Alexander Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby and Steven Stamkos: The list of active players with 500 goals is rather short, but it could grow in the next few years.
• Also read: A disturbing moment for Max Pacioretty
• Also read: Starmatch: no CH player selected
• Also read: First game in the NHL: William Dufour still on cloud nine
The Tampa Bay Lightning captain achieved that milestone in quite convincing fashion on Wednesday night with a hat trick against the Vancouver Canucks. Few players have the caliber of the Ontarian, who picked first place in the 2008 draft and made it in just 965 games.
Here are the next to join the select group of 500 achievements:
Safe bets
-Evgeny Malkin
Injuries have robbed “Gino” of plenty of ice time in recent years, but his offensive performance has not been affected. Though he’s no longer a 100-point scorer like he was when he first started out in the National Hockey League (NHL), the Russian is producing a point a game for the Pittsburgh Penguins. At 36, he’s just 40 goals shy of the 500.
– Patrick Kane
Another player who seems to be sailing towards this plateau is right winger Patrick Kane. The American’s tally is stopped at 438 nets with just eight hits in 2022-2023, but his tally could surge again if he leaves the Chicago Blackhawks.
-John Tavares
Despite being the Toronto Maple Leafs captain, John Tavares is developing in the shadow of Auston Matthews and Mitchell Marner. He’s still showing excellent stats, he who has surpassed 20 goals 13 times since the start of his career. With 32 and already 411 nets, the former New York Islander still has a lot of time ahead of him.
Maybe yes, maybe no…
Time is ticking for some veterans like Eric Staal (448), Joe Pavelski (435), Jeff Carter (425), Zach Parisé (421), Patrice Bergeron (417), Corey Perry (411), Phil Kessel (406) and others including Anze Kopitar (377).
There may be an opening for some veteran players like Jonathan Toews (370) and Brad Marchand (366), but they will have to work harder.
The Chicago Blackhawks captain has been a consistent goalscorer since his debut in 2007-08. Like Kane, a departure from the Windy City could allow him to re-inflate his stats.
Marchand continues to produce at breakneck speed with the prolific Boston Bruins. Like Toews, he is 34 years old and has many years ahead of him. However, Bergeron’s retirement could hurt him.
projects
-Auston Matthews
Even if they are just beginning their professional careers, some players seem destined to reach the 500 goals plateau. Such is the case of Auston Matthews, who has already won two Maurice Richard trophies before the age of 25. The mustachioed Leafs has already netted 283 goals in seven seasons and could achieve the rare feat of hitting 500 nets before the age of 30.
-Leon Draisaitl
With two career successes less than Matthews, the German seems predestined for the highest peaks. With the help of Connor McDavid at the Edmonton Oilers for a few more years, Draisaitl should be joining Ovechkin, Stamkos and Crosby in no time.
-Connor McDavid
McDavid was a 40-goal regular and served 39 goals in 47 games in 2022/23. That collection should propel him straight to 500 goals, he currently has 278. But is anyone really surprised?
-David Pastrnak
At 26, the Czech already has 275 goals to his credit. He is ninth in history among his country’s players and can logically become his country’s second player with 500 goals. But it will take the Bruins player a few more seasons to join the illustrious Jaromir Jagr (766).