In the year 2000, The Hockey News published one of the best hockey books I’ve ever read  entitled “Century of Hockey”.  It features lots of great pictures and includes summaries of all NHL seasons from its beginning in 1917-1918 (83 years).

 

Their published list of the top 40 greatest single NHL season performances by hockey’s best has to be a HUGE embarrassment to all fans of the all-time mediocre leaf.

 

There are zero leafs represented in this most prestigious list.  None at all.  In the first 83 years of NHL hockey, no leaf accomplishment ranks within the top 40.

 

Very sad indeed. Sure makes me cry - NOT.

 

So you say you’re a leaf fan, eh?  You’re stupid.

 

NHL Single-Season Honor Roll

The top 40 single-season performances in the history of the NHL

 

  1. Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins, 1969-70   Becomes first defenseman to win scoring championship.
  2. Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers, 1981-82   Scores record 92 goals, including 50 in 39 games, and 212 points.
  3. Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers, 1985-86   Scores record 215 points and has more assists (163) than anyone else has points.
  4. Rocket Richard, Montreal Canadiens, 1944-45   Scores record 50 goals in 50 games, the standard by which goal-scoring is measured.
  5. Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins, 1974-75   Scores record 46 goals for defensemen and leads league with 135 points
  6. Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers, 1983-84   Earns points in record 51 games and wins Art Ross by largest margin ever.
  7. Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins, 1988-89   Leads league in scoring with 199 points, the highest non-Gretzky total ever.
  8. Phil Esposito, Boston Bruins, 1970-71   Sets NHL records with 76 goals, 152 points and 550 shots.
  9. Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins, 1992-93   Roars back from Hodgkin’s Disease to win scoring championship.
  10.  Paul Coffey, Edmonton Oilers, 1985-86   Beats the unbeatable foe-Bobby Orr-by scoring defenseman record 48 goals.
  11.  Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins, 1970-71   First player to record 100 assists and scores defenseman record 139 points
  12.  George Hainsworth, Montreal Canadiens, 1928-29   Earns 22 shutouts and 0.92 goals-against average, two records that stand today.
  13. Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins, 1971-72   Last defenseman to win Hart trophy. (Chris Pronger has since won it in 2000)
  14. Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers, 1979-80   19-year-old becomes youngest player to score 50 goals and win Hart Trophy
  15. Joe Malone, Montreal Canadiens, 1917-18   Scores 44 goals in 20 games for the highest goals-per-game average (2.2) in history.
  16. Mike Bossy, New York Islanders, 1980-81   First player to score 50 goals in 50 games since Rocket Richard  (1944-45)
  17. Stan Mikita, Chicago Black Hawks, 1966-67   First player to win Hart, Art Ross and Lady Byng Trophies in same season.
  18. Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers, 1984-85   Records second-highest  point total (208) in league history at the time.
  19. Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings, 1952-53   Scores 49 goals and collects record 95 points.
  20. Phil Esposito, Boston Bruins, 1968-69   First player to score 100 points.
  21. Terry Sawchuk, Detroit Red Wings, 1950-51   Calder winner sets NHL record with 44 wins and earns 1.99 GAA.
  22. Bobby Hull, Chicago Black Hawks, 1965-66   Sets record for goals (54) and points (97) to win Hart.
  23. Tony Esposito, Chicago Black Hawks, 1969-70   Wins Calder and Vezina with Modern Day and rookie-record 15 shutouts.
  24.  Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres, 1997-98   Only goalie to win back-to-back Hart Trophies
  25.  Bernie Parent, Philadelphia Flyers, 1973-74   Sets goalie mark of 47 wins and posts last sub-2.00 GAA for 20 seasons
  26. Brett Hull, St. Louis Blues, 1990-91   Scores 86 goals, third highest total of all-time.
  27. Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings, 1968-69   Forty-one-year-old icon is oldest 100-point player ever.
  28. Teemu Selanne, Winnipeg Jets, 1992-93   Sets rookie records with 76 goals and 132 points.
  29. Gordie Howe, Detroit Red Wings, 1950-51   Sets point record (86) after suffering fractured skull previous season.
  30. Ray Bourque, Boston Bruins, 1979-80   Nineteen-year-old scores rookie-record 65 points and earns berth on first all-star team
  31. Mike Bossy, New York Islanders, 1977-78   First player to score 50 goals in rookie season.
  32. Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers, 1982-83   First player in 42 seasons to earn more assists (125) than anyone else has points.
  33. Eddie Shore, Boston Bruins, 1932-33   First defenseman  to win Hart Trophy with career-high 35 points.
  34. Mario Lemieux, Pittsburgh Penguins, 1987-88   Breaks Wayne Gretzky’s string of seven straight scoring championships.
  35.  Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers, 1986-87   Records most decisive Art Ross title ever, in terms of percentage (69%)
  36. Bobby Orr, Boston Bruins, 1973-74   Leads NHL in assists with 90 and finishes second in scoring with 122 points.
  37. Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers, 1980-81   Sets record for assists (109) and points (164) to win Art Ross.
  38. Bill Cowley, Boston Bruins, 1943-44   Records best non-Gretzky, non-Lemieux points-per-game average of all-time (1.97)
  39. Dominik Hasek, Buffalo Sabres, 1993-94   First goalie to record sub-2.00 GAA in 20 years.
  40. Tom Barrasso, Buffalo Sabres, 1983-84   Only goalie to go from high school to NHL, wins Vezina and Calder at 19.

I hate the leaf

Blow leaf blow

Leafhatred.

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