NHL's Scoring Leaders

[ArgoRavi]

I used to follow the NHL extremely closely for years but haven't been as much into it over the last fifteen years or so although I have found myself getting sucked back in a bit more this season. For the first time in years probably, I just looked at the scoring leaders in the league here: http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm#?navid=nav-sts-indiv

I have to admit that this shocked me. Likely, only one player will score more than 100 points this season and only one or two will have fifty goals or more. When I think back to the 1980s, it is like hockey is a completely different game today compared to that time with so much less scoring today than we saw back then. Even the late 1970s and early 1990s were more wide open than what we see today. Also, the much-maligned Phil Kessel is fourth in scoring in the league. I am not sure what more Leaf fans can expect from him.

Can this game ever get back to what it once was regarding offensive excitement? I remember people complaining in the 1980s that there were too many goals and I am not asking that we see 11-9 games every night but it would be nice to see the average number of goals per game in the 7 or 8 range rather the 5 (I believe) that we see today.

[DanTheFan]

Nice too see some of the old guys in the Top 30 (Selanne, Whitney).

[argolio]

They're not going back to the really small goalie equipment of that era, or less athletic goalies, or fewer coaches, so at this point I think the obvious move to increase scoring is make the nets a bit bigger. But I doubt that will happen under Bettman. Agreeing to major changes is like pulling teeth for him, and the league already did that once under his watch after the lockout.

And to put more emphasis on skating, I'd also like to see them legislate that any new arena go from 200x85 to 200x90 (or 92 or 95).

[Will]

I used to follow the NHL extremely closely for years but haven't been as much into it over the last fifteen years or so although I have found myself getting sucked back in a bit more this season. For the first time in years probably, I just looked at the scoring leaders in the league here: http://www.nhl.com/ice/playerstats.htm#?navid=nav-sts-indiv

I have to admit that this shocked me. Likely, only one player will score more than 100 points this season and only one or two will have fifty goals or more. When I think back to the 1980s, it is like hockey is a completely different game today compared to that time with so much less scoring today than we saw back then. Even the late 1970s and early 1990s were more wide open than what we see today. Also, the much-maligned Phil Kessel is fourth in scoring in the league. I am not sure what more Leaf fans can expect from him.

Can this game ever get back to what it once was regarding offensive excitement? I remember people complaining in the 1980s that there were too many goals and I am not asking that we see 11-9 games every night but it would be nice to see the average number of goals per game in the 7 or 8 range rather the 5 (I believe) that we see today.

This has been the trend in the NHL since the mid-1990's at least. I would say that the 1992-1993 season was the last for the wide-open style of hockey from the 1980's. After that, it seems that the prevalence of the Devils "trap" system started to incorporate itself into many team's styles. The rule changes after the lockout were designed to break the "trap" and it did slightly, but probably not to the effect that some had hoped.

Kessel will always be maligned because of what was given up for him. He is fourth in league scoring, but nobody has attributed that "franchise player" quality to him.

[argonaut11xx]

I like the closer games, and low scoring isnt all bad, its the flow of the game that has been killed due to the trap...(Thanks Jacques Lemaire)

[ArgoRavi]

I like the closer games, and low scoring isnt all bad, its the flow of the game that has been killed due to the trap...(Thanks Jacques Lemaire)

There weren't a lot of goals back in the 1970s either but the game seemed to flow much better than it does today. I still wouldn't mind seeing more goals but I agree that you can have lower scoring and yet compelling hockey.

[1argoholic]

The third period of the Kings at Vancouver game was fun in a 1-0 Canucks win last night. I hate the Canucks!!!