NHL Predictions: Picking Each Team's Leading Goal Scorer for 2011-12

Following a breakout season offensively, Corey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks took the Rocket Richard Trophy with his league-leading 50 goals last season.

While Ilya Kovalchuk and Alex Ovechkin had down years and Sidney Crosby was lost due to injury, many in the NHL community felt Steven Stamkos, who started the season strong with the upstart Tampa Bay Lightning, would win the trophy.

However, Perry, a player more known for his physical play than scoring prowess, led a playoff-bound Ducks team with 50 goals.

The following are next year’s leading goal scorers for all 30 NHL teams.

Anaheim Ducks

Leading goal scorer: Corey Perry

Perry led the NHL last season with 50 goals. Known around the league as a hard-edged player, Perry managed score frequently (he had 98 points) while accruing 104 penalty minutes.

He’s capable of hitting that number again next year if he’s healthy.

As Teemu Selanne ages, his production should be reduced, last season he was second on the team with 34 points, however, Bobby Ryan is capable of scoring 40-plus goals (last season he had 34) and Ryan Getzlaf had an off year. He should score more than 19 next season.

Boston Bruins

Leading goal scorer: Nathan Horton

The Bruins score by committee, nobody scored more than Milan Lucic’s 30 last year and Zdeno Chara’s 14 was higher than point leader David Krejci’s 13, so it is difficult to tell who is going to lead them in goals.

Horton had 26 last year and has the potential to score 40-plus in a good season. Many would pick Lucic to lead the team again. He’s young, 23, and has a lot of upside.

Patrice Bergeron, who had 23 or Brad Marchand, another young player who had 21, both have the potential to as well.

However, Horton underachieved in Florida’s defense-first, lose-a-lot, system. Now that he’s comfortable in Boston, Horton should show the league what he’s capable of doing when firing on all cylinders.

Buffalo Sabres

Leading goal scorer: Drew Stafford

Austrian superstar Thomas Vanek got off the milk carton last season, scoring 31 goals and tallying 73 points in 80 games played.

However, Stafford found the back of the net 31 times, despite missing 20 games due to injury.

Tyler Ennis, 21, is a player with a lot of upside that had 20 goals last season and Derek Roy, who traditionally has provided offense for the Sabres, could net more than 10-in-35 games if he stays healthy this season.

Buffalo is another team, like Boston, that scores by committee, so it is difficult to tell who will have the scoring touch next season, but Stafford had a breakout season last year and, if he can stay healthy, may become the go-to man in Western New York.

Calgary Flames

Leading goal scorer: Jarome Iginla

Despite playing on a team of aging players that’s deteriorating in a serious way, Iginla, 34, was able to score 43 goals for the Flames last season.

He’s the heart and soul of this franchise and will always find a way to score when he’s healthy.

Carolina Hurricanes

Leading goal scorer: Jeff Skinner

Skinner and established star Eric Staal were neck-and-neck for Carolina’s team scoring champ last year.

Staal will always be the team leader and the face of the franchise, but if Skinner, 19, can avoid the sophomore slump, he’s capable of doing even more than the NHL community saw last year.

Chicago Blackhawks

Leading goal scorer: Patrick Kane

Last year, Patrick Sharp, not Jonathan Toews, Marian Hossa or Kane, led the Hawks with 34 goals.

Hossa is capable of scoring 40-plus (he’s done it twice, once in Ottawa and once in Atlanta), but at 32, he may not have as big of a role on his team as he once did.

Both Toews and Sharp know how to find the back of the net, but Kane’s electric skating ability and soft hands should allow him to prevail as Chicago’s leading goal scorer next season.

Colorado Avalanche

Leading goal scorer: Matt Duchene

David Jones, yes David Jones, tied Duchene as Colorado’s leading goal-scorer last season with 27 goals.

Jones, a ninth-round pick in 2003, emerged as a scoring threat last season in a down year for the Avalanche. At 27, he’s entering his prime and is capable of playing big minutes in Denver next season.

TJ Galiardi’s numbers should increase as well. He only played in 35 games last season.

Duchene, however, is the most talented player on the Avs and is capable of scoring 30-plus after two seasons where he netted more than 20.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Leading goal scorer: Rick Nash

Since the 2003-04 season, his second in Columbus, Nash has led the Blue Jackets in scoring.

Antoine Vermette and RJ Umberger are capable of putting up big numbers in a good season, up-and-coming stars Derick Brassard and Matt Calvert have yet to find their potential and newcomer Jeff Carter (Philadelphia) all could vie with Nash for the scoring title.

However, the team captain should hold down his role as the go-to guy again this year.

Dallas Stars

Leading goal scorer: Loui Eriksson

Gone is Brad Richards, who scored 28 last season.

However, the Stars have retained captain Brenden Morrow, who led the team with 33 goals, Jamie Benn (22) and Eriksson (27) who are all capable goal-scorers.

