Predicting Every NHL Team's Top Scorer in the 2016-17 Season
You'd think this would be really easy. In some cases, it actually is. Some teams are very much reliant on one or two players to carry the franchise offensively and don't have the kind of depth to create competition for top spot on the scoring list.
However, there are a lot of variables to consider as we select every NHL team's scoring leader for the 2016-17 season.
Health often comes into question. The durability or age of a player could impact his totals for the year, regardless of what could still be a very high point-per-game average.
Age and experience are factors, too. As talented as some rookies are, the leap into the NHL comes with growing pains, and it's unlikely any freshmen are going to be pacing their respective teams—even guys like first overall pick Auston Matthews or No. 2 selection Patrik Laine.
Defensemen aren't typically expected to lead the way, but there are some dynamic blueliners in the NHL who will rank right up there with the NHL's top scorers. And there are always surprises, breakout performances and the potential for trades that will impact the final rankings.
So all things considered, here are the predictions for every NHL team's scoring leader.
Add your picks to the comments section and spark some conversation as we wait patiently for the next season to begin.
Anaheim Ducks: Ryan Getzlaf
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The Anaheim Ducks have long been a two-horse team, at least when it comes to the scoring race. Last season, Ryan Getzlaf won by a single point but played fewer games in the regular season than runner-up Corey Perry.
Perry will always get the edge in the goal-scoring department, but Getzlaf piles up the assists as one of the top setup men in the league.
To borrow the words of a country song and use them in an argument as to why Getzlaf will get the edge again this year: He ain't as good as he once was, but he's as good once as he ever was.
In other words, the 31-year-old isn't the consistently dominant center who produced six point-per-game seasons in his career anymore, but he is still capable of big outbursts. He had 16 multipoint games last season, including a five-point outing.
Top contenders: Corey Perry, Rickard Rackell
Arizona Coyotes: Max Domi
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Max Domi had 52 points in 81 games as a rookie last season and is the face of the rebuild for the Arizona Coyotes. The team brought back captain Shane Doan, but his days as the top scorer are long gone.
For a team that has often been paced by defensemen like former Coyote Keith Yandle and current top blueliner Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Domi is a sign of what's to come.
He is electric on the ice with a combination of speed and puck-handling skill. Although he has plenty to work on in his overall game, the offense is not going to be a problem. He led all Coyotes forwards a year ago and is poised to improve the way Johnny Gaudreau did with the Calgary Flames in his second season.
Expect Domi to be a top-20 scorer and part of a great young nucleus in the desert.
Top contenders: Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Dylan Strome
Boston Bruins: Patrice Bergeron
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Not only is Patrice Bergeron an incredible shutdown center, capable of eliminating the opposition's best player as an offensive threat, but he's also a pretty fantastic offensive force himself.
Bergeron has led the Boston Bruins in scoring for two straight seasons, posting his third 30-goal season and finishing with 68 points—the third-highest total of his career.
Fellow center David Krejci had a marginally higher points-per-game average of 0.88 last year and is a year younger than Bergeron, but he doesn't have the same level of durability, making it through 80 games just twice in his career.
Bergeron could be part of a very strong and agitating line with Brad Marchand and newcomer David Backes, and his numbers could jump.
Top contenders: David Krejci, David Pastrnak
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Buffalo Sabres: Jack Eichel
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Jack Eichel finished four points off the team lead as a freshman with the Buffalo Sabres and now has a full season of experience to draw from in order to make improvements in his second year.
The 19-year-old has the luxury of letting Ryan O'Reilly deal with the other teams' top lines, so his matchups are more manageable and scoring chances should be more frequent.
The 6'2", 201-pounder will be even stronger after another offseason of training and will be a force for the improving Sabres thanks to his heavy and accurate shot with a hair-trigger release, breakaway speed and tremendous vision.
And all that comes in a package armed with a motor that never quits while he's on the ice. His linemates won't make or break him, but there will be some solid options for him to play with.
