Did This NHL Player Score 50 Goals In A Single Season?

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Despite the fact that the NHL has changed drastically throughout the past 100 years, scoring 50 goals is still the benchmark for a dominant season. It's one thing to lead the league in goals, but it's another to reach the 50-goal plateau. It's a nice round number that only dozens of players can say they've done. Back in the early era of the league when forward passes weren't allowed (that was actually a rule for a brief period of time, as hard as it is to believe), nobody was scoring 50 goals. In fact, using the 1920-21 season as an example, only three players topped 30 goals and only four topped 20 goals, which is likely a good thing for the purpose of this quiz because chances are you haven't heard of Cy Denneny, Newsy Lalonde, or Babe Dye.

Maurice "The Rocket" Richard was the first player to ever accomplish the feat when he scored 50 goals in 50 games during the 1944-45 season. It took another 15 years for someone to reach 50 goals, but it became commonplace in the 1970s, 1980s, and even into the early 1990s. However, since 2008, only five players have scored 50 goals in a single season. How well do you know the 50-goal scorers?

Question 1

Mats Sundin

The first ever European-born player to be selected first overall in the NHL Draft, Sundin starred for the Quebec Nordiques for four seasons before being traded to Toronto, where he truly became one of the league's best centers. At 6-foot-5 with an effortless skating stride, Sundin was feared by defensemen and goaltenders alike. He retired following the 2008-09 season with 1,349 points in 1,346 career games. He recorded over 80 points in six seasons and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2012.

Question 2

Vincent Lecavalier

A native of Ile-Bizard, Quebec, Vincent Lecavalier was selected first overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 1998 NHL Draft. The former Rimouski Oceanic struggled in his rookie season with just 28 points in 82 games, but soon after developed into a dominant center who, at the height of his career, led the Tampa Bay Lightning to a Stanley Cup win over the Calgary Flames. He won the Rocket Richard Trophy in 2006-07 and retired with 421 goals in 1,212 games.

Question 3

Sidney Crosby

The poster boy of the NHL since he was drafted first overall by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2005 NHL Draft, Sidney Crosby has 1,027 points in 782 career games. The Nova Scotia native has battled concussion issues throughout his career, but has still managed to establish himself as the premier player of his generation. He has topped 100 points in five of his 12 seasons and is a three-time Stanley Cup champion, two-time Conn Smythe Trophy winner, and two-time Hart Trophy winner as the league's most valuable player.

Question 4

Jonathan Toews

A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Jonathan Toews played college hockey for the University of North Dakota before turning pro. He was selected third overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2006 NHL Draft and wasted little time in establishing himself as a premier player in the league. As a rookie, Toews scored 24 goals in 64 games and finished the year with 54 points. He has since tallied at least 20 goals in each of his 10 seasons in the league. Toews has 622 points in 717 career games and is a three-time Stanley Cup champion.

Question 5

Jonathan Cheechoo

A second-round pick by the San Jose Sharks in 1998, Jonathan Cheechoo was a productive goal scorer for the Belleville Bulls in the Ontario Hockey League before turning pro. It took him some time to develop his game in the American Hockey League (AHL), but he eventually became a goal-scoring sensation for the Sharks, albeit for only a brief period of time. Playing alongside Joe Thornton, Cheechoo had a career year in 2005-06 and finished the season with 93 points. He recorded 69 points the following season and his numbers continued to dwindle in the following years. He was out of the NHL by 2009, despite being only 29 years old.

Question 6

Patrick Kane

Arguably the best American-born hockey player in the game today and perhaps of all-time, Patrick Kane has given hope to smaller players worldwide. The diminutive 5-foot-11, 177-pound forward was even smaller when he was selected first overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2007 but still managed to post 72 points in his rookie season en route to winning the Calder Trophy as the league's top rookie. He recorded a career-high 106 points in 2015-16 and won the his first Art Ross Trophy.

Question 7

Jeremy Roenick

Now known for his analysis work with NBC, Jeremy Roenick was one of the most entertaining players in the game throughout the 1990s. An eighth overall pick in the 1988 NHL Draft, Roenick became best known for his trash talking on the ice, but he was in fact quite a talented goal scorer, especially early in his career. In just his second season in the league, Roenick scored 41 goals and added 53 assists for the Blackhawks. He played for five teams throughout his 20-year career and recorded 1,216 points in 1,363 games.

