Record Breakers: Goals Scored

The location of the “official” record book of the Winnipeg Jets has been a source of great debate, but to me the official location is a non-issue. I don’t really care where the official records are kept, we still have our experiences and memories and we have the ability to keep our own records. You may recall that I have compiled the complete history of hockey stats accumulated in Winnipeg, but unlike some others, I am not comfortable dismissing what happened in Atlanta.

I have already done a piece comparing Buff’s 2011-12 season to those of historic Jets defenders, but I want to take this analysis a little further. Understanding where players like Tobias Enstrom and Bryan Little fit into the Atlanta / Winnipeg record books is every bit as interesting to me. The Jets want to leave the Thrashers struggles in the past, but they need to understand what exactly went on before they can move past it.

Let’s take a look at Thrashers / Jets 2.0 goal getters and where current Jets players rank:

Player	From	To	Pos	GP	G	G/GM
Ilya Kovalchuk	2002	2010	LW	594	328	0.55
Vyacheslav Kozlov	2003	2010	RW/C/LW	537	145	0.27
Marian Hossa	2006	2008	RW	222	108	0.49
Bryan Little	2008	2012	RW/C	356	92	0.26
Dany Heatley	2002	2004	RW	190	80	0.42
Marc Savard	2003	2006	C	184	63	0.34
Evander Kane	2010	2012	LW	213	63	0.3
Jim Slater	2006	2012	C	449	60	0.13
Patrik Stefan	2000	2006	C	414	59	0.14
Andrew Ladd	2011	2012	LW	163	57	0.35
Ray Ferraro	2000	2002	C	223	56	0.25
Nik Antropov	2010	2012	C	221	55	0.25
Rich Peverley	2009	2011	C	180	49	0.27
Todd White	2008	2010	C	221	43	0.19
Bobby Holik	2006	2008	C	228	41	0.18

Notes Worth Noting:

• Kovalchuk sits in first place by a wide margin. As we will see in the coming days, this is the case from pretty much every offensive stat. He was a monster and it will take years for any current player to top his goal total.
• Three years into his career Evander Kane is already tied for 6^th in franchise history. He should move solidly into the top 5 this coming season, but he will have to score an average of 35 goals a year for the next 8 years to top Kovi’s franchise mark.
• Bryan Little is everyone’s favorite – not good enough – first line centre, but he is good enough to be the 4^th leading goal scorer in franchise history. Little hasn’t scored at a prolific rate, but he has survived 4 and a half seasons with the team. Little’s 356 games played is the 10^th longest stay in franchise history. Expect him to jump Hossa to land 3^rd on the goal scoring list by the end of this season.
• Games played is a big factor in WPG/ATL goal totals. Only 19 players have played more than 225 games (The equivalent of three 75 game seasons) as a Jet / Thrasher. Jim Slater and Patrik Stefan are both well above that mark and it has propelled them into the top 10 goal getters.
• For all the flack he gets, Captain Andrew Ladd has been one of the most impactful players in franchise history. Ladd is tenth highest goal total in franchise history, 4^th in goals per game. Ladd may not be an ideal first line forward, but he has stepped up an done an admirable job.
• There are a few Jets players that have a chance of passing Bobby Holik and entering the top 15 this upcoming season. Buff and Toby each have 32 goals with the franchise. I wouldn’t count on Toby scoring 10 goals, but Buff should give it a go. Blake Wheeler (24 goals with the franchise) and Alexander Burmistrov (19 goals with the franchise) each have a chance at moving up the ranks this year.

