Projecting the NHL's Top Scorers at the End of the Season

Each season, the NHL awards the Art Ross Trophy to the player with the most regular season points. Racking up goals and assists for your team is a very important task for most players in the NHL. Right now, the current leader in points is Henrik Sedin with an overall total of 49 points. 

Will Sedin keep pace or will he be ousted by Claude Giroux, Phil Kessel or even his brother Daniel? This slideshow will take a look at the top 15 in scoring currently and what they are projected to end the season with in points.

Jonathan Toews

Projected Points: 79

Jonathan Toews is one of the youngest captains in the NHL and he is a solid hockey player. Toews has already won a Stanley Cup but he would love to win the Art Ross Trophy. Toews as of this time has 41 points and is on pace for 79.

He may not win the Art Ross trophy but 79 points will really help the Chicago Blackhawks' offensive production. Toews is a great leader and will look to continue this offensive production into the postseason.

Jason Spezza

Projected Points: 80 points

Jason Spezza is on pace to record 80 points by the end of the season. He has had a solid start and is headed to the All-Star Game in Ottawa. Spezza currently has 42 points in 43 games, so he is a tick off a point-per-game average.

Spezza will look to heat up in the second half of the season to bump up this number.

Tyler Seguin

Projected Points: 81

Dynamo center Tyler Seguin is off to a great start. He is on pace to record 81 points in 81 games at a point-per-game average. Seguin is also expected to hit the 35-goal mark. This would be an incredible feat for Seguin as this is only his second year in the league.

Can Seguin keep up the point-per-game pace? I guess we will find out as the season rolls into the second half.

Jamie Benn

Projected Points: 84

Who would have thought the Dallas Stars would have a semi-successful star sans Brad Richards? As surprising as it sounds, it seems that the Stars don't miss Richards that much. The rising play of Jamie Benn brings hope to the Dallas faithful.

Benn is scoring goals and setting up others for Dallas on a very dominant top line. Benn is really developing into a superb player whose ceiling can only increase.

Pavel Datsyuk

Projected Points: 86

Play-maker and passer extraordinaire Pavel Datsyuk is currently performing above a point-per-game average. His 43 points in 41 games has him at a 86-point pace.

An explosive player like Datsyuk should have no problem hitting the 80-point mark considering how well the Detroit Red Wings have played this season. Datsyuk will primarily pad his point stats with amazing assists to his linemates. 

Jason Pominville

Projected Points: 86

Jason Pominville has really stepped up his game since being named team captain by the Buffalo Sabres at the beginning of the season. Pominville leads by example on the ice and his point totals back it up. He has 43 points thus far and will likely pick up the pace down the stretch after the All-Star Game.

Pominville's career high is 80 points, so this plateau is easily attainable. He will need to be at the top of his game to help lead the Sabres toward playoff glory.

Jordan Eberle

Projected Points: 86

Jordan Eberle is one of the shining stars for an Edmonton Oilers team that has been gradually rebuilding. He has 43 points up to this point of the season and he is expected to double that number by the time the season is done.

Eberle is a talented winger who has benefited from playing with Taylor Hall and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. If the young winger can remain consistent in production, he shouldn't have a problem producing during the second half of the season.

Marian Hossa

Projected Points: 87

Marian Hossa has found his game again. After only scoring 57 points in all of last season, Hossa already has 44 points.

Hossa has been in the league for quite some time now and he is still as dangerous as ever. He has a very lethal wrist shot and can beat you on a breakaway with his speed. With Hossa clicking with the Blackhawks, he will once again return to form in the upper echelon of scorers.

Nicklas Backstrom

Projected Points: 88

The Washington Capitals got off to a poor start this year and fired Bruce Boudreau. Since that point, things have started looking up for the Caps. Nicklas Backstrom is a player who is really producing for his team.

Backstrom is a player who has been hit-or-miss with his point totals in the past. He has 42 points thus far and is passing the puck more. Passing the puck is a strength for Backstrom and that will be the key to success for the Caps moving forward. If he can jump start Ovechkin and Semin, things can continue to look up for the Caps.

Daniel Sedin

Projected Points: 91

Daniel Sedin is a great all-around player. He is an excellent skater, has great vision and benefits from the chemistry he has with twin brother Henrik.

Sedin has become more of a passer this season as he has doubled his current goal total in the assist category. Just the same, he is still on pace to score over 30 goals. He should have no problem hitting the 90-point mark before the season is in the books.

Steven Stamkos

Projected Points: 92 Points

Steven Stamkos is one of the league's most explosive scorers. He has speed, finesse, a deadly wrist shot and lethal one-timer. If you give him the puck and a sliver of open ice, he will make you pay a big price.

Stamkos currently leads the league in goals and will likely hit the 50-goal mark once again this season.

Henrik Sedin

Projected Points: 93

Sedin currently leads the league with 49 points. He and his brother Daniel are both on pace for another great season. The key to Sedin's success is his passing especially on the power play. Sedin's nimble and accurate hands have set up many players for goals this season.

Sedin is on pace to record 72 passes as well. He shouldn't have a problem if the Canucks' power play continues to click.

Joffrey Lupul

Projected Points: 94

Joffrey Lupul is arguably one of the best acquisitions made by Brian Burke. If you thought Lupul was going to get off to such a hot start, you're lying. This outburst of production was completely unexpected by all.

Some thought Lupul would eventually slow down, but he is red hot as he has recorded seven points in his last three games. His current total of 47 points totally makes everyone forget that he recorded only 31 points last season.

Lupul is really turning heads and emerging as a solid young forward. Toronto Maple Leaf fans have a good reason to be excited about this guy's performance to date.

Phil Kessel

Projected Points: 96

Phil Kessel is off to a blistering start for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He is racking up goals and points left and right and has been a catalyst for success.

Kessel is on pace to score 48 goals, but it is likely he will come back down to earth at some point this season. I don't see Kessel scoring 48 goals, but I can see him scoring anywhere from 35 to 40 goals and compensating with some major assist numbers.

Evgeni Malkin

Projected Points: 99

Evgeni Malkin has had an amazing turnaround season thus far with 18 goals and 30 assists for 48 points. Malkin currently has the daunting task of carrying the Penguins' offense with James Neal and various others sidelined.

Can Malkin keep it up or will he crack under pressure?

Claude Giroux

Projected Points: 104

Claude Giroux has really climbed the charts for goal scorers in the NHL. Giroux is a natural goal scorer whose nimble hands are greatly complemented by his lightning speed. One of his breakout moments came in the 2009-10 season when he scored a heartbreaking shootout goal.

Giroux tallied 25 goals and 51 assists for 76 points last season. Up to this point, he has scored 18 goals. He is on pace to finish the 2011-12 campaign with 39 goals. If Giroux can stay lightning hot, he could easily hit the 100-point mark.

Tom Urtz, Jr. is an NHL featured columnist. For NHL news, updates and alerts about players: