Will the Penguins finish with three players in top 5 scoring?

[Crosbyfan]

Depends entirely on which line Chris Kunitz plays on

Good point. With Kunitz helping them all top 5 for each is quite possible...

 

[Ivo]

It has happened 20 times that a single team had at least three top-5 scorers. Obviously, it had been more common in the O6 era than later on. These are all the instances (bolded are the 4-player finishes):

19 Canadiens - 1. Lalonde, 2. Cleghorn, 5. Pitre
32 Maple Leafs - 1. Jackson, 2. Primeau, 5. Conacher
33 Maroons - 3. Northcott, 4. Smith, 5. Haynes
40 Bruins - 1. Schmidt, 2. Dumart, 3. Bauer, 5. Cowley
42 Rangers - 1. Hextall, 2. Patrick, 4. Watson
45 Canadiens - 1. Lach, 2. Richard, 3. Blake
50 Red Wings - 1. Lindsay, 2. Abel, 3. Howe
53 Red Wings - 1. Howe, 2. Lindsay, 5. Delvecchio
54 Canadiens - 2. Richard, 4. Geoffrion, 5. Olmstead
55 Canadiens - 1. Geoffrion, 2. Richard, 3. Beliveau
56 Canadiens - 1. Beliveau, 3. Richard, 4. olmstead
65 Red Wings - 2. Ullman, 3. Howe, 5. Delvecchio
67 Blackhawks - 1. Mikita, 2. Hull, 4. Wharram
71 Bruins - 1. Esposito, 2. Orr, 3. Bucyk, 4. Hodge
72 Rangers - 3. Ratelle, 4. Hadfield, 5. Gilbert
74 Bruins - 1. Esposito, 2. Orr, 3. Hodge, 4. Cashman
85 Oilers - 1. gretzky, 2. Kurri, 5. Coffey
86 Oilers - 1. Gretzky, 3. Coffey, 4. Kurri
87 Oilers - 1. Gretzky, 2. Kurri, 4. Messier
96 Penguins - 1. Lemieux, 2. Jagr, 4. Francis

Some highlights:
- Bruins are the only team to have 4 scorers in the top-5. They did it three times. These are also their only appearances on the list.
- Canadiens did it the most times - 5.
- Canadiens (54-56) and Oilers (85-87) did it three years in a row.
- Only four times the team appearing on the list didn't claim the top-spot. If the team had three top-5 scorers, 80% of the time one of them led the league in scoring.
- It has not happened for more than 20 years. This is the longest wait for seeing it happen.

Bonus: In 48-49, Hawks claimed the 1st and 2nd spot in scoring and Wings had the 3rd and 4th. Jimmy Conacher who split the season between Chicago and Detroit finished 5th, so in a way both teams had 3 players in the top-5.

 

[Hockey Outsider]

It has happened 20 times that a single team had at least three top-5 scorers. Obviously, it had been more common in the O6 era than later on. These are all the instances (bolded are the 4-player finishes):

19 Canadiens - 1. Lalonde, 2. Cleghorn, 5. Pitre
32 Maple Leafs - 1. Jackson, 2. Primeau, 5. Morenz
33 Maroons - 3. Northcott, 4. Smith, 5. Haynes
40 Bruins - 1. Schmidt, 2. Dumart, 3. Bauer, 5. Cowley
42 Rangers - 1. Hextall, 2. Patrick, 4. Watson
45 Canadiens - 1. Lach, 2. Richard, 3. Blake
50 Red Wings - 1. Lindsay, 2. Abel, 3. Howe
53 Red Wings - 1. Howe, 2. Lindsay, 5. Delvecchio
54 Canadiens - 2. Richard, 4. Geoffrion, 5. Olmstead
55 Canadiens - 1. Geoffrion, 2. Richard, 3. Beliveau
56 Canadiens - 1. Beliveau, 3. Richard, 4. olmstead
65 Red Wings - 2. Ullman, 3. Howe, 5. Delvecchio
67 Blackhawks - 1. Mikita, 2. Hull, 4. Wharram
71 Bruins - 1. Esposito, 2. Orr, 3. Bucyk, 4. Hodge
72 Rangers - 3. Ratelle, 4. Hadfield, 5. Gilbert
74 Bruins - 1. Esposito, 2. Orr, 3. Hodge, 4. Cashman
85 Oilers - 1. gretzky, 2. Kurri, 5. Coffey
86 Oilers - 1. Gretzky, 3. Coffey, 4. Kurri
87 Oilers - 1. Gretzky, 2. Kurri, 4. Messier
96 Penguins - 1. Lemieux, 2. Jagr, 4. Francis

