One season in the NHL in which a hockey player scores 40 or more goals is routine for a player like Alexander Ovechkin. This mark has been surpassed 623 times in the history of the overseas elite league. This was not uncommon, especially during the 1970s and 1980s.
The 2019-20 season saw five players crack the 40-goal mark in the NHL regular season, even though the season was interrupted by a coronavirus outbreak. Last season, when teams played only 56 games, Auston Matthews was even able to reach that milestone.
Once in a while, however, somebody shows up to score more than forty goals in a single season, and then you never hear about them again in that context. Some manage to do it early in their careers, and others find the right chemistry with their teammates and manage to double their usual number of goals. In the chapters below, you will find the 20 most surprising 40-goal scorers in NHL history.
Alexander Syomin, a Russian forward, was a major hockey talent, but he squandered it in an unbelievable way. He was selected by Washington in the first round of the 2002 draft, so when they gave him a chance in the 2006-07 season, though, he went on to impress with 73 points in 77 games. In the seasons that followed, he managed to improve on those numbers. However, laziness, a poor work ethic and neglect of defensive duties went hand in hand with his productivity. When he asked for a higher salary, The Capitals let him go.
But the 2009/10 season, when he scored goals with breathtaking ease, will be long remembered by Caps fans. He needed to play only 73 games to score 40 goals. And he never hit the 30-goal mark again.
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