men can say, and Maurice did it with 50, 60 or 70 game seasons, the best talent in North America concentrated into six teams, no curved sticks, slapshots a gimmick and no enforcers leaving stars to fend for themselves.

 

[lolwut]

Not really fair to put Cheechoo in here. He was progressing into a very good player, then was gutted by injuries.

 

[MJB Devils23*]

43 is not close

What about Brian Gionta and his 48 in 05-06?

 

[Brooklanders*]

I say it's Jacques Richard, mainly because of the disparity between that season and other seasons.

Comparing some other unexpected 50-goal scorers:

Milan Hejduk had 36 goals in 1999-00 and 41 in 2000-01.

Bernie Nicholls was a consistent 30+ goal scorer, plus he already had seasons of 41 and 46 goals long before Gretzky came to LA.

Jonathan Cheechoo had a 37 goal season the year after he had 56.

Gary Leeman scored 30 and 32 goals in the seasons before he went off for 51, so it's not like he couldn't find the net prior to that season.

Brian Bellows had 2 40-goal seasons prior to his 55-goal season, and he added a third a few years later.

Contrast that to Jacques Richard, whose next best season was 27 goals. At least most of the other members could hit at least 30 goals.

You forgot Adam graves and for me that is the answer

 

[Normand Lacombe]

Tim Kerr

Not sure if serious. Four straight seasons on 50+ goals and a 48 goal season.

 

[Darth]

Are You Kidding!!!

I'm just sitting here wondering how anybody can consider Tim Kerr a fluke. With 4 consecutive 50 goal seasons and 1 season of 48 goals in 69 games, hardly a fluke. In fact if you add the 3 goals in 8 games from the previous season that gives him 51 goals in 77 games. I can't stand the Flyers I'm a Hab fan however the proof is in the pudding with Kerr he was a true goal scorer with 370 goal in 655 games and would have scored 500 if not for injury's that plagued him. In 13 seasons Kerr never played a full season Kerr played more than 70 games only 4 times and 40 or less 6 times.

 

[Sadekuuro]

How about Danny Grant? Next most he had was 34.

 

[pdd]

The only reason he ever got over 30 in the NHL was playing alongside Joe Thorton.

Cheechoo scored 28 goals in 2003-04.

He had 6 goals and 6 assists for 12 points in 12 games when the Sharks traded for Thornton. With Thornton he scored 50-31-81 in 70. Percentage-wise, here is how Thornton affected his pace from the first 12 games:

Goals: 143%
Assists: 89%
Points: 116%

If not for injury, he likely continues with more 40+ and 50+ seasons as Thornton's triggerman.

Ray Sheppard. Another one, fluke 50 goal year, never scored above 35, only 3 - 30 goal seasons, the rest are well below that.

Sheppard scored 30 in 43 in the 94-95 season, equivalent to scoring 53 goals in 75 games had the full 84 game season been played. That's a career best.

Sheppard jumped from being a second line guy scoring in the 30s but playing with mediocre playmakers to being a 50-goal man the moment he was put with Steve Yzerman. After Detroit traded him, he went right back to scoring in the 30s and playing with mediocre playmakers.

Maurice Richard scored 50 goals in what was the weakest season in NHL history. Other than that, he didn't come close.

He also was centered by the Hart trophy winner, Elmer Lach.

 

[Big Phil]

Sort of half joking with this one, but Boom Boom Geoffrion. Had a 50 goal season in 1961. The second one of all-time. Then his next best were 38 and then 30. Of course this was the era he was in. It was extremely hard to crack 50 goals in the original 6. Gordie Howe only peaked at 49 if that tells you something. Geoffrion's 38 goals also led the NHL too and no one would have been surprised to see him lead the NHL. But since the topic is 50 goals, I thought I'd throw that in for kicks. Still, you'd have to wonder who would have thought he'd come close to 50. He had 30 that year before and only surpassed 30 once. No one would have ever predicted it.

 

[Steve Kournianos]

Easily Bobby Carpenter.

He he went 53 to 27 to 9 in three seasons.

And I consider both of Maruk's +50 seasons massive flukes.

His 60 goal season is arguably the biggest fluke in NHL history...Like Brady Anderson hitting 50hr or Mark davis winning the Cy Young

 

[Crease]

Does Selanne's 76 in '92-'93 get any consideration for flukiest season? He did pot 40+ 7 times in his career but nothing remotely like his rookie year.

 

[SealsFan]

Ron Ward - 51 goals with first-year WHA New York Raiders, 1972-73. He did have a few 30-goal seasons after that but I don't think anyone could have predicted his performance considering he had TWO goals in 71 games the previous year with the Canucks.

 

[overg]

Sheppard scored 30 in 43 in the 94-95 season, equivalent to scoring 53 goals in 75 games had the full 84 game season been played. That's a career best.

Sheppard jumped from being a second line guy scoring in the 30s but playing with mediocre playmakers to being a 50-goal man the moment he was put with Steve Yzerman. After Detroit traded him, he went right back to scoring in the 30s and playing with mediocre playmakers.