Some highlights:
- Bruins are the only team to have 4 scorers in the top-5. They did it three times. These are also their only appearances on the list.
- Canadiens did it the most times - 5.
- Canadiens (54-56) and Oilers (85-87) did it three years in a row.
- Only four times the team appearing on the list didn't claim the top-spot. If the team had three top-5 scorers, 80% of the time one of them led the league in scoring.
- It has not happened for more than 20 years. This is the longest wait for seeing it happen.

Bonus: In 48-49, Hawks claimed the 1st and 2nd spot in scoring and Wings had the 3rd and 4th. Jimmy Conacher who split the season between Chicago and Detroit finished 5th, so in a way both teams had 3 players in the top-5.

Great research - thanks for posting.

Minor correction for 1932 - Howie Morenz played for the Canadiens. I think you meant to include Charlie Conacher instead.

Also, 1935 debatably counts. Two season-long Red Wings, Larry Aurie and Herbie Lewis, finished 2nd and T-5th in scoring. The scoring leader, Syd Howe (no relation to Gordie) spent about a third of the season on Detroit.

 

[iamjs]

96 Penguins - 1. Lemieux, 2. Jagr, 4. Francis

and Francis was one point away from finishing 3rd.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/top_league.php?lid=nhl1927&sid=1996&leaguenm=NHL

 

[Dipsy Doodle]

Depends entirely on which line Chris Kunitz plays on

Bingo.

 

[Beville]

2005-2006

Senators: Heatley(4th) Alfreddson(5th) and Spezza (14th)

Thrashers: Kovalchuck(8th), Savard(9th) and Hossa(11th)

Was gonna throw in a mention for the Sens there...

Although I love how people are kicking off at you, even though you never said these guys finished top 10

 

[Shrimper]

Isn't Crosby 2nd?

Tied with McDavid but has more goals and fewer games played

 

[Crosbyfan]

Isn't Crosby 2nd?

Tied with McDavid but has more goals and fewer games played

McDavid is tied with Malkin for first, but with less goals.

 

[Drew4u]

Not a chance

 

[Shrimper]

McDavid is tied with Malkin for first, but with less goals.

Right, Crosby 1 point behind then.

 

[TopTenPlayz]

The all-time 'winner' here is the 1970-71 Bruins:

1. Phil Esposito
2. Bobby Orr
3. John Bucyk
4. Ken Hodge
5. Bobby Hull
6. Norm Ullman
7. Wayne Cashman
8. John McKenzie
9. Jean Beliveau / Dave Keon / Fred Stanfield

That's what happens when Boston scores 399 goals and Minnesota scores 191.

Yet they were beaten in the playoffs by a rookie goalie who had a total of 6 games experience

 

[Ivo]

Great research - thanks for posting.

Minor correction for 1932 - Howie Morenz played for the Canadiens. I think you meant to include Charlie Conacher instead.

Also, 1935 debatably counts. Two season-long Red Wings, Larry Aurie and Herbie Lewis, finished 2nd and T-5th in scoring. The scoring leader, Syd Howe (no relation to Gordie) spent about a third of the season on Detroit.

Ah yes, thank you for the correction, brain fart with the Morenz/Conacher swap.

Also, I didn't count seasons where a player didn't spend the whole season on the team (I think there were a couple more of those)

 

[Syckle78]

Had no idea kessel was top 5. That's ****ing awesome, I love Phil!