Three NHL superstars on pace for 50 goals for the first time in their careers

Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

When Auston Matthews became the first player to hit 50 goals earlier this season, nobody batted an eye. That’s what he does.

But when Sam Reinhart and Zach Hyman both hit 50 for the first time this year, that was slightly more intriguing. Both were good players, but never came close to hitting that in a season – until now. So for both to do it in the same night? It makes for a good story.

What might be more surprising that Connor McDavid has only crushed the 50-goal barrier once when he had 64 last season – the best season of his career. With just 26 goals this season, he’s not going to come anywhere close to doing it again. Given his status as arguably the best player in professional hockey and just how dominant he is with the puck, it’s surprising, really.

But when you dig a bit deeper, plenty of high-end NHL superstars haven’t even done it once. And that’s what we’re focusing on today – while David Pastrnak is hoping to do it for the second time, here’s three names hoping to pop their cherry:

Nathan MacKinnon, C (Colorado Avalanche)

Previous Best: 42 in 2022-23
Current Count: 44

Given that MacKinnon always seems to be entangled with the Hart Trophy – and considering how good his shot is – it’s shocking that he hasn’t hit 50 yet He’s the frontrunner for the Hart Trophy this season for his exploits with the Avs, currently sitting one point behind Nikita Kucherov (123) for the league lead in points. More impressively, though, is MacKinnon has at least one point in every home game this season, with seven more still on the table.

Even before he hit 100 points for the first time last year, MacKinnon has continuously found ways to be such a dominant force. Regardless of how beaten up the Avs are around him, MacKinnon’s ability to dominate offensively and be so valuable on special teams while committing himself 100 percent defensively shows that he can do it all.

At 28, MacKinnon still has so many good years left. Whether this is the lone year he hits 50, or just the start of a long-term trend, it’s exciting thinking about just how good he’ll end up becoming.

Artemi Panarin, LW (New York Rangers)

Previous Best: 32 in 2019-20
Current Count: 43

It’s wild that Panarin has never actually been close to hitting 50 in a season. At 32, the Russian winger hasn’t even hit 100 points despite being one of the game’s elite wingers. His chemistry wtih Vincent Trocheck has helped breathe new life into Panarin’s offensive game, and he’s now on pace for exactly 50 goals for the first time. He’s one of the game’s most creative playmakers, but he’s scoring at a rate never seen before.

The Rangers are in a fight to win the Presidents’ Trophy, so don’t expect him to sit any games down the stretch. The majority of New York’s remaining games come against non-playoff squads, but he’ll face Philly tonight and Colorado on Thursday – something that could potentially slow him down. The Rangers can’t let their foot off the gas over the next month, and Panarin – on pace to play 82 games for the second consecutive season – looks as confident as ever.

Nikita Kucherov, RW (Tampa Bay Lightning)

Previous Best: 41 in 2018-19
Current Count: 41

Kucherov won the Hart Trophy and top forward honors at the men’s World Hockey Championship in the same year. He won consecutive Stanley Cups while leading the playoffs in assists and points both times. The one thing missing? A 50-goal season.

With 11 games to go, he’s nine goals away with just three in his pat 10 games. In that span, he has two four-point nights and a fiver against the New York Rangers, helping him cement the top spot in the scoring race with 123. By all accounts, he’s been better than his 41-goal, 128-point MVP season, and he might still lose it to MacKinnon or McDavid.

Kucherov has a reputation as one of the best playmakers in the NHL, as shown by his three seasons with 80 or more assists. He has 82 this season, and, at this rate, won’t be far off of 100 this season. He’s on pace for 47 goals, but it’s not like he needs motivation to smash 50 this year. So many people are writing the Lightning off this year because they’re not their usual dominant self, but Kucherov is playing the best hockey of his life – and I wouldn’t want to bet against him cracking 50.

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Three NHL superstars on pace for 50 goals for the first time in their careers

Nathan MacKinnon, C (Colorado Avalanche)

Artemi Panarin, LW (New York Rangers)

Nikita Kucherov, RW (Tampa Bay Lightning)

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