• The History of the OHL’s 50 Goal Scorers

  Filed under Ontario Hockey League
  Feb 13
  

  No matter the league and no matter the length of the schedule, a goal scorer’s true measure is always the crossing of the 50 goal plateau. The Ontario Hockey League is no exception. Despite a regular season schedule that is currently 14 games shorter than that of the National Hockey League, the number of 50 goal scorers is fairly similar between the two leagues.

  However, over time, the OHL (OHA, OMJHL) has seen 279 50+ goal seasons up to the end of the 2010-11 season, whereas the NHL has seen just 189 such performances. Included in that 279 number are 62 single season goal totals of 60 to 69 goals. On ten occasions, players have scored between 70 and 79 goals in a single season. There have been four magic players that have surpassed 80 goals in a seasons.

  The four 80+ goal scorers include:

  • Ernie Godden – 87 goals in 1980-81 with the Windsor Spitfires
  • Ray Sheppard – 81 goals in 1985-86 with the Cornwall Royals
  • Tony Tanti – 81 goals in 1980-81 with the Oshawa Generals
  • Peter Lee – 81 goals in 1975-76 with the Ottawa 67′s

  Four players with single season performances of between 70 and 79 goals are now in the Hockey Hall of Fame:

  • Dino Ciccarelli – 72 goals in 1977-78 with the London Knights
  • Doug Gilmour – 70 goals in 1982-83 with the Cornwall Royals
  • Wayne Gretzky – 70 goals in 1977-78 with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
  • Steve Shutt – 70 goals in 1970-71 with the Toronto Marlboros

  In fact, Steve Shutt and Rick Martin were the first to hit the 70 goal mark, both during that 1970-71 season.

  Ernie Godden, of course, owns the record for most goals in a single season with 87 in 1980-81. Marcel Dionne has the highest goals per game average of any player with 50 or more goals in a season. In 1970-71, Dionne scored 62 goals for the St. Catherines Black Hawks in just 46 games for 1.35 goals per game.

  Two OHL teams have produced four 50 goal scorers in a single season.

  The 1980-81 Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds:

  • Steve Gatzos – 78
  • John Goodwin – 56
  • Doug Shedden – 51
  • Tony Butorac – 50

  The 1992-93 Detroit Junior Red Wings:

  • Pat Peake – 58
  • Bob Wren – 57
  • Todd Harvey – 50
  • Kevin Brown – 50

  The Ottawa 67′s lead the way with 26 50 goal scorers, including the 2010-11 leader Tyler Toffoli. Most likely Toffoli will be added to the list for 2011-12, as well. Both the Oshawa Generals and Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds have had 24 50 goal scorers while the London Knights have produced 20. London should move to 21 with Seth Griffith well on his way to a 50 goal season in 2011-12.

  Check out the full list of OHL 50 goal scorers in the resource section of OHL Alumni Central.
  Tagged as: 50 goal scorers, Ontario Hockey League
  
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