The 2020-21 NHL Regular Season Concluded
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The 2020-21 NHL regular season concluded Wednesday, May 19 after the Canucks and Flames played the last of the League’s 868 games in a campaign condensed by the COVID-19 pandemic 105 – Points accumulated by Art Ross Trophy winner Connor McDavid in only 56 games (33-72—105), the highest point total ever by a player during a campaign in which clubs contested a schedule of 56 games or fewer. He became the seventh different player in NHL history to score at least 1.88 points-per-game in a single season (min. 50 GP), a rate that would have had him on pace for 154 points in a typical 82-game season (a scoring mark reached by only Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux and Steve Yzerman). 71 – Percentage of games in 2020-21 decided by a one-goal margin or multiple goals following an empty-net tally (614 of 868 GP), tied for the third-highest percentage in NHL history through 868 games (2015-16: 74%, 644 games; 2018-19: 72%, 622 games; 2019-20: 71%, 613 games). 59 – Years that Gordie Howe had held the title of the League’s all-time games played leader before Sharks forward Patrick Marleau claimed the distinction by skating in his 1,768th regular-season game on April 19. 53 – Games required by Connor McDavid to hit the 100-point mark. He became the ninth different player in NHL history to reach 100 points in 53 games or fewer and first since 1995-96. 49 – Games required by Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews to reach the 40-goal mark. He became the first player to reach 40 goals in 49 games or fewer since Pavel Bure more than 20 years ago (48 GP in 1999-00). 48 – Number of points recorded by Edmonton’s Tyson Barrie (8-40—48 in 56 GP), who followed Paul Coffey (5x; last: 1985-86) as the second Oilers defenseman to pace NHL blueliners in points at the end of a season. 42 – Assists by Rangers defenseman Adam Fox, who became the fourth different Rangers defenseman in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) to pace NHL blueliners in assists at the end of a season (also Brian Leetch: 1991-92, 1995-96, 1996-97, 2000-01; Sergei Zubov: 1993-94; and Keith Yandle: 2014-15). 41 – Goals scored by Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews (41-25—66 in 52 GP), the highest total by a player in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) in a campaign consisting of 56 games or fewer (and fourth highest in League history for such a schedule behind Maurice Richard: 50 in 1944-45; Joe Malone: 44 in 1917-18; and Cooney Weiland: 43 in 1929-30). Matthews was on pace for 65 goals in a typical 82-game season, a mark reached only once in the last 24 seasons. 32 – Wins by a team that trailed by multiple goals in the third period, the third-highest such total through 868 games in NHL history (37 in 2019-20 and 34 in 2009-10). 31 – Wins by Lightning goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy, who edged Colorado’s Philipp Grubauer (30) for the most in the NHL. Vasilevskiy followed Martin Brodeur (2x) as the second goaltender in the NHL’s expansion era (since 1967-68) to at least share the NHL lead in wins in four consecutive seasons; he is one of five goaltenders in League history to achieve the feat. 28 – Assists by Stars forward Jason Robertson, tops among rookies. The 21-year-old became the eighth player in franchise history to lead rookies in assists at the end of the season and the second to do so since the club moved to Texas in 1993-94 (also Niko Kapanen in 2002-03). 27 – Goals scored by Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov (27-24—51 in 55 GP), a single-season franchise record and 10 more than Stars forward Jason Robertson (17-28—45 in 51 GP) and Senators forward Josh Norris (17-18— 35 in 56 GP) for the NHL rookie lead. Kaprizov also led NHL rookies in points, tops on Minnesota and another Wild rookie record. 24 – Goals scored by Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin (24-18—42 in 45 GP), who has reached 20 in all 16 seasons since making his NHL debut in 2005-06. In 2020-21, Ovechkin (730) surpassed both Mike Gartner (708) and Phil Esposito (717) into sixth place on the League’s all-time regular-season goals list. 21 – Points that separated Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, marking just the second time in the last 30 years that the Art Ross Trophy winner had at least 21-point advantage over his next-closest competitor (Wayne Gretzky won by 32 points in 1990-91). 18 – Goals by Arizona’s Jakob Chychrun, who became the third player in Coyotes/Jets franchise history to lead NHL blueliners in goals at the end of a season, following Oliver Ekman-Larsson (2014-15 w/ ARI) and Phil Housley (1991-92 w/ WIN). 17 – Number of seasons played by Marc-Andre Fleury, who claimed the first individual NHL Award of his career in 2020-21 by winning the William M. Jennings Trophy along with teammate Robin Lehner. Fleury ranked third in wins in 2020-21 (26) and climbed two spots into sole possession of third place on the League’s all-time wins list. 15 – Length of the longest point streak by a player in the 2020-21 regular season, achieved by Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon from March 27 to April 28 (9-17—26). 5 – Number of times in NHL history that the same two teammates finished first and second in League scoring (regardless of order) in consecutive seasons, with Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl joining that list in 2020-21. 5 – Points that separated the top seven teams in the NHL standings, with all four divisions represented among that group. Colorado (39-13-4, 82 points) earned a regulation win in its final game to edge Vegas (40-14-2, 82 points) for the Presidents’ Trophy, marking the first time since 2011-12 (VAN) that a team clinched the award in its final game of the season. 3 – Number of times that 24-year-old Connor McDavid has claimed the Art Ross Trophy. He became the third player to win the award three or more times before age 25. 2 – Number of U.S.-born players to lead the NHL in goals, with Auston Matthews joining Keith Tkachuk (1996- 97 w/ PHX) on that list. Matthews, who also became the second Maple Leafs player in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) to top the League in goals (Gaye Stewart in 1945-46), became both the first U.S.-born player and first Toronto player to win the Maurice “Rocket” Richard Trophy, which was introduced in 1998-99. .