List of NHL players with 50 goal seasons

thumb|right|225px|Alexander Ovechkin reached 50 goals for the fourth time in his career in 2009–10.|alt=An unshaven man with black hair stares into the distance. He is wearing a red uniform with blue pants and a logo saying "Washington Capitals" on his chest.
Scoring 50 goals in one season is one of the most celebrated individual achievements in the National Hockey League (NHL). The feat was first accomplished in 1944–45 by Maurice Richard. Bernie Geoffrion became the second player to reach the milestone 16 years later in 1960–61. Fifty-goal seasons increased in frequency during 1970s and 1980s as offense increased across the league. By 1980, it had been reached 24 times in NHL history; the plateau was reached 76 times in the 1980s. 
Wayne Gretzky scored his 50th goal in his 39th game in 1981–82, the fastest any player has done so. He also shares the record for most 50-goal seasons with Mike Bossy, each having reached the milestone nine times in their careers. A record fourteen players exceeded 50 goals in 1992–93, after which offence declined across the league, and with it the number of players to reach the total. For the first time in 29 years, no player scored 50 goals in 1998–99. The mark has been reached 185 times in NHL history by 87 players. Three players reached the 50-goal plateau in 2009–10: Alexander Ovechkin, Steven Stamkos and Sidney Crosby
==History==
Joe Malone scored 44 goals for the Montreal Canadiens – in 20 games – in the NHL's inaugural season of 1917–18. It was a record that stood nearly 30 years. The introduction of the centre red line and permission of forward passing out of the defensive zone in 1943 increased scoring; six players scored 30 goals in 1943–44, the first time in league history so many players reached that total in one season. Maurice Richard averaged a goal per game in 1944–45 and surpassed Malone's record late in the season. He was as obsessed with reaching the 50-goal mark as his opponents were at preventing it. Richard faced opponents who repeatedly elbowed, hooked and held him in an effort to prevent him from reaching 50. As a result, he scored only seven goals in his final 13 games. Richard scored his 50th goal, in 50 games, in the third period of Montreal's final game of the season against the Boston Bruins. The league introduced the Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy in his honour in 1999.
Richard's mark stood untouched for 16 seasons until Bernie Geoffrion became the second player to score 50 goals in 1960–61, doing so in his 62nd game of the season. Early in the 1960s, Chicago Black Hawks teammates Stan Mikita and Bobby Hull began experimenting with curved blades, noticing that different bends made shots more unpredictable for goaltenders. Mikita led the NHL in scoring four times using a curved blade, while Hull became the third player in NHL history to score 50 goals in 1961–62. It was the first of five times he would reach the milestone.
Phil Esposito scored 50 goals in five consecutive seasons in the 1970s, led by a then-NHL record 76 goals in 1970–71. By 1980, 24 players had reached the mark. Mike Bossy joined Richard as the second person in league history to score 50 goals in 50 games in 1980–81. He did so by scoring two goals in the final five minutes of the New York Islanders' 50th game. Bossy, who had set a league rookie-scoring record with 53 goals in 1977–78, surpassed the 50-goal mark in each of his first nine NHL seasons. The 1980s represented one of the highest scoring eras in NHL history, and of the 185 50-goal seasons by 2008–09, 76 of them were accomplished in this decade. Wayne Gretzky was responsible for nine of those seasons, including his league record 92 goals in 1981–82. In that season, Gretzky scored five goals in his 39th game of the season to total 50, bettering Richard and Bossy by 11 games as the fastest to reach the mark.
A record 14 players scored 50 goals in 1992–93. Among them was Teemu Selanne, who scored 76 goals as a rookie, surpassing Bossy's record for first-year players by 23 goals. Brett Hull scored over 50 goals five times in the 1990s, equalling his father's totals in the 1960s. As teams shifted their focus to defensive play rather than offensive, scoring rapidly declined in the late 1990s. No player scored 50 in 1998–99, the first time that had happened in 29 years, excluding the lockout shortened 1994–95 NHL season. 
Only five players reached the 50-goal mark between 1999 and 2004: Pavel Bure, Joe Sakic, Jaromir Jagr, Jarome Iginla and Milan Hejduk. Following the 2004–05 lockout that cancelled the season, the league introduced numerous rule changes designed to increase scoring. Five players scored 50 in 2005–06, however the number of players reaching 50 goals has decreased since. Alexander Ovechkin was the only player to do so in 2008–09. Ovechkin scored 50 goals for the fourth time in his career in 2009–10. He was one of three players to reach the mark, joined by Steven Stamkos and Sidney Crosby.
