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For ice hockey players in the National Hockey League (NHL), scoring 500 regular season goals is considered a highly significant achievement.

As of the completion of the 2009-10 season—the 92nd regular season of the National Hockey League—a total of 41 different players have scored at least 500 regular season goals in their NHL career.

A 500 goal career was first achieved in 1957–58, the 41st season of the NHL, when Maurice Richard scored his 500th goal in his 863rd game played.

Season achievements[]

The 2006–07 NHL season saw the largest number of players (five) achieve their 500th goal. A total of four players scored their 500th goal in the 1995–96 season.

Starting with Maurice Richard's achievement in the 1957–58 NHL season, the greatest stretch between 500 goal scorers was the eight seasons between Gordie Howe in the 1961–62 season and Bobby Hull in the 1969–70 season.

Player achievements[]

Of the 41 players to score 500 goals, 32 are Canadian, four are American (Joe Mullen, Mike Modano, Jeremy Roenick, and Keith Tkachuk), two are Finnish (Jari Kurri and Teemu Selänne, one is Czech (Jaromír Jágr), one is Swedish (Mats Sundin), and one is Slovakian (Peter Bondra). Jari Kurri, has the honour of being the first non-Canadian to score fifty goals, as well as the first European to do so. Of note, Stan Mikita was born in Sokolče, Slovakia, (then Czechoslovakia,) but immigrated to Canada when he was young and represented Canada internationally.

The shortest number of NHL games required to reach the mark was 575, set by Wayne Gretzky. Second quickest was Mario Lemieux, achieving the mark in his 605th game.

Of the 41 players to score at least 500 goals in their career, 17 reached the mark in fewer than 1000 career games played.

Of those on the list, Lanny McDonald came closest to 'not' achieving 500 goals—reaching the mark with only four games remaining in his final NHL season. Similarly, Joe Mullen scored his 500th goal with only ten games remaining in his final season.

Four players have scored their 500th goal on an empty net: Wayne Gretzky, Mike Bossy, Jari Kurri and Keith Tkachuk.

Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy is the only net minder to 'allow' more than one opponent to tally their 500th career goal: Steve Yzerman in 1996, Joe Mullen in 1997 and Brendan Shanahan in 2002. A contributing factor for this statistical coincidence will be Roy's record for the second-most games played by a goaltender, at 1029.

Mats Sundin scored his 500th goal in overtime, winning the game for the Toronto Maple Leafs. In that one goal, he finished off a hat trick, scored one of his league-leading 15 overtime goals, while his team was short handed, and earned his 500th career NHL goal.

Team achievements[]

A total of 20 different franchises have had a player score their 500th goal while playing for the franchise.

The Detroit Red Wings have had five different players score their 500th goal while playing for the team. The Chicago Blackhawks and Montreal Canadiens both had four players achieve the mark while with the team.

To date no team has had the coincidence of multiple players reaching 500 goals on the same team in the same season. The 2001–02 Detroit Red Wings were the first team to have three 500+ goal scorers on the roster (Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille), and would finish the season with four players in the exclusive club after Brendan Shanahan joined them at the 500-goal plateau. Yzerman, Hull, Robitaille and Shanahan are four of only eleven players with 650 or more goals in NHL history.

500-goal scorers[]

Legend
Team – Team for which the player scored their 500th goal
Game no. – Number of career games played when 500th goal was scored
Date – Date of 500th goal
GP – Career games played
G – Cahreer goals.
Active players currently in the NHL are listed in boldface.

