Breaking down the top five single-season points scorers in Red Wings history
With a team as historically successful as the Red Wings, there is a lot of competition for holding a spot as one of the all-time single-season point scorers.
There are few teams with a more iconic history than the Detroit Red Wings, and you only need to look at their list of top 10 points scorers to know that. Even if you’re completely new to the NHL and the Wings, chances are you’ve probably heard of a couple of the names mentioned below, at least in passing.
Now, this list isn’t your typical No. 10 to No. 1, because we would be mentioning one extraordinary player an eye-popping five times. Instead, we’re naming each player just once, but beside them, you will find a year in which they landed a spot in franchise history regarding the total number of points (goals and assists) in a single season.
So, if you’re looking to learn a little more about the Wings, wait no longer, and we will kick off this list with one of the most iconic names in NHL history.
Gordie Howe, 1968-69
If you’re reading this article because you’re new to the Red Wings and interested in learning about their best players, it is a MUST to know about Gordie Howe. Mr. Hockey spent 25 seasons in the Motor City, and no, that’s not a typo, before he went to the WHA for a stint with the Houston Aeros and, later, the New England/Hartford Whalers.
One of the best forwards to put on a Red Wings uniform, Howe’s iconic career ended in 1979-80, in which he returned for one final NHL season with the Whalers after the WHA merged with the NHL in what was his age-51 season. Do the math, and Howe played pro hockey for 32 seasons in what is a record that will likely never be broken.
Anyway, the Hall of Famer enjoyed an incredible 1968-69 campaign in which he finished with 103 points during his age-40 campaign that included 44 goals, 59 assists, and a fifth-place finish for the Hart Trophy.
John Ogrodnick, 1984-85
John Ogrodnick isn’t as well-known as some of the names you’ll see on this list, but he made his mark in Red Wings history in 1984-85 when he finished the season with 55 goals and 105 points.
He earned First-Team All-Star honors that season, and his 1984-85 campaign came in the middle of what was an incredible run for Ogrodnick, in which he finished with 70-plus points five times in what was a six-year stint between 1980-81 and 1985-86.
Sergei Fedorov, 1993-94, 1995-96
One of the Red Wings finest players throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s, Sergei Fedorov finished the 1993-94 season with 120 points and 56 goals, which landed him a top spot on the NHL All-Star Team, plus a first-place finish for the Hart, Selke, and Pearson trophies.
But he wasn’t finished making his mark in Red Wings history just yet, as Fedorov came back in 1995-96 following what was a 42-game, 50-point campaign in 1994-95, to finish the year with 107 points and 39 goals. Fedorov’s accolades landed him with a fifth-place finish for the Hart and once again, first-place for the Selke.
Marcel Dionne, 1974-75
If there is one thing about the Detroit Red Wings, it’s the fact that this franchise has so many Hall of Famers and elite players; it would be challenging to construct a Mount Rushmore of just four names - though Gordie Howe would definitely be on there. Then there are players like Marcel Dionne, who are often remembered for playing elsewhere even if they made the most of their shorter stint in Detroit.
If you bring up Dionne’s name in NHL circles, many will remember him for his time with the Los Angeles Kings. But before heading to Southern California, Dionne enjoyed an epic 1974-75 campaign with the Red Wings that saw him finish the year with 121 points and 47 goals, good for an eighth-place finish for the Hart.
Steve Yzerman, 1989-90, 1990-91, 1991-92, 1992-93, 1988-89
If Gordie Howe is the top name to remember in Red Wings history, Steve Yzerman might just be the second one. Before his days as one of the NHL’s most recognizable general managers, Yzerman gave opponents headaches on the ice since he was so tough to play against, particularly in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
His 1988-89 campaign was his best, and it serves as arguably the best season in team history as he finished with 155 points, 65 goals, and 90 assists. He only finished third for the Hart, but he did walk away with the Pearson and an 11th place finish for the Selke.
His 1989-90 outing saw him finish with 127 points, 62 goals, and 65 assists, plus a seventh-place finish for the Hart, and it was the third of six straight seasons that saw Yzerman hit the century mark in points. Note that his 1987-88 campaign didn’t make the cut, but he did finish with an astounding 50-goal, 102-point performance that season.
Yzerman finished with 108 points in 1990-91, and 103 points in 1991-92, before he rounded out his six-season streak of 100-plus points in the 1992-93 season. That year, Yzerman found the net 58 times and finished the year with 137 points, allowing him to take eighth place for the Hart.
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(Statistics powered by Hockey-Reference)