Question 8

Mike Modano

If Patrick Kane isn't the best American-born player, it might be Mike Modano, a smooth-skating center who was also a former first overall pick. Modano was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars and spent nearly his entire career with the franchise. He signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings in 2010, but only played 40 games with the team. He played his other 1,459 career games with the Stars and recorded 1,374 points. He is one of only five Americans to score 500 career goals.

Question 9

Eric Lindros

"The Big E" Eric Lindros is a Hall of Famer that changed the game. A 6-foot-4, 230-pound center (at least during his prime), Lindros was feared equally as a goal scorer and physical presence. He was drafted first overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1991 NHL Draft, but refused to play for the team and was then dealt to the Philadelphia Flyers, where he spent most of his career. He topped 40 goals four times in his career and, although his career was cut short, he accumulated 372 goals in 760 games.

Question 10

Evgeni Malkin

Although he was overshadowed by Alex Ovechkin in his draft year as the second overall pick, that's no longer the case for Evgeni Malkin, who is now a three-time Stanley Cup winner, two-time Art Ross Trophy winner, and one-time Hart Memorial Trophy winner. Some make the case that Malkin is just benefiting from playing second fiddle to Sidney Crosby, but the truth is the Russian actually performs better with Crosby out of the lineup. Through 706 career games, Malkin has 832 points and has averaged over a point per game in each of the past six seasons.

Question 11

Anze Kopitar

A former Frank J. Selke Trophy winner best regarded for his defensive acumen, Anze Kopitar is also a dominant all-around threat who has topped 25 goals seven times throughout his career. The 11th overall pick in the 2005 NHL Draft, Kopitar is easily the best Slovenian-born player of all-time. He has won a pair of Stanley Cups with the Los Angeles Kings and recorded 46 points during those two playoff runs. Throughout his career, he has 736 points in 840 games.

Question 12

Sergei Fedorov

A fourth-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings in 1989, Sergei Fedorov quickly became the face of the franchise alongside captain Steve Yzerman and helped lead the Wings to three Stanley Cups. Although regarded for his defensive ability (he's a two-time winner of the Frank J. Selke Trophy), Fedorov was an adept goal scorer as well and won the Hart Memorial Trophy as league MVP in 1994 following a 120-point season. His production dropped after he left Detroit in 2003, but he still managed 1,179 points in 1,248 career games.

Question 13

Eric Staal

The second overall pick in the 2003 NHL Draft, Eric Staal is the oldest of three brothers who still play in the NHL. He's also the best brother as he has won a Stanley Cup and has 846 points in 1,011 career games. A consistent two-way force at center, Staal recorded 31 points as a rookie and then posted seven consecutive 70-point seasons. He hasn't hit that mark since 2011-12, but he a productive season last year with the Minnesota Wild by scoring 28 goals and adding 37 assists.

Question 14

Milan Hejduk

Although he was at times overshadowed by Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg in Colorado, Milan Hejduk was a gifted goalscorer himself. The Czech Republic native was a fourth-round pick by the Quebec Nordiques in 1994 but didn't come to the NHL until 1998, when the team was in Colorado. In 14 seasons with the Avalanche, Hejduk played 1,020 career games, scored 375 goals, and added 430 assists. He retired following the 2012-13 season. His biggest accomplishment came in 2003, when he won the Rocket Richard Trophy as the league's top goal scorer.

Question 15

Rick Nash

A strong, goal-scoring winger from Brampton, Ontario, Rick Nash was selected first overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2002 NHL Draft. The 33 year old spent most of his career with the Blue Jackets, but joined the New York Rangers in 2012 after nine years of playoff futility in which Columbus only played four post-season games. None of that was Nash's fault, however, as he often led the team in goals and points. He had a career-best season in 2008-09 with 79 points and also won the Rocket Richard Trophy as the league's top goal scorer in 2003-04, just his second season in the league.

Question 16

Jarome Iginla

A first-round pick by the Dallas Stars, Jarome Iginla didn't play a single game for the team as he was dealt to the Calgary Flames in exchange for veteran Joe Nieuwendyk. With Calgary, Iginla thrived, scoring 21 goals in his rookie season and going on to score at least 30 goals in 11 of his 15 seasons with the team. The 40 year old hasn't been as productive in recent years with the Colorado Avalanche, but he's still a future first-ballot Hall of Famer who has 1,300 points in 1,554 career games.