For interest sake, let’s take a look at the top 10 goal scoring seasons in franchise history:

Player	Season	Age	Pos	GP	G	G/GM
Ilya Kovalchuk	2005-06	22	LW	78	52	0.67
Ilya Kovalchuk	2007-08	24	LW	79	52	0.66
Marian Hossa	2006-07	28	RW	82	43	0.52
Ilya Kovalchuk	2008-09	25	LW	79	43	0.54
Ilya Kovalchuk	2006-07	23	LW	82	42	0.51
Dany Heatley	2002-03	22	RW	77	41	0.53
Ilya Kovalchuk	2003-04	20	LW	81	41	0.51
Marian Hossa	2005-06	27	RW	80	39	0.49
Ilya Kovalchuk	2002-03	19	LW	81	38	0.47
Donald Audette	2000-01	31	RW	64	32	0.5

Notes Worth Noting:

• It’s easy to see how Ilya Kovalchuk separated himself from the pack. He was a dominant force for an number of years. Fourty and 50 goal seasons are a rarity these days, but Kovi did it with regularity.
• With any type of growth Kane should be able to hit #10 on this list. If he passes anyone else, that is all gravy. Let’s hope he gets there one day.

For those that want to see the Jets 1.0 comparables, this is the career list:

Player	From	To	Pos	GP	G	G/GM
Dale Hawerchuk	1982	1990	C	713	379	0.53
Bobby Hull	1973	1980	LW	429	307	0.72
Thomas Steen	1982	1995	C	950	264	0.28
Paul MacLean	1982	1988	RW	527	248	0.47
Anders Hedberg	1975	1978	RW	286	236	0.83
Morris Lukowich	1979	1979	LW	511	233	0.46
Willy Lindstrom	1976	1983	LW/RW	604	220	0.36
Doug Smail	1981	1991	LW/RW	691	189	0.27
Laurie Boschman	1983	1990	C	526	152	0.29
Teemu Selanne	1993	1996	RW	231	147	0.64
Keith Tkachuk	1992	1996	LW	308	144	0.47
Ulf Nilsson	1975	1978	C	300	140	0.47
Peter Sullivan	1976	1981	C	439	125	0.28
Brian Mullen	1983	1987	LW	372	124	0.33
Pat Elynuik	1988	1992	RW	289	115	0.40

Notes Worth Noting:

• Piling up goal totals like Ducky and Hull did won’t be easy in today’s NHL.
• Many of the other totals aren’t too far out of reach. I wonder what kind of reaction Winnipeggers will have when Evander Kane passes someone like Teemu Selanne when it comes to all time Winnipeg goal scorers.

…and this is the list of top WHA / Jets 1.0 seasons:

Player	Season	Age	Lg	Pos	GP	G	G/GM
Bobby Hull	1974-75	36	WHA	LW	78	77	0.99
Teemu Selanne	1992-93	22	NHL	RW	84	76	0.9
Anders Hedberg	1976-77	25	WHA	RW	68	70	1.03
Morris Lukowich	1978-79	22	WHA	LW	80	65	0.81
Anders Hedberg	1977-78	26	WHA	RW	77	63	0.82
Dale Hawerchuk	1984-85	21	NHL	C	80	53	0.66
Bobby Hull	1975-76	37	WHA	LW	80	53	0.66
Anders Hedberg	1974-75	23	WHA	RW	65	53	0.82
Bobby Hull	1973-74	35	WHA	LW	75	53	0.71
Bobby Hull	1972-73	34	WHA	LW	63	51	0.81
Keith Tkachuk	1995-96	23	NHL	LW	76	50	0.66
Anders Hedberg	1975-76	24	WHA	RW	76	50	0.66
Dale Hawerchuk	1986-87	23	NHL	C	80	47	0.59
Christian Bordeleau	1972-73	25	WHA	LW	78	47	0.60
Dale Hawerchuk	1985-86	22	NHL	C	80	46	0.58

Notes Worth Noting:

• These Jets 1.0 / WHA season marks will be really really hard to match in today’s NHL.

Final Thoughts:

There you have it. That is about all there is to know about Winnipeg goal scorers. Many of the Jet 1.0 single season records will be out of reach, but it will be fun to watch our current players climb the career ranks. I am not sure which record book most fans will be following more closely, but I will have my eye on both.