Top contenders: Ryan O'Reilly, Kyle Okposo
Calgary Flames: Johnny Gaudreau
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Johnny Hockey had himself a great sophomore season, finishing sixth in NHL scoring with 78 points in 79 games to lead the Calgary Flames.
He's among the most skilled players in the league as well as one of the smallest at a generously listed 5'9" and 157 pounds. The diminutive left winger has proved size doesn't matter as long as you have a good sense for the game.
The Flames have a good young group of forwards forming the core, with Gaudreau and linemate Sean Monahan leading the way. Monahan will likely improve on his 63-point year, but don't bet against Gaudreau cracking the 90-point barrier either as the two grow together.
Top contenders: Sean Monahan, Mark Giordano
Carolina Hurricanes: Jeff Skinner
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Jeff Skinner led the team in scoring last year with a modest 51 points in 82 games but finished strong with 26 of them in his last 33 games.
Skinner is just 24 and seemed to finally get over the multiple concussions he suffered in the past few years since being named the Calder Trophy winner as the NHL's top rookie in 2010-11 after a 63-point season.
With Eric Staal gone as the captain, a role his brother Jordan Staal could inherit, Skinner will be relied upon in a leadership role on the ice if not off it. The gifted sniper is dangerous around the net when healthy, and after suiting up for every game for the first time since his rookie year, luck and health may finally be on his side.
He has scored at least 20 goals in four of his five non-lockout seasons and had at least 50 points in three of those.
Top contenders: Jordan Staal, Victor Rask
Chicago Blackhawks: Patrick Kane
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How could it be anyone but Patrick Kane for the Chicago Blackhawks? The winger scored 29 more points than teammate Artemi Panarin last season, and the two played on the same line.
The defending Art Ross and Hart Trophy winner has become the league's most dangerous offensive player, and it doesn't seem to matter who suits up alongside him. He deserves credit for helping Panarin get the nod as the Calder Trophy winner. The dip after Panarin was another 19 points to the next closest Hawks scorer.
Kane is the model of consistency when healthy. He has averaged at least a point per game for the last four seasons and six of the last seven. Barring an injury, no one will be able to keep pace with him on this club.
Top contenders: Artemi Panarin, Jonathan Toews
Colorado Avalanche: Nathan MacKinnon
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Getting Nathan MacKinnon signed to an extension was a top priority for the Colorado Avalanche this offseason. For good reason. MacKinnon doesn't turn 21 until September but has already scored 153 points in 218 NHL games since being the first player drafted in 2013.
Matt Duchene and Gabriel Landeskog both edged MacKinnon in the points race last season, but none hit the 60-point mark.
MacKinnon is poised to crack that in the near future as his confidence grows. He's going to earn that new contract. He has elite speed and offensive skill and could put it all together in his fourth professional season.
Top contenders: Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog
Columbus Blue Jackets: Brandon Saad
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Former Chicago Blackhawks power winger Brandon Saad had a solid debut season for the Columbus Blue Jackets last year. His top center was traded away when Ryan Johansen was sent to the Nashville Predators, but Saad set career highs with 31 goals and 53 points to tie teammate Cam Atkinson for the team's scoring lead.
The 23-year-old Saad should be more comfortable in his second year with the Jackets and showed chemistry with Boone Jenner down the stretch.
The Blue Jackets will spread out the scoring, but with Johansen gone, Saad is the slickest of the bunch.
Top contenders: Boone Jenner, Nick Foligno
Dallas Stars: Jamie Benn
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Jamie Benn has become one of the league's most dominant forces and has led the Dallas Stars in scoring in three of the last four seasons, including an Art Ross Trophy-winning campaign in 2014-15.
The 27-year-old has proved to be pretty durable despite the physical style of game he plays, missing just one game in the past three seasons, and that has given him a bit of an edge over Tyler Seguin—who took the team's scoring title three seasons ago.