Question 17

Steven Stamkos

Although he has now become associated with injury problems, Steven Stamkos is one of the game's elite goal scorers when healthy. The Markham, Ontario native was selected first overall in the 2008 NHL Draft and is a two-time winner of the Rocket Richard Trophy as the league's top goal scorer. He was on pace for another dominant season in 2016-17 - 20 points in 17 games - before he was sidelined for the remainder of the year with an injury. Throughout his career, Stamkos has 321 goals and 261 assists in 586 games.

Question 18

Corey Perry

The Anaheim Ducks were either incredibly lucky in 2003 or their scouts did tremendous work. That year, the team selected both Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry in the first round of the NHL Draft and both players have since become cornerstones of the franchise. For his part, Perry has played the role of goal scorer and pest; he topped 30 goals in six seasons and is strongly hated among opposing teams. Through 886 career games, Perry has 349 goals and 368 assists for 717 points. He won the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2010-11 as the league's most valuable player.

Question 19

Jamie Benn

A fifth-round pick in the 2007 NHL Draft, Jamie Benn has become a surprising force in the NHL. After a 46-goal season in his final year of junior hockey, he made the Dallas Stars in his first year of pro eligibility, which is extremely rare for a player selected in the fifth round. He scored 22 goals that season and has since topped 30 goals in three seasons. To date, the Victoria, British Columbia native has 218 goals and 299 assists in 585 games. He won the Art Ross Trophy in 2014-15 as the league's top scorer.

Question 20

Joe Pavelski

Like Benn, Pavelski is a late-round success story. A seventh-round pick in the 2003 NHL Draft, the Wisconsin native and University of Wisconsin alumnus has spent his entire 11-year career with the San Jose Sharks and has topped 30 goals four times in his career, including in three of the past four seasons - he scored 29 goals a year ago. The Sharks captain also proved himself as a playoff performer in San Jose's run to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2016 as he scored 14 goals in 24 games.

Question 21

Vladimir Tarasenko

The cover star of EA Sports' NHL 17, Vladimir Tarasenko is a 25 year old Russian sniper who was selected 16th overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 2010 NHL Draft. His skill was evident at a young age as he began playing professional hockey in the KHL at 16 years old as a member of Novosibirsk Sibir. In just his third year in the NHL, he reached 37 goals, despite playing for a defensive-minded coach in Ken Hitchcock. To date, Tarasenko has 145 goals in 341 games.

Question 22

John LeClair

A second-round draft pick of the Montreal Canadians, John LeClair played four seasons with the team before being dealt to Philadelphia, where his career really took off. LeClair's career-high in goals with the Habs was just 19, but he scored 25 in his first 37 games with the Flyers and, the following season, began a stretch of five consecutive seasons in which he scored at least 40 goals. Through 967 career games, LeClair scored 406 goals and added 413 assists for 819 points.

Question 23

Mark Recchi

A native of Kamloops, British Columbia, Mark Recchi was a determined, diminutive player who was able to play until he was 43 years old. He was still effective at that age too, as he recorded 14 points in 25 playoff games for the Boston Bruins, helping the team win the Stanley Cup in 2011. Throughout his career, Recchi recorded at least 70 points in 10 seasons and did so for three different teams - the Pittsburgh Penguins, Philadelphia Flyers, and Montreal Canadiens. He retired with 1,533 points in 1,652 games.

Question 24

Marian Hossa

A native of Slovakia, Marian Hossa was selected 12th overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 1997 NHL Draft. He came to North America the following year and played for the Portland Winter Hawks of the Western Hockey League (WHL) before turning pro the following year. The experience helped as he scored at least 29 goals in three of his first four seasons in the league. In 2006-07, he recorded a career-high 100 points for the Atlanta Thrashers and, to date, has 1,134 points in 1,309 games.

Question 25

Patrick Marleau

The second overall pick in the 1997 NHL Draft, Patrick Marleau has spent his entire career with the San Jose Sharks, that is until he signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs this off-season. The move was rather shocking as Marleau has been a consistent presence with the Sharks and even previously served as the team's captain. He has scored at least 30 goals in seven seasons with the team and tallied his 500th career goal this past season. The smooth-skating winger has 1,082 points in 1,493 career games.

Question 26

Gary Roberts

Now a personal trainer for some of the game's biggest stars including Steven Stamkos and Phil Kessel, Gary Roberts was once a dominant force on the ice himself, both because of his offensive prowess and his physical capabilities. For example, in the 1989-90 season, as a member of the Calgary Flames, Roberts finished second on the team in both goals (39) and penalty minutes (222). He missed the entire 1996-97 season due to a serious neck injury, but made a surprising comeback and continued to be an effective player for another 12 seasons. He retired in 2009 with 438 goals and 471 assists in 1,224 career games.