Morrow will always step up when his team needs him and Benn has a lot of upside, but Eriksson, 26, is entering his prime and already has a 36-goal season under his belt.

The Swede is capable of netting 40-plus this season.

Detroit Red Wings

Leading goal scorer: Pavel Datsyuk

The aging Red Wings did not have a 30-goal scorer last year.

However, Datsyuk, 33, missed 26 games last season and appears to still have it.

If he stays healthy (he’s played 75-plus games every year since 2002-03), he’ll score 30-plus. That will be enough to lead the Detroit in scoring.

Edmonton Oilers

Leading goal scorer: Taylor Hall

Hall led the Oil with 22 goals last season; however, Jordan Eberle netted 18-in-68 games during his rookie year.

As a result of their fall from grace after losing the 2006 Stanley Cup championship to the Carolina Hurricanes, the Oil have a plethora of young talent.

Linus Omark, Eberle and Hall and, possibly, recently-drafted Ryan Nugent-Hopkins are all capable of having breakout years. Hall, however, is the most talented player of that group and should emerge as the leading scorer.

Florida Panthers

Leading goal scorer: David Booth

Evgeni Dadonov emerged as a legitimate prospect last season for the Cats, but the Russian is a project and has limited NHL experience (40 games).

Booth led the team in goal scoring, with 23. Stephen Weiss was right behind him with 21.

The former is capable of scoring 30-plus. That’s all that is needed to lead the defensive-minded Panthers in goals.

Los Angeles Kings

Leading goal scorer: Anze Kopitar

Despite all the talent on the Kings roster, nobody scored more than Dustin Browns’ 28 goals last year.

Mike Richards and Brown will be in the mix, but Kopitar, who missed seven games last season and led the team with 73 points (25 goals) already has two 30-plus goal seasons and at 24 has yet to reach his potential.

He should establish himself as the go-to guy once again in LA.

Minnesota Wild

Leading goal scorer: Guillaume Latendresse

Newcomers Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi will be popular picks to lead the new-look Wild in scoring. However, while both players were scoring threats in San Jose, both are mercurial in nature and big question marks entering next season.

Latendresse could fit into that category as well, he struggled in Montreal, but he scored 25 goals in 55 games with the Wild in 2009.

Last season, he only played in 11 games, but, if he stays healthy, he should step into a big role and will feel less pressure to score knowing that Heater and Seto can both take the pressure off of him on a bad night.

Montreal Canadiens

Leading goal scorer: Erik Cole

The defensive-minded Canadiens did not have a 30-goal scorer last year.

Brian Gionta led the team with 29. Tomas Plekanec and Andrei Kostitsyn were the only other players to hit 20.

Michael Cammalleri, who missed 15 games, only had 19. He had 34 with the Kings in 2006-07 and 43 with the Flames in 2008-09.

Cammalleri will probably be the popular favorite to lead the Habs in scoring, but newcomer Erik Cole had 26 with Carolina last year and is capable of scoring 30-plus.

His scoring touch will certainly be welcomed in Montreal.

Nashville Predators

Leading goal scorer: Colin Wilson

Honestly, Shea Weber could be this team’s leading scorer.

The defensemen is capable of scoring 20 goals, especially in a contract year.

Nashville had only two 20-goal scorers last season, Sergei Kostitsyn (23) and Patric Hornqvist (21).

Weber had 16.

Tying Weber’s total was Colin Wilson, a 21-year-old second-year player from Greenwich, Connecticut.

Wilson, the seventh overall pick in 2008, is capable of scoring 25 or more goals this season, which is more than enough to lead Nashville in goal-scoring.

New Jersey Devils

Leading goal scorer: Zach Parise

For all the scrutiny Ilya Kovalchuk endured last season, he led the team with 31 goals (although it did come at a cost, he was a wopping minus-26).

Kovalchuk had two 40-goal seasons and two 50-goal seasons in Atlanta (plus a 40-goal season in 2009-10 when he was traded to New Jersey). He should return to form this season.

Parise, however, is in a contract season.

He scored 45 goals in 2008-09 and netted 30-plus in all but his rookie season and last season, when he only played 13 games.

The Minnesotan winger needs to prove the production is there after a season ruined by injury and should do just that before he hits free agency next season.

New York Islanders

Leading goal scorer: John Tavares

Michael Grabner placed himself in the spotlight after being claimed off waivers from Florida last season. He led the team with 34 goals.

Matt Moulson, the team’s second-leading scorer, had 31 and was another underrated player who was picked up in 2009-10 from the LA Kings.

Kyle Okposo and Nino Niederreiter both have a lot of upside. Okposo only played in 38 games and Niederreiter only got a taste of the NHL (nine games) before he was sent back to Portland (WHL).

All four players will have a big role on the team. However, Tavares is the most talented player and after avoiding the sophomore slump (he’s had 24 and 29 goals in the last two season), he’s due for big-time production next season.

