A look into four current Oilers’ debut into the elite 50-goal club

He finished second in goals that season behind Washington Capitals’ Alexander Ovechkin (51 goals). That said, the Oilers’ centerman notched his tallies impressively that season, as initially reported by Jason Gregor. Of his 50 goals, 16 were power-play markers, three were shorthanded goals, three were overtime winners, and the remaining 28 were scored at 5v5 with zero empty netters. Moreover, Draisaitl has surpassed the 50-goal mark in a season on two other occasions, scoring 55 in 2021-22 and 52 last season.

McDavid Hit the 50-Goal Milestone in the Quickest Time in Years

Connor McDavid’s previous career-high was 44 goals scored during the 2021-22 season. But last season, he was on a mission, flicked the “on” switch and likely thought to himself, “You know what? I think I’ll just become the best goal scorer on the entire planet this season.”

Lo and behold, the Oilers’ captain hit the 50-goal milestone on Feb. 27, 2023 in his 61st game, against the Boston Bruins. In doing so, he became the fastest to reach 50 goals in a season since Mario Lemieux (50 games), Jaromir Jagr (60), and Alexander Mogilny (61) in 1995-96. He scored his 49th goal just three minutes into the game, and here’s a trivia question for you: McDavid scored goal No. 50 at the 7:40 mark in the second period. Can you guess which player assisted on it?

If you guessed Draisaitl, you’d be as wrong as those who believed Hyman’s contract would be the worst in NHL history when he signed in Edmonton. But if you guessed former Oiler Klim Kostin, you deserve a virtual high-five. The hulking winger beat out an icing call and fed a pass to McDavid in the slot, who then made a nice move and tucked it home past goaltender Jeremy Swayman.

McDavid finished last season with an outstanding 64 goals, and not only took home the Rocket Richard Trophy for the first time but also added his third Hart Trophy, fourth Ted Lindsay Award and fifth Art Ross Trophy (153 points).

Welcome to the 50-goal club, Zach Hyman

When Hyman eventually hangs up his skates, he can write the ‘How My Hard Work Led to Scoring 50 Goals’ book, considering his side gig as an author, when he’s not too busy being a goal-scoring machine. He’s smashed stereotypes every step of the way in his hockey career, proving he’s not just another grinder or a product of skilled linemates. He’s worked his tail off, persevered and with the goal he scored on March 24th against the Ottawa Senators, he can proudly say he’s now a member of the elite 50-goal club.

The milestone came at the 3:34 mark of the second period and with that tally, he became the 99th player in NHL history to score 50 goals in a season. Now, please allow yourself a moment to consider just how remarkable that feat truly is. According to NHL.com, out of the 7650 players to have ever played in the league, Hyman’s latest achievement places him in an elite category, one achieved by only 1.29% of players to ever lace up their skates in the NHL. That said, he mentioned sharing the special moment with his former 50-goal-scoring teammates, having said:

“It was special. Leon was right next to me and just saw the excitement on his face and he knows how hard it is to get there. For him to be on the ice, and Connor, two 50-goal scorers, and to join them. And when I got to the bench, Perry gave me a big hug and welcomed me to the club too, which was just special to have teammates that care that much about you.”

Since joining the Oilers in the 2021-22 season, Hyman’s progression suggests he’s only getting better with age. He’s increased his goal totals from 27 to 36, and with his latest 50th, as Zach Laing points out, he became the third-oldest player to score 50, at 31 years of age.

Considering there have only been 100 players in the NHL to ever do so, scoring 50 goals in a season is exceptionally uncommon. Oilers fans — take a moment to appreciate this one-of-a-kind time period we’re in. The fact that four current Oilers, playing on the same team and many nights on the same line, have reached the 50-goal plateau in a single season in their career is quite extraordinary.