Question 27

Darryl Sittler

Darryl Sittler holds a record that even Wayne Gretzky couldn't beat and one that will likely never be broken. The eighth overall pick of the 1970 NHL Draft and Toronto Maple Leafs legend recorded 10 points in an 11-4 win over the Boston Bruins in 1976. Those 10 points represented 11 percent of his total output for that season as he finished the year with 90 points in 73 games. The following year, he recorded a career-high 117 points. A Hockey Hall of Famer, Sittler finished his career with 1,121 points in 1,096 career games.

Question 28

Theoren Fleury

Long before players like Patrick Kane and Johnny Gaudreau, it was Theoren Fleury who set the standard for what small players can accomplish in the NHL. The 5-foot-6, hot-tempered Calgary Flames legend recorded back-to-back 60-goal campaigns in junior before beginning his NHL career. In his first full season with the Flames, Fleury scored 31 goals and added 35 assists. He topped 100 points twice in his career and retired with 1,088 points in 1,084 games. He also had 79 points in 77 playoff games.

Question 29

Cam Neely

A native of Comox, British Columbia, Cam Neely was a dominant force in the league for a brief six-season stretch before his career was derailed by injuries. He was similar to Gary Roberts and Eric Lindros in that he could score, skate, and hit with the best of them. Selected ninth overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1983 NHL Draft, Neely didn't become a superstar until his fourth season in the league when he was dealt to the Boston Bruins. He topped 40 goals four times in his career and finished his career with 395 goals in 726 career games.

Question 30

Nikita Kucherov

Nikita Kucherov was a little-known second-round pick before exploding on the scene in his second season with the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Russian had just 18 points in his rookie campaign, but scored 28 goals the next year and his increased that total in each of the following years. He's currently signed to one of the best cap-friendly deals in the NHL, but is due for a huge pay day following the 2017-18 season, when he becomes a restricted free agent. Throughout his career, Kucherov has 233 points in 285 games and appears to be only hitting his stride now.

Question 31

Jeff Carter

A native of London, Ontario, Jeff Carter proved himself a goal-scoring threat in junior by posting three consecutive 30-goal seasons with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), despite being limited to fewer than 60 games in two of those three seasons. In his 12-year NHL career, the former 11th overall pick has topped 30 goals four times and has 339 goals in 877 career games. He was instrumental in helping the Los Angeles Kings win a pair of Stanley Cups as he scored a combined 18 goals in the team's two successful playoff runs.

Question 32

Dave Andreychuk

Powerful left winger Dave Andreychuk is best known for his longevity in the league (he played 1,639 games and retired at 43 years old), but he was actually an extremely productive scorer who finished his career with an impressive 640 goals. Selected 16th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1982 NHL Draft, Andreychuk scored at least 25 goals in 11 of his first 12 seasons in the league and was perhaps most productive in his three-and-a-half seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he recorded a career-high 99 points.

Question 33

Pavel Bure

A sixth-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks in the 1989 NHL Draft, Pavel Bure, better known as The Russian Rocket, wasted little time in setting the league on fire with his blazing speed and goal-scoring ability. He won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the rookie of the year in 1992 after posting 60 points in 65 games and followed that up with back-to-back 100-plus point seasons. He was equally impressive with the Florida Panthers, winning back-to-back Rocket Richard trophies as the league's top goal scorer. Injuries limited his career, but he still managed 437 goals in only 702 games.

Question 34

Phil Kessel

A native of Madison, Wisconsin, Phil Kessel has had one of the most interesting careers in recent history. He's a quirky, awkward, introvert who is beloved in Pittsburgh, but he was hated by Maple Leafs fans toward the end of his tenure in Toronto for the same reasons. He also overcame a battle with testicular cancer early in his career as a member of the Boston Bruins. All the while, he has been one of the league's best pure goal scorers, having topped 30 goals in five seasons. To date, Kessel has 649 points in 832 career games.

Question 35

Ilya Kovalchuk

It was speculated that Ilya Kovalchuk would return to the NHL this upcoming season, but it appears as though that will have to wait another year. That's bad news for fans of the NHL as he is an entertaining player with game-changing abilities. The first overall pick by the Atlanta Thrashers in the 2001 NHL Draft, Kovalchuk scored 29 goals in his rookie season and then tallied 30-plus in nine consecutive seasons. The Russian has 417 career goals in 816 games and, during the past four seasons in Russia, has accumulated 99 goals.

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