(Updated as of April 12, 2010 - the end of the 2009-10 Regular Season)

Player Team Game no. Date Opposing goaltender GP G
1 Richard, MauriceMaurice Richard Montreal Canadiens 863 01957-10-19 October 19, 1957 Hall, GlennGlenn Hall 978 544
2 Howe, GordieGordie Howe Detroit Red Wings 1045 01962-03-14 March 14, 1962 Worsley, GumpGump Worsley 1767 801
3 Hull, BobbyBobby Hull Chicago Black Hawks 861 01970-02-21 February 21, 1970 Giacomin, EdEd Giacomin 1063 610
4 Beliveau, JeanJean Beliveau Montreal Canadiens 1101 01971-02-11 February 11, 1971 Gilbert, GillesGilles Gilbert 1125 507
5 Mahovlich, FrankFrank Mahovlich Montreal Canadiens 1105 01973-03-21 March 21, 1973 Wilson, DuncDunc Wilson 1181 533
6 Esposito, PhilPhil Esposito Boston Bruins 803 01974-12-22 December 22, 1974 Rutherford, JimJim Rutherford 1282 717
7 Bucyk, JohnnyJohnny Bucyk Boston Bruins 1370 01975-10-30 October 30, 1975 Belanger, YvesYves Belanger 1540 556
8 Mikita, StanStan Mikita Chicago Black Hawks 1221 01977-02-27 February 27, 1977 Maniago, CesareCesare Maniago 1394 541
9 Dionne, MarcelMarcel Dionne Los Angeles Kings 887 01982-12-14 December 14, 1982 Jensen, AlAl Jensen 1348 731
10 Lafleur, GuyGuy Lafleur Montreal Canadiens 896 01983-12-20 December 20, 1983 Resch, GlennGlenn Resch 1126 560
11 Bossy, MikeMike Bossy New York Islanders 647 01986-01-02 January 2, 1986 (empty net) 752 573
12 Perreault, GilbertGilbert Perreault Buffalo Sabres 1159 01986-03-09 March 9, 1986 Chevrier, AlainAlain Chevrier 1191 512
13 Gretzky, WayneWayne Gretzky Edmonton Oilers 575 01986-11-22 November 22, 1986 (empty net) 1487 894
14 Mcdonald, LannyLanny McDonald Calgary Flames 1107 01989-03-21 March 21, 1989 Fitzpatrick, MarkMark Fitzpatrick 1111 500
15 Trottier, BryanBryan Trottier New York Islanders 1104 01990-02-13 February 13, 1990 Wamsley, RickRick Wamsley 1279 524
16 Gartner, MikeMike Gartner New York Rangers 936 01991-10-14 October 14, 1991 Liut, MikeMike Liut 1432 708
17 Goulet, MichelMichel Goulet Chicago Blackhawks 951 01992-02-16 February 16, 1992 Reese, JeffJeff Reese 1089 548
18 Kurri, JariJari Kurri Los Angeles Kings 833 01992-10-17 October 17, 1992 (empty net) 1251 601
19 Ciccarelli, DinoDino Ciccarelli Detroit Red Wings 946 01994-01-08 January 8, 1994 Hrudey, KellyKelly Hrudey 1232 608
20 Lemieux, MarioMario Lemieux Pittsburgh Penguins 605 01995-10-26 October 26, 1995 Soderstrom, TommyTommy Soderstrom 915 690
21 Messier, MarkMark Messier New York Rangers 1141 01995-11-06 November 6, 1995 Tabaracci, RickRick Tabaracci 1756 694
22 Yzerman, SteveSteve Yzerman Detroit Red Wings 906 01996-01-17 January 17, 1996 Roy, PatrickPatrick Roy 1514 692
23 Hawerchuk, DaleDale Hawerchuk St. Louis Blues 1103 01996-01-31 January 31, 1996 Potvin, FelixFelix Potvin 1188 518
24 Hull, BrettBrett Hull St. Louis Blues 693 01996-12-22 December 22, 1996 Fiset, StéphaneStéphane Fiset 1269 741
25 Mullen, JoeJoe Mullen Pittsburgh Penguins 1052 01997-03-14 March 14, 1997 Roy, PatrickPatrick Roy 1062 502
26 Andreychuk, DaveDave Andreychuk New Jersey Devils 1070 01997-03-15 March 15, 1997 Ranford, BillBill Ranford 1639 640
27 Robitaille, LucLuc Robitaille Los Angeles Kings 928 01999-01-07 January 7, 1999 Roloson, DwayneDwayne Roloson 1431 668
28 Verbeek, PatPat Verbeek Detroit Red Wings 1285 02000-03-22 March 22, 2000 Brathwaite, FredFred Brathwaite 1424 522
29 Francis, RonRon Francis Carolina Hurricanes 1533 02002-01-02 January 2, 2002 Dafoe, ByronByron Dafoe 1731 549
30 Shanahan, BrendanBrendan Shanahan Detroit Red Wings 1100 02002-03-23 March 23, 2002 Roy, PatrickPatrick Roy 1524 656
31 Sakic, JoeJoe Sakic Colorado Avalanche 1044 02002-12-11 December 11, 2002 Cloutier, DanDan Cloutier 1378 625
32 Nieuwendyk, JoeJoe Nieuwendyk New Jersey Devils 1094 02003-01-17 January 17, 2003 Weekes, KevinKevin Weekes 1242 559
33 Jágr, JaromírJaromír Jágr Washington Capitals 928 02003-02-04 February 4, 2003 Grahame, JohnJohn Grahame 1273 646
34 Turgeon, PierrePierre Turgeon Colorado Avalanche 1229 02005-11-08 November 8, 2005 Toskala, VesaVesa Toskala 1294 515
35 Sundin, MatsMats Sundin Toronto Maple Leafs 1162 02006-10-14 October 14, 2006 Kiprusoff, MiikkaMiikka Kiprusoff 1346 564
36 Selänne, TeemuTeemu Selänne