Benn now has 448 points in 508 regular-season games after being drafted 129th overall in 2007. He signed an eight-year extension with the Stars this summer and will be making beautiful plays with Seguin for years to come if the Stars have their way.
Benn gets the edge until Seguin can prove he can stay healthy.
Top contenders: Tyler Seguin, Jason Spezza
Detroit Red Wings: Dylan Larkin
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Dylan Larkin was in Calder Trophy consideration last season with a 23-goal, 45-point year. He filled a big need for the Detroit Red Wings as an 18-year-old by helping split up Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg while keeping them both productive on separate lines.
Larkin needed just one season at the University of Michigan before going pro, and the Red Wings did not regret signing the teenager to an entry-level deal after picking him up 15th overall in 2014.
Mature beyond his years, Larkin is a natural leader and calming presence on the ice.
Datsyuk retired from the NHL and headed home to Russia to finish his career, and Larkin will be heavily relied upon to compensate for that massive loss. He won't disappoint.
Top contenders: Henrik Zetterberg, Frans Nielsen
Edmonton Oilers: Connor McDavid
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Connor McDavid likely would have won the Calder Trophy last season after being selected first overall in the 2015 draft, but a shoulder injury forced him to miss a massive chunk of the campaign.
What he did in his limited action, though, was impressive enough to make him a finalist for the Rookie of the Year award. He finished with 16 goals and 48 points in 45 games.
A special talent, McDavid will start to cement his status as the next generational player with his first full season (commence knocking on wood now). His 1.07 points-per-game average was third among those who played at least 40 games last year. The only two to top him were Patrick Kane and Jamie Benn—the league's last two Art Ross Trophy winners.
Top contenders: Jordan Eberle, Leon Draisaitl
Florida Panthers: Aleksander Barkov
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There is plenty to love about the Florida Panthers, who boast the ageless Jaromir Jagr among those in competition for the team's scoring title.
A trio of young studs up front is just one of the reasons the Panthers are looking to continue the momentum of making the playoffs last year. Most exciting among them is center Aleksander Barkov, who edged Jagr with a 0.89 points-per-game average last year.
Jagr paced the way in 2015-16, but the kids were right there with him. Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau both finished with 59 points, although Barkov did it in just 66 games. Vincent Trocheck, the other up-and-comer, had 53 points in 76 games last year.
Barkov's team-leading PPG prorated over a full year would have put him right up there in the top 15 scorers from last season.
Top contenders: Jonathan Huberdeau, Vincent Trocheck, Keith Yandle
Los Angeles Kings: Anze Kopitar
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Nine straight seasons at the top and still going strong. Anze Kopitar was rewarded for his status as the Los Angeles Kings' best player with an eight-year, $80 million deal last season.
After he claimed the Kings' scoring title for a ninth consecutive year, he was also given the captain's 'C' stripped off Dustin Brown's jersey.
Kopitar had 25 goals and 74 points last year, cracking the 70-point plateau for the sixth time in 10 seasons. Only Jeff Carter has appeared capable of producing at anywhere near the same pace with 62 points in 77 games last year. The team hopes Tyler Toffoli can join that group of top scorers this season.
For now, though, this is clearly Kopitar's team and title to lose.
Top contenders: Tyler Toffoli, Jeff Carter
Minnesota Wild: Eric Staal
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Eric Staal hasn't had a 70-point season since 2011-12, but if there was ever a situation designed for him to get his game back on track at the age of 31, it would be the one ahead of him with the Minnesota Wild.
The big center doesn't have the same top gear to create separation from opponents, but he still has size (6'4", 205 lbs) and skill.
Now he has the faith of a franchise again after falling out of favor in Carolina as the team enters a rebuilding phase. The Wild brought him in as a free agent to bolster the top six and take the pressure off de facto No. 1 pivot Mikko Koivu, who led the team in scoring with 56 points last year.
