NHL: Who is the greatest goal scorer of their generation?
By Jeremy Tuch
Brett Hull
Reign: 1989-92
Team: St. Louis Blues
Goals Scored during Reign: 228
Games Played: 231 out of a possible 240
Adjusted Goals per Game: 0.95
Goals per Game of Era: 3.54
Scoring Titles: 3
How many players in NHL history scored 70+ goals in at least 3 straight seasons? Wayne Gretzky and Brett Hull. End of list. When you’re the only one in a group with Wayne Gretzky when discussing offense in the NHL, you deserve a pat on the back and a Hall of Fame vote (Brett’s in, don’t worry).
Hull’s shot mirrored that of his father, Bobby, and the numbers backed this up. He scored 72 goals in 1989-90, followed that up with a jaw-dropping 86 in 1990-91, and another 70 in 1991-92, leading the league all three seasons.
Hull would go on to win a Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars, scoring perhaps the most (in)famous goals in Buffalo Sabres’ history. His goal scoring touch was still near the top of the league throughout the rest of his career, but the numbers never quite reached the same level as he did in the late 80’s early 90’s.
While he didn’t match 70 goals following his 1991-92 campaign, another player did. The more interesting fact, is that the player who did was a rookie from Finland, Teemu Selanne.