==Players==
Season 	Player 	Team 	 	 	Ref
1944–45	 	Montreal Canadiens 	50	50	
1960–61	 	Montreal Canadiens 	64	50	
1961–62	 	Chicago Black Hawks 	70	50	
1965–66	 	Chicago Black Hawks 	65	54	
1966–67	 	Chicago Black Hawks 	66	52	
1968–69	 	Chicago Black Hawks 	74	58	
1970–71	 	Boston Bruins 	78	76	
1970–71	 	Boston Bruins 	78	51	
1971–72	 	Boston Bruins 	76	66	
1971–72	Vic Hadfield	New York Rangers 	78	50	
1971–72	 	Chicago Black Hawks 	78	50	
1972–73	 	Boston Bruins 	78	55	
1972–73	 	Detroit Red Wings 	76	52	
1972–73	 	Philadelphia Flyers 	78	50	
1973–74	 	Boston Bruins 	78	68	
1973–74	 	Buffalo Sabres 	78	52	
1973–74	 	Detroit Red Wings 	76	51	
1973–74	 	Boston Bruins 	76	50	
1974–75	 	Boston Bruins 	79	61	
1974–75	 	Montreal Canadiens 	70	53	
1974–75	 	Buffalo Sabres 	68	52	
1974–75	 	Detroit Red Wings 	80	50	
1975–76	 	Philadelphia Flyers 	80	61	
1975–76	 	Montreal Canadiens 	80	56	
1975–76	 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	76	53	
1975–76	 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	80	52	
1975–76	 	Buffalo Sabres 	79	50	
1975–76	 	Philadelphia Flyers 	80	50	
1976–77	 	Montreal Canadiens 	80	60	
1976–77	 	Montreal Canadiens 	80	56	
1976–77	 	Los Angeles Kings 	80	53	
1977–78	 	Montreal Canadiens 	78	60	
1977–78	 	New York Islanders 	73	53	
1978–79	 	New York Islanders 	80	69	
1978–79	 	Los Angeles Kings 	80	59	
1978–79	 	Montreal Canadiens 	80	52	
1978–79	 	Atlanta Flames 	80	50	
1979–80	 	Los Angeles Kings 	64	56	
1979–80	 	Buffalo Sabres 	76	56	
1979–80	 	Hartford Whalers 	80	56	
1979–80	 	Los Angeles Kings 	80	53	
1979–80	 	New York Islanders 	75	51	
1979–80	 	Edmonton Oilers 	79	51	
1979–80	 	Montreal Canadiens 	73	50	
1979–80	 	Montreal Canadiens 	74	50	
1979–80	 	Philadelphia Flyers 	76	50	
1980-81	 	New York Islanders 	79	68	
1980–81	 	Los Angeles Kings 	80	58	
1980–81	 	Los Angeles Kings 	65	56	
1980–81	 	Edmonton Oilers 	80	55	
1980–81	 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	80	55	
1980–81	 	St. Louis Blues 	78	54	
1980–81	 	Quebec Nordiques 	78	52	
1980–81	 	Washington Capitals 	80	50	
1981–82	 	Edmonton Oilers 	80	92	
1981–82	 	New York Islanders 	80	64	
1981–82	 	Washington Capitals 	80	60	
1981–82	 	Minnesota North Stars 	76	55	
1981–82	 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	77	54	
1981–82	 	Hartford Whalers 	80	52	
1981–82	 	Boston Bruins 	75	51	
1981–82	 	Los Angeles Kings 	78	50	
1981–82	 	Edmonton Oilers 	78	50	
1981–82	 	New York Islanders 	80	50	
1982–83	 	Edmonton Oilers 	80	71	
1982–83	 	Calgary Flames 	80	66	
1982–83	 	New York Islanders 	79	60	
1982–83	 	Quebec Nordiques 	80	57	
1982–83	 	Los Angeles Kings 	80	56	
1982–83	 	Chicago Black Hawks 	80	54	
1982–83	 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	78	51	
1983–84	 	Edmonton Oilers 	74	87	
1983–84	 	Quebec Nordiques 	75	56	
1983–84	 	Philadelphia Flyers 	79	54	
1983–84	 	Edmonton Oilers 	80	54	
1983–84	 	Edmonton Oilers 	64	52	
1983–84	 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	76	52	
1983-84	 	New York Islanders 	67	51	
1983–84	 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	76	51	
1984–85	 	Edmonton Oilers 	80	73	
1984–85	 	Edmonton Oilers 	73	71	
1984–85	 	New York Islanders 	76	58	
1984–85	 	Quebec Nordiques 	69	55	
1984–85	 	Detroit Red Wings 	79	55	
1984–85	 	Philadelphia Flyers 	74	54	
1984–85	 	Washington Capitals 	80	53	
1984–85	 	Winnipeg Jets 	80	53	
1984–85	 	Washington Capitals 	80	50	
1985–86	 	Edmonton Oilers 	78	68	
1985-86	 	New York Islanders 	80	61	
1985–86	 	Philadelphia Flyers 	76	58	
1985–86	 	Edmonton Oilers 	72	54	
1985–86	 	Quebec Nordiques 	75	53	
1985–86	 	Edmonton Oilers 	80	52	
1986–87	 	Edmonton Oilers 	79	62	
1986–87	 	Philadelphia Flyers 	75	58	
1986–87	 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	63	54	
1986–87	 	Edmonton Oilers 	79	54	
1986–87	 	Minnesota North Stars 	80	52	
1987–88	 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	77	70	