New York Rangers

Leading goal scorer: Brad Richards

Ryan Callahan and Marian Gaborik were plagued by injury last season, otherwise either player could have passed Brandon Dubinsky (24 goals) for the Rangers’ team lead.

Callahan and Gaborik had 23 and 22 goals, respectively.

Derek Stepan has a lot of upside, but the Blueshirt faithful can expect Richards to come in and do what he’s expected to do—make an impact by leading the team in scoring.

Ottawa Senators

Leading goal scorer: Jason Spezza

The once offensively-potent Senators had only one 20-plus goal scorer last season—Spezza.

Milan Michalek was a budding prospect in the Sharks’ system but has seen his production reduced since joining Ottawa prior to the Heatley deal in 2009-10.

He’s the only player that has a legitimate chance of outscoring Spezza on the Sens next season.

Philadelphia Flyers

Leading goal scorer: Claude Giroux

With the departure of Jeff Carter (team-leading 36 goals last season) and Mike Richards (23) and Danny Briere aging (he’s 33, had 34 goals last year) the Flyers belong to James van Riemsdyk and Claude Giroux.

Giroux was third-highest goal scorer on the team last year with 25. van Riemsdyk was sixth with 21.

Expect Giroux and JVR to pass the aging Briere in the goal-scoring category this year.

Phoenix Coyotes

Leading goal scorer: Shane Doan

The ‘Yotes had one 20-goal scorer last yearDoan.

The longtime captain will probably lead Phoenix in scoring again this year.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Leading goal scorer: Sidney Crosby

Sid the Kid led the playoff-bound Penguins in scoring last season…while only playing 41 games.

Safe to say he’ll lead the team in scoring if he can play all 82 this year (jury is still out, however, if he can play right away).

San Jose Sharks

Leading goal scorer: Logan Couture

Dany Heatley and Devin Setoguchi, No. 3 and 5 on the list, respectively, are now playing in Minnesota.

Patrick Marleau led the team with 37 goals last season, but Couture is emerging as the future of the franchise after scoring 32 (No. 2 on the team) in his rookie campaign.

Marleau and longtime teammate Joe Thornton will still be productive for a couple more years, but this will eventually be Couture’s team, and he’s going to prove that he deserves to be the face of the franchise this year.

St. Louis Blues

Leading goal scorer: David Backes

T.J. Oshie’s production should increase, he lost all but 49 games last season due to injury, and Chris Stewart, who was part of the Erik Johnson trade, will be expected to find the back of the net, but Backes is capable of building off a big 2010-11 campaign and leading the Blues in scoring.

Backes, a newly-anointed team captain, led St. Louis with 31 goals last season.

The 27-year-old is entering his prime and is capable of scoring 30-plus again if healthy.

Tampa Bay Lightning

Leading goal scorer: Steven Stamkos

Stammer is going to lead this team, and possibly the league, in goals this year.

He slowed a little last season, but the 21-year-old should be in the mix with Corey, Perry, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin for the scoring title if they all stay healthy.

That much might not be news but don’t be surprised if Vincent Lecavalier has a comeback year.

He hasn’t scored 40-plus since 2007-08, but on an improved Lightning squad, Vinny, who missed 17 games to injury last year, should get his numbers back up if he stays healthy.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Leading goal-scorer: Phil Kessel

Kessel is 23 and entering his prime.

Last season he led the Leafs with 32 goals and is expected to be a franchise player in Toronto.

However, don’t be surprised if Nikolai Kulemin challenges him for the title. Kulemin had 30 goals last season and was a plus-7.

If he keeps up the production and responsibility in his own end, the 25-year-old Russian could see some serious ice time for the up-and-coming Leafs.

Vancouver Canucks

Leading goal scorer: Ryan Kesler

Last season, Kesler, a Michigan native, established himself as the best American player.

He and teammate Daniel Sedin tied for the team lead with 41 goals.

Kesler not only is capable of leading the juggernaut Canucks in scoring, but also being a dark horse contender for the NHL scoring title.

Kesler is 26 and entering his prime. 

Washington Capitals

Leading goal scorer: Alex Ovechkin

Ovechkin had a "down year" and scored 32 goals.

The Caps are expected to do big things this year. Ovie should return to his normal self and score 40 to 50-plus goals this season.

Winnipeg Jets

Leading goal scorer: Evander Kane

Andrew Ladd, the team captain, led the Thrashers in goals last year with 29.

He should have a big season again, but Kane, the fourth overall pick in 2009, has the most upside on the team and cold have a breakout season next year.

If he doesn’t, Bryan Little had 31 goals for the Thrashers in 2008-09 and could take the top spot if he returns to form.

Tom Schreier is a Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report. He covers the National Hockey League and Major League Baseball. Follow him on Twitter @tschreier3.