By Jared Clinton, with contributions from the author
Many players in the Edmonton Oilers franchise have faced the challenge of living in the immense shadow cast by Wayne Gretzky’s legendary achievements. This is the daily reality for those skating behind Gretzky’s monumental legacy.
Take Connor McDavid’s remarkable 42-point run in the 2024 playoffs—an impressive feat for today’s fans. However, it still falls short of Gretzky’s all-time NHL playoff record of 47 points set in 1985. McDavid is not alone in this experience; Evgeni Malkin has also seen his playoff heroics overshadowed by the legendary Mario Lemieux. Malkin’s best postseason effort of 36 points in 2009 ranks only seventh in his franchise’s history, unable to surpass Lemieux’s remarkable 44 points from 1991.
Interestingly, not all franchise playoff records belong to recent stars—almost half of NHL teams have had their best playoff scoring performances come within the last two decades. Here’s a rundown of the top single-playoff point leaders for each NHL franchise:
1. Edmonton Oilers – Wayne Gretzky, 47 points (1984-85)
2. Pittsburgh Penguins – Mario Lemieux, 44 points (1990-91)
3. Los Angeles Kings – Wayne Gretzky, 40 points (1992-93)
4. New York Islanders – Mike Bossy, 35 points (1980-81)
5. Toronto Maple Leafs – Doug Gilmour, 35 points (1992-93)
6. Colorado Avalanche – Joe Sakic, 34 points (1995-96)
7. New York Rangers – Brian Leetch, 34 points (1993-94)
8. Tampa Bay Lightning – Nikita Kucherov, 34 points (2019-20)
9. Boston Bruins – Rick Middleton, 33 points (1982-83)
10. Washington Capitals – Evgeny Kuznetsov, 32 points (2017-18)
11. Calgary Flames – Al MacInnis, 31 points (1988-89)
12. Vancouver Canucks – Pavel Bure, 31 points (1993-94)
13. Philadelphia Flyers – Daniel Briere, 30 points (2009-10)
14. San Jose Sharks – Logan Couture, 30 points (2015-16)
15. Chicago Blackhawks – Denis Savard, 29 points (1984-85)
16. Dallas Stars – Steve Payne, 29 points (1980-81)
17. Carolina Hurricanes – Eric Staal, 28 points (2005-06)
18. Detroit Red Wings – Henrik Zetterberg, 27 points (2007-08)
19. Montreal Canadiens – Frank Mahovlich, 27 points (1970-71)
20. Vegas Golden Knights – Jack Eichel, 26 points (2022-23)
21. Florida Panthers – Matthew Tkachuk, 24 points (2022-23)
22. New Jersey Devils – Patrik Elias, 23 points (2000-01)
23. St. Louis Blues – Ryan O’Reilly, 23 points (2018-19)
24. Ottawa Senators – Daniel Alfredsson, 22 points (2006-07)
25. Buffalo Sabres – Gilbert Perreault, 21 points (1979-80)
26. Winnipeg Jets – Blake Wheeler, 21 points (2017-18)
27. Anaheim Ducks – Ryan Getzlaf, 20 points (2014-15)
28. Minnesota Wild – Marian Gaborik, 17 points (2002-03)
29. Nashville Predators – Filip Forsberg, 16 points (2017-18)
30. Seattle Kraken – Yanni Gourde, 13 points (2022-23)
31. Columbus Blue Jackets – Artemi Panarin, 11 points (2018-19)
32. Utah Mammoth – N/A (franchise moved; Dale Hawerchuk had 13 points in 1987 playoffs)
This piece is part of the 2025 Champions issue, highlighting the Florida Panthers’ Stanley Cup victory, Seth Jones’ defensive mastery, and key moments from the 2024-25 NHL season. Subscribers to Hockey News gain access to this content and over 76 years of hockey archives.
Fan Take: This rundown of playoff point leaders underscores how historic legends continue to set the bar high, even as newer stars chase their legacies. It reminds hockey fans of the enduring greatness within the sport and the exciting potential for emerging players to carve out their own place in history.