1987–88	 	Pittsburgh Penguins/Edmonton Oilers	80	56	
1987–88	 	Los Angeles Kings 	80	55	
1987–88	 	Los Angeles Kings 	80	53	
1987–88	 	Calgary Flames 	75	51	
1987–88	 	Detroit Red Wings 	64	50	
1987–88	 	Montreal Canadiens 	72	50	
1987–88	 	Calgary Flames 	80	50	
1988–89	 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	76	85	
1988–89	 	Los Angeles Kings 	79	70	
1988–89	 	Detroit Red Wings 	80	65	
1988–89	 	Los Angeles Kings 	78	54	
1988–89	 	Calgary Flames 	77	51	
1988–89	 	Calgary Flames 	79	51	
1989–90	 	St. Louis Blues 	80	72	
1989–90	 	Detroit Red Wings 	79	62	
1989–90	 	Boston Bruins 	76	55	
1989–90	 	Minnesota North Stars 	80	55	
1989–90	 	New York Islanders 	74	54	
1989–90	 	Los Angeles Kings 	80	52	
1989–90	 	Montreal Canadiens 	75	51	
1989–90	 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	80	51	
1990–91	 	St. Louis Blues 	78	86	
1990–91	 	Boston Bruins 	69	51	
1990–91	 	Calgary Flames 	79	51	
1990–91	 	Detroit Red Wings 	80	51	
1991–92	 	St. Louis Blues 	73	70	
1991–92	 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	80	54	
1991–92	 	Calgary Flames 	76	53	
1991–92	 	Chicago Blackhawks 	80	53	
1992–93	 	Buffalo Sabres 	77	76	
1992–93	 	Winnipeg Jets 	84	76	
1992–93	 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	60	69	
1992–93	 	Los Angeles Kings 	84	63	
1992–93	 	Vancouver Canucks 	83	60	
1992–93	 	New York Islanders 	83	58	
1992–93	 	Detroit Red Wings 	84	58	
1992–93	 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	72	55	
1992–93	 	St. Louis Blues 	80	54	
1992–93	 	Buffalo Sabres/Toronto Maple Leafs 	83	54	
1992–93	 	Buffalo Sabres 	84	53	
1992–93	 	Philadelphia Flyers 	84	53	
1992–93	 	St. Louis Blues 	71	51	
1992–93	 	Chicago Blackhawks 	84	50	
1993–94	 	Vancouver Canucks 	76	60	
1993–94	 	St. Louis Blues 	81	57	
1993–94	 	Detroit Red Wings 	82	56	
1993–94	 	Toronto Maple Leafs 	83	53	
1993–94	 	St. Louis Blues 	81	52	
1993–94	 	Detroit Red Wings 	82	52	
1993–94	 	New York Rangers 	84	52	
1993–94	 	Boston Bruins 	49	50	
1993–94	 	Dallas Stars 	76	50	
1995–96	 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	70	69	
1995–96	 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	82	62	
1995–96	 	Vancouver Canucks 	79	55	
1995–96	 	Washington Capitals 	67	52	
1995–96	 	Philadelphia Flyers 	82	51	
1995–96	 	Colorado Avalanche 	82	51	
1995–96	 	Winnipeg Jets 	76	50	
1995–96	 	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 	82	50	
1996–97	 	Phoenix Coyotes 	81	52	
1996–97	 	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 	78	51	
1996–97	 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	76	50	
1996–97	 	Philadelphia Flyers 	82	50	
1997–98	 	Mighty Ducks of Anaheim 	73	52	
1997–98	 	Washington Capitals 	76	52	
1997–98	 	Vancouver Canucks 	82	51	
1997–98	 	Philadelphia Flyers 	82	51	
1999–00	 	Florida Panthers 	74	58	
2000–01	 	Florida Panthers 	82	59	
2000–01	 	Colorado Avalanche 	82	54	
2000–01	 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	81	52	
2001–02	 	Calgary Flames 	82	52	
2002–03	 	Colorado Avalanche 	82	50	
2005–06	 	San Jose Sharks 	82	56	
2005–06	 	New York Rangers 	82	54	
2005–06	 	Atlanta Thrashers 	78	52	
2005–06	 	Washington Capitals 	81	52	
2005–06	 	Ottawa Senators 	82	50	
2006–07	 	Tampa Bay Lightning 	82	52	
2006–07	 	Ottawa Senators 	82	50	
2007–08	 	Washington Capitals 	82	65	
2007–08	 	Atlanta Thrashers 	79	52	
2007–08	 	Calgary Flames 	82	50	
2008–09	 	Washington Capitals 	79	56	
2009–10	 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	81	51	
2009–10	 	Tampa Bay Lightning 	82	51	
2009–10	 	Washington Capitals 	72	50	
2010-11	 	Anaheim Ducks 	82	50	
2011-12	 	Tampa Bay Lightning 	88	60	
2011-12	 	Pittsburgh Penguins 	82	50	
2013–14	 	Washington Capitals 	78	51	
2014–15	 	Washington Capitals 	81	53	
2015–16	 	Washington Capitals 	79	50	
2018–19	 	Washington Capitals 	79	51	
==References==
Category:National Hockey League lists
Category:NHL players with 50 goal seasons