Some NHL seasons stop feeling normal by midwinter. One player keeps showing up on the scoresheet, night after night, turning points into routine and making the pace of production impossible to ignore.
The league has seen eras of wide-open ice and tighter systems, yet a few campaigns broke through context. These weren’t just hot streaks, but sustained runs that bent expectations over months.
Those record-setting point totals still anchor conversations about offense. They mark moments when talent, opportunity and timing aligned to produce seasons that refused to slow down.
Who is the player with the most points in a single season?
Way back in the mid-1980s, the NHL wasn’t just a league of high scoring, it was a stage for the most astonishing individual offensive output in the sport’s history. In the 1985–86 season, Wayne Gretzky etched his name into the record books by piling up an unprecedented 215 points across the regular campaign.
Wayne Gretzky (Source: Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)
His feat came as part of a string of dominant years for the Edmonton Oilers. That singular season saw him combine 52 goals with 163 assists, setting a benchmark that has proven nearly untouchable for decades. His ability to influence the game at both ends of the ice redefined what a “great offensive season” looked like in professional hockey.
Decades later, his 215-point season remains a towering milestone in NHL lore. While modern stars like Connor McDavid have put up staggering numbers, the gap between those totals and his record illustrates just how singular that historic campaign was.
PlayerTeamSeasonPointsWayne GretzkyEdmonton Oilers1985-86215Wayne GretzkyEdmonton Oilers1981-82212Wayne GretzkyEdmonton Oilers1984-85208Wayne GretzkyEdmonton Oilers1983-84205Mario LemieuxPittsburgh Penguins1988-89199Wayne GretzkyEdmonton Oilers1982-83196Wayne GretzkyEdmonton Oilers1986-87183Wayne GretzkyLos Angeles Kings1988-89168Mario LemieuxPittsburgh Penguins1987-88168Wayne GretzkyEdmonton Oilers1980-81164Wayne GretzkyLos Angeles Kings1990-91163Mario LemieuxPittsburgh Penguins1995-96161Mario LemieuxPittsburgh Penguins1992-93160Steve YzermanDetroit Red Wings1988-89155Connor McDavidEdmonton Oilers2022-23153Phil EspositoBoston Bruins1970-71152Bernie NichollsLos Angeles Kings1988-89150Jaromir JagrPittsburgh Penguins1995-96149Wayne GretzkyEdmonton Oilers1987-88149Pat LaFontaineBuffalo Sabres1992-93148Mike BossyNew York Islanders1981-82147Phil EspositoBoston Bruins1973-74145Nikita KucherovTampa Bay Lightning2023-24144Adam OatesBoston Bruins1992-93142Wayne GretzkyLos Angeles Kings1989-90142(Source: Statmuse)
