Alex Ovechkin has been the NHL's top goal scorer four years running.
The Russian superstar has racked up 27 tallies this season, and while he likely isn't in contention for a fifth straight title, the player who captures this year's honors could do so without cracking the 50-goal plateau:
| Player | Games | Goals | On Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sidney Crosby | 58 | 34 | 45 |
| Patrik Laine | 59 | 32 | 40 |
| Max Pacioretty | 67 | 31 | 38 |
| Auston Matthews | 65 | 31 | 39 |
| Brad Marchand | 66 | 30 | 37 |
| Jeff Carter | 65 | 30 | 38 |
| Cam Atkinson | 65 | 30 | 38 |
In the 11 full seasons that have followed the 2004-05 lockout, the top scorer has always reached 50 goals. Ovechkin won the Rocket Richard Trophy in 2012-13, a lockout-shortened campaign in which he finished with 32 goals in 48 games. Prorate those numbers to a full season and he ends up with 55 markers, while runner-up Steven Stamkos' 29 goals become 50.
This season, only Sidney Crosby and Winnipeg Jets rookie Patrik Laine are projected to finish north of 40 goals.
The last full-season finish to claim the goal-scoring title with similar totals was Jarome Iginla, who did so with the Calgary Flames in 2003-04, scoring 41 goals in the final year before the lost season.
Interestingly enough, at 5.45 goals per game, NHL squads are finding the net at a higher pace than the past five seasons, but are seemingly doing so with a more balanced attack.
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