Staal will be given plenty of ice time and quality linemates—perhaps sniper Zach Parise on his flank. He'll be motivated to prove there is plenty of gas in the tank after a 39-point year that marked his lowest total since his rookie season. And he even got an extra game—an 83rd—because of his trade to the New York Rangers from the Hurricanes at the deadline.
Top contenders: Zach Parise, Ryan Suter, Mikko Koivu
Montreal Canadiens: Alex Galchenyuk
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Full disclosure: We picked unrestricted free-agent signing Alexander Semin as the surprise here last season when predicting the top scorers on every team. With the addition of Alexander Radulov, it's tempting to give the former NHLer who has been one of the KHL's top playmakers a vote of confidence.
However, the emergence of Alex Galchenyuk is a safer bet for the Montreal Canadiens.
Galchenyuk has developed a little more slowly than most expected after he was drafted third overall in the 2012 NHL draft, but he really seemed to have turned a corner while playing top center minutes down the stretch last season.
He finished with a career-high 56 points but was a point-per-game player as the top center over the final 17 games.
He should be able to carry that momentum forward and pace the Habs.
Top contenders: Max Pacioretty, Brendan Gallagher, Alexander Radulov
Nashville Predators: Ryan Johansen
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The Nashville Predators parted ways with defenseman Seth Jones last season to grab a top center in Ryan Johansen, and the move paid off. Johansen had 34 points in 42 games with the Preds as he led them in points-per-game average with 0.81.
Filip Forsberg has continued to improve his game and finished atop the Preds' scoring list with 64 points in his second full NHL season, but even he doesn't have the upside of the 6'3", 218-pound 23-year-old.
Johansen had a career-high 46 assists last year and should get back on track in the goals department in his first full year with the Preds starting this fall.
Top contenders: Filip Forsberg, P.K. Subban, Roman Josi
New Jersey Devils: Taylor Hall
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With 328 points in 381 NHL games, Taylor Hall is a heck of an addition for the goal-starved New Jersey Devils. The trade with the Edmonton Oilers to bolster scoring for the Devils will give the team its likely top scorer for years to come.
Hall fired 286 shots on goal last year in his first full 82-game season, scoring 26 times and posting 65 points.
The 24-year-old is even more motivated by the trade and will prove to the Oilers he was the wrong sniper to part ways with in the deal for defenseman Adam Larsson.
Michael Cammalleri produced at nearly a point-per-game clip, last year but age and injury are candidates to keep him from playing a full season. Hall has shown in the past he's capable of an 80-point season. The Devils would be happy with 70 or more—and that would be enough to give Hall the Devils' scoring title.
Top contenders: Michael Cammalleri, Adam Henrique, Kyle Palmieri
New York Islanders: John Tavares
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This is one of those cases where another contender is basically pointless. Unless John Tavares comes down with a horrible illness or injury, he is going to pace the way for the New York Islanders.
The Islanders lost both their second- and third-ranked scorers from last year in free agency with the departures of Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen. That leaves Nick Leddy as next on the list with 40 points last year.
Tavares, meanwhile, had 33 goals and 70 points in 78 games before a dominant performance in the playoffs to help the Isles get to the second round.
Andrew Ladd was a nice addition, but he had a 46-point season last year. That's not enough to keep pace with Tavares, who finished 17th in league scoring a year after finishing as the runner-up for the Art Ross Trophy with an 86-point season.
Top contenders: Andrew Ladd
New York Rangers: Derek Stepan
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There is really no telling where the scoring is going to come from on the New York Rangers' roster.
Rick Nash isn't nearly the superstar he once was. Mats Zuccarello led the team with 61 points last year, with Derick Brassard second with 58.
Brassard's reward was a trade to the Ottawa Senators for Mika Zibanejad, who is a candidate here based on his upside as a young player who hit 50 points for the first time last year.
We're going with veteran Derek Stepan here. He finished second on the team with a 0.74 point-per-game average last year and had 53 points in 72 games. Stepan can score and set up with equal aplomb and has flirted with the 60-point mark for the past three seasons.