Anaheim Ducks 982 02006-11-26 November 26, 2006 Théodore, JoséJosé Théodore 1186 606
37 Bondra, PeterPeter Bondra Chicago Blackhawks 1050 02006-12-22 December 22, 2006 Aubin, Jean-SébastienJean-Sébastien Aubin 1081 503
38 Recchi, MarkMark Recchi

Pittsburgh Penguins 1303 02007-01-26 January 26, 2007 Turco, MartyMarty Turco 1571 563
39 Modano, MikeMike Modano

Dallas Stars 1225 02007-03-13 March 13, 2007 Niittymäki, AnteroAntero Niittymäki 1459 557
40 Roenick, JeremyJeremy Roenick San Jose Sharks 1267 02007-11-10 November 10, 2007 Auld, AlexAlex Auld 1363 513
41 Tkachuk, KeithKeith Tkachuk St. Louis Blues 1055 02008-04-06 April 6, 2008 (empty net) 1201 538

Active players who are close[]

There are no players who have a realistic chance to reach 500 goals during the 2010–11 NHL season. Sergei Fedorov who is still active but no longer playing in the NHL has scored 483 goals in 1248 games primarily with the Detroit Red Wings.


Retired players who came close[]

These are players who are now retired that came within 50 goals of reaching 500 for their career.

Legend
Team – The team for which the player played the most games.
GP – Career games played
G – Career goals scored
Player Team GP G
Glenn Anderson Edmonton Oilers 1129 498
Jean Ratelle New York Rangers 1281 491
Norm Ullman Detroit Red Wings 1410 490
Brian Bellows Minnesota North Stars 1188 485
Darryl Sittler Toronto Maple Leafs 1096 484
Bernie Nicholls Los Angeles Kings 1127 475
Alexander Mogilny Buffalo Sabres 990 473
Denis Savard Chicago Blackhawks 1196 473
Pat LaFontaine New York Islanders 865 468
Alex Delvecchio Detroit Red Wings 1549 456
Theoren Fleury Calgary Flames 1084 455
Doug Gilmour Toronto Maple Leafs 1474 450
Peter Stastny Quebec Nordiques 977 450

See also[]

References[]

This page uses content from Wikipedia. The original article was at List of NHL players with 500 goals. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Ice Hockey Wiki, the text of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License 3.0 (Unported) (CC-BY-SA).


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