NHL Single-Season Assists Record Progression

Every season that raised the bar, and the leader in every season between.

The NHL single-season assists record is 163, set by Wayne Gretzky in 1985. It has stood for 41 years. The mark has been raised 21 times since 1917.

P G A P/GP PPG GWG PIM +/-SHG PPP S S%G/GP GP

Record Holders

22 marks since 1917

Year	Player	A	Stood for
1985	Wayne Gretzky	163	still standing
1984	Wayne Gretzky	135	1 year
1982	Wayne Gretzky	125	2 years
1981	Wayne Gretzky	120	1 year
1980	Wayne Gretzky	109	1 year
1970	Bobby Orr	102	10 years
1969	Bobby Orr	87	1 year
1968	Phil Esposito	77	1 year
1966	Stan Mikita	62	2 years
1964	Stan Mikita	59	2 years
1960	Jean Beliveau	58	4 years
1955	Bert Olmstead	56	5 years
1949	Ted Lindsay	55	6 years
1944	Elmer Lach	54	5 years
1943	Clint Smith	49	1 year
1940	Bill Cowley	47	3 years
1931	Joe Primeau	37	9 years
1929	Frank Boucher	36	2 years
1926	Dick Irvin	18	3 years
1921	Harry Cameron	17	5 years
1919	Frank Nighbor	16	2 years
1917	Corb Denneny	10	2 years

The earliest marks here are records only in the sense that nobody had done better yet. Season length, schedule and the rules themselves have all changed, so a figure from the 1870s is not comparable with a modern one and is not offered as though it were.

Every Season

127 seasons

Year	Leader	A
2025	Connor McDavid	90
2024	Nikita Kucherov	84
2024	Nathan MacKinnon	84
2023	Nikita Kucherov	100
2023	Connor McDavid	100
2022	Connor McDavid	89
2021	Jonathan Huberdeau	85
2020	Connor McDavid	72
2019	Leon Draisaitl	67
2018	Nikita Kucherov	87
2017	Claude Giroux	68
2017	Blake Wheeler	68
2016	Connor McDavid	70
2015	Erik Karlsson	66
2014	Nicklas Backstrom	60
2013	Sidney Crosby	68
2012	Martin St. Louis	43
2011	Henrik Sedin	67
2010	Henrik Sedin	75
2009	Henrik Sedin	83
2008	Evgeni Malkin	78
2007	Joe Thornton	67
2006	Joe Thornton	92
2005	Joe Thornton	96
2003	Scott Gomez	56
2003	Martin St. Louis	56
2002	Peter Forsberg	77
2001	Adam Oates	64
2000	Jaromir Jagr	69
2000	Adam Oates	69
1999	Mark Recchi	63
1998	Jaromir Jagr	83
1997	Wayne Gretzky	67
1997	Jaromir Jagr	67
1996	Wayne Gretzky	72
1996	Mario Lemieux	72
1995	Ron Francis	92
1995	Mario Lemieux	92
1994	Ron Francis	48
1993	Wayne Gretzky	92
1992	Adam Oates	97
1991	Wayne Gretzky	90
1990	Wayne Gretzky	122
1989	Wayne Gretzky	102
1988	Wayne Gretzky	114
1988	Mario Lemieux	114
1987	Wayne Gretzky	109
1986	Wayne Gretzky	121
1985	Wayne Gretzky	163	new record
1984	Wayne Gretzky	135	new record
1983	Wayne Gretzky	118
1982	Wayne Gretzky	125	new record
1981	Wayne Gretzky	120	new record
1980	Wayne Gretzky	109	new record
1979	Wayne Gretzky	86
1978	Bryan Trottier	87
1977	Bryan Trottier	77
1976	Guy Lafleur	80
1975	Bobby Clarke	89
1974	Bobby Orr	89
1974	Bobby Clarke	89
1973	Bobby Orr	90
1972	Phil Esposito	75
1971	Bobby Orr	80
1970	Bobby Orr	102	new record
1969	Bobby Orr	87	new record
1968	Phil Esposito	77	new record
1967	Phil Esposito	49
1966	Stan Mikita	62	new record
1965	Stan Mikita	48
1965	Jean Beliveau	48
1965	Bobby Rousseau	48
1964	Stan Mikita	59	new record
1963	Andy Bathgate	58
1962	Henri Richard	50
1961	Andy Bathgate	56
1960	Jean Beliveau	58	new record
1959	Don McKenney	49
1958	Dickie Moore	55
1957	Henri Richard	52
1956	Ted Lindsay	55
1955	Bert Olmstead	56	new record
1954	Bert Olmstead	48
1953	Gordie Howe	48
1952	Gordie Howe	46
1951	Elmer Lach	50
1950	Ted Kennedy	43
1950	Gordie Howe	43
1949	Ted Lindsay	55	new record
1948	Doug Bentley	43
1947	Doug Bentley	37
1946	Billy Taylor Sr.	46
1945	Elmer Lach	34
1944	Elmer Lach	54	new record
1943	Clint Smith	49	new record
1942	Bill Cowley	45
1941	Phil Watson	37
1940	Bill Cowley	47	new record
1939	Milt Schmidt	30
1938	Bill Cowley	34
1937	Syl Apps	29
1936	Syl Apps	29
1935	Art Chapman	28
1934	Art Chapman	34
1933	Joe Primeau	32
1932	Frank Boucher	28
1931	Joe Primeau	37	new record
1930	Joe Primeau	32
1929	Frank Boucher	36	new record
1928	Frank Boucher	16
1927	Howie Morenz	18
1926	Dick Irvin	18	new record
1925	Frank Nighbor	14
1924	Hap Day	17
1923	Lionel Hitchman	10
1923	King Clancy	10
1922	Edmond Bouchard	15
1921	Harry Cameron	17	new record
1920	Jack Darragh	14
1919	Frank Nighbor	16	new record
1918	Newsy Lalonde	9
1918	Frank Nighbor	9
1918	Eddie Gerard	9
1917	Reg Noble	10
1917	Harry Cameron	10
1917	Cy Denneny	10
1917	Corb Denneny	10	new record