Wayne Gretzky’s relatively solid NHL points record of 2,857 looms big as Connor McDavid goes after history (Getty Images)
Wayne Gretzky’s profession point overall– 2,857– has actually long been thought about hockey’s most solid record. Throughout 1,487 NHL regular-season video games, “The Great One”scored 894 objectives and taped 1,963 helps, controling an age when goal-scoring took off.
The 1980s saw Gretzky exceed the 200-point mark 4 times, with league scoring averages typically surpassing 7.5 objectives per video game. In today’s NHL, where the typical sits closer to 6.0, matching that level of production provides a far steeper obstacle.
How practical is it for Connor McDavid to capture Wayne Gretzky’s untouchable points record?
Connor McDavid has actually been rewording the contemporary offending playbook. Through 712 video games, the Edmonton Oilers captain has actually tallied 361 objectives and 721 helps for 1,082 points– an impressive speed in the present low-scoring environment.
At simply 28 years of ages, McDavid has actually currently topped 120 points in 3 of the last 4 seasons, revealing no indications of decreasing.
While McDavid’s production is elite, the numbers expose the significant scale of the job. Over his profession, McDavid averages about 125 points per season. Gretzky’s speed? Around 158 each year– even after considering his last seasons throughout the so-called “dead puck age.”To pass Gretzky’s 2,857 points, McDavid would require another 1,775 points.
At his existing speed, that’s more than 14 extra seasons, or approximately 1,165 video games, without any considerable decrease. This would need him to stay efficient into his early 40s, in an Ovechkin-like profession marathon. Reasonably, the physical needs and inescapable drop in production make this practically difficult.
The more achievable turning point: Oilers’ all-time points leader
While Gretzky’s all-time NHL mark might stay out of reach, McDavid is well within striking range of another historical accomplishment– ending up being Edmonton’s all-time franchise points leader.
Gretzky’s Oilers record stands at 1,669 points, suggesting McDavid requires simply 587 more. At his present speed, he might exceed that within 5 seasons.
Naturally, one essential element stays– his agreement. McDavid’s present offer ends on July 1, 2026, and protecting an extension will be important if he wishes to seal that title in an Oilers uniform.Check Out: “Pretty dumb”: Fans revolt as NHL turns its ‘heritage’ Stadium Series into a Florida marketing stuntBreaking Gretzky’s NHL record may be a dream too far, however McDavid’s tradition as one of the video game’s biggest scorers is currently protected– and his chase for franchise history is quite alive.