The Rangers are still waiting for guys like Chris Kreider to find a groove offensively, and a veteran is likelier to lead the way for another year.
Top contenders: Mats Zuccarello, Mika Zibanejad, Rick Nash
Ottawa Senators: Erik Karlsson
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Usually when a team is led by a defenseman, it means a lack of good forwards. The Ottawa Senators and Erik Karlsson may be an exception.
The Sens have some decent scorers in Kyle Turris, Mark Stone and now Derick Brassard following the trade with the New York Rangers, but Karlsson is the only one likely to produce at a point-per-game average as he did last year with 82 points in 82 games.
Karlsson led all blueliners and finished tied for fourth in league scoring (with Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks). The next nearest defenseman on the list was Brent Burns of the Sharks with 75. No others cracked the 70-point mark.
The 26-year-old Swede is a once-in-a-generation player who could lead the Sens in scoring every season regardless of his position and without it being a damning statement on his teammates.
Top contenders: Derick Brassard, Mark Stone, Kyle Turris
Philadelphia Flyers: Claude Giroux
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Claude Giroux is coming off what by his standards was a subpar season. He failed to crack the 70-point plateau for the first time in a non-lockout season since 2009-10, earning 67 points in 78 contests last year.
Still, his total was good enough to pace the Philadelphia Flyers, and he should bounce back after surgery to repair his right hip and some abdominal tears.
Despite the anomaly last year, the 28-year-old has actually scored the most combined points in the NHL over the last five regular seasons. That's seven more than Patrick Kane and 15 more than Alex Ovechkin—who has played just two fewer games.
Giroux is one of those all-around greats who doesn't get the credit he deserves for his abilities. He's a lock for this list once again.
Top contenders: Brayden Schenn, Jakub Voracek
Pittsburgh Penguins: Sidney Crosby
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The last time the Pittsburgh Penguins were led by anyone other than captain Sidney Crosby in scoring, he was able to play just 22 games. Even then, he dominated the team with a 1.68 points-per-game average as fellow superstar center Evgeni Malkin netted 109 points in 75 games to lead the entire league in scoring in 2011-12.
Crosby remains one of the best in the NHL—if not the best—and until someone manages to bump a healthy Crosby off his perch again, he'll be the smart pick in this annual slideshow.
No player has averaged more than Crosby's 1.33 points per game in the regular season since he came into the league in 2005-06, and only Alex Ovechkin has scored more points with 966 to Crosby's 938—and Ovechkin has suited up for 132 more contests to do so.
Top contenders: Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang
San Jose Sharks: Brent Burns
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The San Jose Sharks had three players boast higher than a 0.90 points per game average last season, and only one of them wasn't named Joe. He's also the only non-forward of the trio.
Defenseman Brent Burns had 27 goals and 75 points in 82 games last season to finish third on the team's list behind Joe Thornton (82) and Joe Pavelski (78).
After his impressive career year, Burns heads into a contract season, providing him even more fuel to perform as one of the most dynamic and forceful offensive weapons in the league, regardless of position.
While the Joes could regress slightly from their numbers with the improved forward depth the Sharks boast in the top nine, Burns will always be a driving force from the back end at even strength and on the power play.
This could be his year to win the team's scoring crown ahead of a future Hall of Fame forward in Thornton.
Top contenders: Joe Pavelski, Joe Thornton
St. Louis Blues: Vladimir Tarasenko
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Vladimir Tarasenko is one of the league's elite goal scorers. That doesn't always translate into a pile of points, but the 24-year-old sniper has led the St. Louis Blues in that category for the past two seasons with back-to-back 70-plus-point totals.
Tarasenko's career is on the rise, whereas his toughest competition—if you can call it that—in the Blues' points race is on the downward slope as veterans.
As long as he is healthy, Tarasenko should dominate the category and make the most of his minutes.
