Career Playoff Points per Game


In the history of the NHL, only 42 men have averaged at least one point per game in the Stanley Cup Playoffs while playing at least 20 career games. Forty-two players in the entire history of the game. Somewhat surprisingly, Barry Pederson ranks third overall with 1.53 points per game. Granted, he played only 34 games but he scored 52 points to rank behind the obvious Gretzky at 1.84 PPG and Lemieux at 1.61 PPG.
Alex Ovechkin in his 21 career playoff games is fourth all-time with 1.43 points per game and Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are fifth and sixth in 49 games each with 1.29 and 1.27.
The top ten is rounded out by Hall of Famers Mark Messier (1.25), Mike Bossy (1.24), Bobby Orr (1.24) and Jari Kurri (1.17).
A few other surprises in the playoff Point per Game Club are;
Ken Linseman in 23rd with 120 pPts in 113 Games (1.06 PPG)
Dennis Maruk 24th with 1.06 PPG
Mark Pavelich 28th with 1.04 PPG
Jason Allison 39th with 1.00 PPG
Thomas Gradin 41st with 1.00 PPG
When it comes to Goals per Game in a Playoff career, only 23 men have averaged at least 0.50 Goals per Game in at least 20 games. Lemieux is tops with 0.71 GPG (76 G in 107 GP), and Ovechkin with his 15 goals in 21 games is tied at 0.71. Barry Pederson at 0.64 falls to fourth right behind Mike Bossy and ahead of Cy Denneny.
Rocket Richard scored 82 goals in 133 career playoff matches for 0.62 GPG and sixth overall.
The rest of the top ten are Cam Neely, Gretzky, Pavel Bure and Chris Kontos who scored 11 goals in 20 playoff games.
A couple of other unexpected names near the top of the Playoff Goals per Game are;
R.J. Umberger 14 goals in 26 games (0.54)
Fernando Pisani 15 in 30 games and
Rick Vaive 27 in 54 games.
Of course we'll have to see if the likes of Crosby, Ovechkin and Malkin can continue at these rates over the course of a long career.

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