Sidney Crosby enters the 2025–26 season chasing down Mario Lemieux on the list of highest point scorers in the NHL.
The Penguins captain sits on 1,687 career points, just 36 shy of Lemieux’s franchise record of 1,723.
Lemieux remains the defining figure of the Penguins’ rise, yet Crosby has already given the franchise three Stanley Cups and a record 20 seasons averaging at least a point per game.
He currently ranks ninth, with Lemieux just ahead in eighth place. A strong start to the new season could see him leapfrog his former mentor before Christmas.
Wayne Gretzky’s 2,857 points remain out of sight for everyone, while Jaromir Jagr’s 1,921 in second is also a step too far.
Crosby, at 38, still has time to pass names like Joe Sakic, Steve Yzerman, and perhaps even Marcel Dionne if his production holds.
Here are the top 10 highest point scorers in NHL history.
1. Wayne Gretzky – 2,857 points
Wayne Gretzky’s record of 2,857 points sees the GOAT top the highest point scorers list in the NHL. Nobody else is even close.
He collected 894 goals and 1,963 assists in just 1,487 games, averaging almost two points per night.
Four Stanley Cups with Edmonton anchored his legend, but he also lifted hockey in Los Angeles and finished with the Rangers.
At 1.92 points per game, Gretzky’s dominance exists in its own category, a standard that still dwarfs today’s stars.
2. Jaromir Jagr – 1,921 points
Jaromir Jagr chased Gretzky longer than anyone, piling up 1,921 points over 24 seasons.
His mix of skill and longevity took him across nine NHL teams, from early Cups in Pittsburgh to late stints in Calgary and Florida.
He registered 766 goals and 1,155 assists, numbers that would have been even higher had he not left for the KHL in his prime.
Even after ending a second stint in the NHL at 45, Jagr kept playing. Few players have ever matched his durability, and none have matched his hair.
3. Mark Messier – 1,887 points
Mark Messier’s 1,887 points came with six Stanley Cups and a reputation as one of hockey’s greatest leaders.
He powered Edmonton alongside Gretzky, then carried the New York Rangers to their drought-ending title in 1994.
Messier blended production with presence, finishing with 694 goals and 1,193 assists across 1,756 games.
His “guarantee” before Game 6 against New Jersey remains one of the NHL’s defining moments.
4. Gordie Howe – 1,850 points
“Mr. Hockey” played into his 50s, stretching a career that produced 1,850 points across five decades.
Howe’s blend of toughness and finesse defined Detroit, where he won four Stanley Cups and six Hart Trophies.
He also piled up 801 goals, a record that stood until Gretzky passed him in 1994.
His late return with Hartford, skating alongside sons Mark and Marty, only added to the legend.
5. Ron Francis – 1,798 points
Ron Francis quietly stacked up 1,798 points, thriving as one of the league’s most reliable two-way centers.
He anchored Hartford through lean years before becoming a crucial piece in Pittsburgh’s back-to-back Cups.
Later, Francis guided Carolina to its first Stanley Cup Final, leaving his mark on a second franchise.
His understated consistency, 549 goals and 1,249 assists, made him one of hockey’s great unsung stars.
6. Marcel Dionne – 1,771 points
Marcel Dionne produced at a clip that kept him among the game’s most dangerous scorers. Across 1,348 games he tallied 731 goals and 1,040 assists.
His best years came in Los Angeles, where he formed the famed “Triple Crown Line” with Charlie Simmer and Dave Taylor.
Despite the production, Dionne never made a Stanley Cup Final, a fact that often sees him overlooked compared to his peers.
Even so, his 1.31 points per game underline just how prolific he was during an era dominated by Gretzky and Lemieux.
7. Steve Yzerman – 1,755 points
Steve Yzerman’s career was defined as much by leadership as scoring, though his 1,755 points still rank him seventh all-time.
He debuted with Detroit at 18 and soon became captain, a role he would hold for two decades.
Three Stanley Cups and a Conn Smythe Trophy followed, turning the Red Wings into a dynasty in the late 1990s.
Yzerman retired with 692 goals and 1,063 assists, later returning to the franchise as general manager to complete his legacy.
8. Mario Lemieux – 1,723 points
Mario Lemieux’s career total of 1,723 points came in just 915 games, a rate almost unmatched in NHL history.
He dominated with size and skill, winning six scoring titles, three Hart Trophies and two Stanley Cups with Pittsburgh.
Illness and back problems robbed him of hundreds of games, leaving fans to wonder how much higher his totals might have climbed.
Even so, Lemieux’s 1.88 points per game place him second only to Gretzky, a reminder of just how unstoppable he was at full strength.
9. Sidney Crosby – 1,687 points
Sidney Crosby enters the 2025–26 season on 1,687 points, just 36 behind Lemieux on the all-time list.
His consistency has been remarkable, setting a league record with 20 straight seasons averaging at least a point per game.
Three Stanley Cups and two Hart Trophies already make his résumé complete, but he continues to chase milestones at age 38.
If healthy, Crosby could soon pass Lemieux and rise further into the top seven of the NHL’s all-time scoring ranks.
10. Joe Sakic – 1,641 points
Joe Sakic delivered 1,641 points across 1,378 games, becoming the face of the Quebec Nordiques and later the Colorado Avalanche.
His lethal wrist shot powered him to 625 goals, while his playmaking added another 1,016 assists.
Two Stanley Cups in Colorado, plus a Conn Smythe Trophy in 1996, cemented his reputation as a big-game performer.
Sakic retired in 2009 and shifted to management, guiding the Avalanche back to the top as general manager more than a decade later.
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