Top contenders: Alex Steen, David Perron
Tampa Bay Lightning: Steven Stamkos
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With his contract settled, Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos can focus completely on hockey once again.
Not that he had a terrible season in 2015-16. Stamkos did produce 36 goals and 64 points in 77 games, but we've come to expect 40-goal, 70-point seasons as a minimum for the star player on an annual basis.
He was two points shy of Nikita Kucherov's team-leading 66 last season but could be poised for a jump back toward his career bests with the emergence of potential linemate Jonathan Drouin—who turned into one of the team's best playmakers in the playoffs after a rocky regular season on and off the ice.
The core of this team is incredibly talented, and Stamkos should be able to take advantage of the depth and avoid some of the tougher matchups on occasion with other teams having to focus on multiple lines when playing the Bolts.
Top contenders: Nikita Kucherov, Jonathan Drouin
Toronto Maple Leafs: James van Riemsdyk
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Lost amid the excitement about the youth movement in Toronto and the addition of the Maple Leafs' top overall pick, Auston Matthews, in the 2016 draft is the fact that they saw some solid hockey from one of their veterans last season.
At least when he was healthy.
James van Riemsdyk averaged 0.73 points per game last year on a terrible Maple Leafs team that allowed opponents to focus on shutting down one line to eliminate most of the scoring threat.
His 14 goals and 29 points in 40 appearances project to close to 30 goals and 60 points—which may be enough to secure top spot on the Leafs this season as the team turns to young players like Matthews and William Nylander for production.
Top contenders: Nazem Kadri, Auston Matthews, William Nylander
Vancouver Canucks: Henrik Sedin
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The only thing as sure as death and taxes over the past decade is that the Vancouver Canucks' scoring title will be won by a Sedin.
The only question is whether it's left winger Daniel, the sniper, or center Henrik, the setup man.
One of them has been atop the team leaderboard since Markus Naslund led the way with 79 points back in 2005-06. In the past 10 seasons, they have finished first and second in team scoring every year and have split top honours right down the middle with five wins apiece.
With Loui Eriksson—arguably the most talented winger they've played with—set to join them this season, that could finally change.
However, the odds still favor the twins. Since neither of them have ever gone more than two years at the top without the other brother taking the crown back, we're going with Henrik this season following back-to-back titles for Daniel.
Top contenders: Daniel Sedin, Loui Eriksson
Washington Capitals: Evgeny Kuznetsov
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The Washington Capitals truly have a glut of ridiculously talented forwards. With the addition of Evgeny Kuznetsov, you can argue that three of them are elite—Alex Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom and the NHL Network's Breakout Player of the Year, Kuznetsov.
The 24-year-old Russian had 20 goals and 77 points in his second NHL season, leading the Caps with six more points than captain Ovechkin.
The truly impressive part about Kuznetsov's breakout is he didn't play much with Ovie and was the spark plug on a highly productive second line devoid of real star power.
He also produced a great deal at even strength. While Backstrom had 30 power-play points, Kuznetsov had only 18—yet he finished with seven more total points than the top center.
Top contenders: Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom
Winnipeg Jets: Mark Scheifele
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Center Mark Scheifele had a breakout season with 61 points in 71 games last season and was rewarded with a long-term contract in the offseason that will pay him more than $6 million a year on average.
The 23-year-old has size (6'3", 207 lbs), speed and strength and should be able to take another leap forward with even more responsibility as the team's top pivot.
Scheifele had great chemistry with last year's points leader Blake Wheeler in the second half of the season, and if he plays with him and second overall draft pick Patrik Laine, it wouldn't be shocking to see Scheifele put up 75-80 points.
Wheeler's 78 points last year were a career high by a wide margin, and some of that credit goes to Scheifele's skills. The two could be one of the league's top pairings this season.
Top contenders: Blake Wheeler, Bryan Little
All stats via NHL.com and Hockey-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
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