Sheppard was a slug on skates, but the guy had some of the softest goal scoring hands I've ever seen this side of Mario Lemieux. Give him a little time and space, and he was really, really good at changing the angle of his shot and picking his shots around goaltenders.

He also scored one of the all time ridiculous goals, when he skated the puck out of his zone, tripped over nothing and fell on his face, got back up, carried the puck into the offensive zone, and scored. It was everything you needed to know about Sheppard in one glorious shift.

 

[begbeee]

Easily Bobby Carpenter.

He he went 53 to 27 to 9 in three seasons.

And I consider both of Maruk's +50 seasons massive flukes.

His 60 goal season is arguably the biggest fluke in NHL history...Like Brady Anderson hitting 50hr or Mark davis winning the Cy Young

No. He was a career PPG player and since he hit 50 year before, your claim is indefensible. If it would be true than what about Bernie Nicholls? He was also a very good player no matter of his unrepeatable 150 or so points.

Carpenter? Barrin his very inflated stats in his NJ's late-career role, was he much worse than Sheppard?

It would be nice if someone could write something on Craig Simpson, he is completly white place on my map.

 

[Psycho Papa Joe]

Does Selanne's 76 in '92-'93 get any consideration for flukiest season? He did pot 40+ 7 times in his career but nothing remotely like his rookie year.

I always wonder how many more goals and points he would have gotten if he hadn't had that injury in his 2nd season.

 

[IComeInPeace]

It would be nice if someone could write something on Craig Simpson, he is completly white place on my map.

Simpson had very good hands, and made his living from the slot area. He had very good offensive instincts as well, but was slow, and a below average skater. He was highly touted coming out of college hockey, but I think no matter where he played, the type of player he was, he would always be more of a complimentary player (ie he needed to play with top end talent to put up 40+ goal seasons).

 

[pdd]

Ray Sheppard. Another one, fluke 50 goal year, never scored above 35, only 3 - 30 goal seasons, the rest are well below that.

Sheppard scored 38 in his rookie season. He scored 36 in 91-92, and 30 in 43 games (pace for 53 goals, 59 if he plays all 84 games) during the lockout season of 94-95. He scored 37 the next year, split between Detroit and San Jose.

He also scored 24 in 59 in 90-91 and 29 in 68 in 96-97. So that's six seasons over 30, one of which is over 50. If we pace out the lockout year to the full 84 (including missed game-pace), it's two of the six over 50. If we pace his other years to a full season, he makes it 8 30-goal seasons, seven of which are 35+, and two of which are 50+.

Sheppard was a slug on skates, but the guy had some of the softest goal scoring hands I've ever seen this side of Mario Lemieux. Give him a little time and space, and he was really, really good at changing the angle of his shot and picking his shots around goaltenders.

I'll refer you to my numbers above. The guy could score. Get him the puck, and he could put it in the net. His only problem as far as production was that he was rarely played with actual talent. If he were to play his career NOW, he'd likely be more productive than he was then despite the fact that scoring is down. Simply because coaches now have more of a tendency to "match" players.

 

[jepjepjoo]

Does Selanne's 76 in '92-'93 get any consideration for flukiest season? He did pot 40+ 7 times in his career but nothing remotely like his rookie year.

Selanne is also the only player to score 40 7 times who started his career after the 80's... 86-87 to be precise (lucky Luc)

 

[pdd]

Selanne is also the only player to score 40 7 times who started his career after the 80's... 86-87 to be precise (lucky Luc)

He's also led the league in goals three times, finished second once, and third another time. His third-place finish (2006-07) is probably flukier than his 76 goals, because of hsi surrounding performance and when it came in his career (he was a 36 year-old in his 14th season) and his three firsts and second all came packed within the 92-93 through 98-99 stretch. Seven seasons, and he led the league in goals three times.

Actually, let's take it to 00-01, which is Selanne's last "near PPG" season befoe the 2005 lockout, and can be considered the end of his prime. Here are the top 12* players in GPG who played at least 100 games:

Player|GP|Goals|GPG|Seasons led
Mario Lemieux|271|240|0.89|1 (96)
Cam Neely|153|114|0.75|None
Pavel Bure|530|350|0.66|3 (94, 00, 01)
Eric Lindros|486|290|0.60|None
Teemu Selanne|637|379|0.59|3 (93, 98, 99)
Jaromir Jagr|656|380|0.58|None
Paul Kariya|442|243|0.55|None
Brett Hull|640|347|0.54|None
Peter Bondra|629|342|0.54|2 (95, 98)
Alexander Mogilny|586|312|0.53|1 (93)
Brendan Shanahan|667|345|0.52|None
Keith Tkachuk|635|326|0.51|1 (97)

*- I used Top-12 because it got me down to Tkachuk, and therefore included all of the single-season goal-scoring leaders.

Also... if not for the 1994 lockout, Jagr disagrees with you.
Jagr was on pace for almost 60 while Selanne was on pace for under 40. Heck, Jagr actually scored 32 in the 48 game season.