Player Achievements
The 42 players to score 500 goals consist of 32 Canadians, five Americans (Brett Hull, Joe Mullen, Mike Modano, Jeremy Roenick, and Keith Tkachuk), two Finns (Jari Kurri and Teemu Selanne), one Czech (Jaromir Jagr), one Swede (Mats Sundin), and one Slovak (Peter Bondra). Jari Kurri has the honour of being the first non-Canadian to score 500 goals. Of note, Stan Mikita was born in Sokolče, Slovakia, and was the first not born in Canada; however he immigrated when he was young and represented Canada internationally.
The fewest number of NHL games required to reach the mark was 575, set by Wayne Gretzky. Second quickest was Mario Lemieux, achieving the mark in his 605th game.
Of the 42 players to score at least 500 goals in their career, 17 reached the mark in fewer than 1000 career games played.
Of those on the list, Lanny McDonald came closest to 'not' achieving 500 goals—reaching the mark with only four games remaining in his final NHL season. Similarly, Joe Mullen scored his 500th goal with only ten games remaining in his final season.
Four players have scored their 500th goal on an empty net: Wayne Gretzky, Mike Bossy, Jari Kurri and Keith Tkachuk.
Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Patrick Roy is the only net minder to 'allow' more than one opponent to tally their 500th career goal: Steve Yzerman in 1996, Joe Mullen in 1997 and Brendan Shanahan in 2002. A contributing factor for this statistical coincidence will be Roy's record for the second-most games played by a goaltender, at 1029.
Mats Sundin scored his 500th goal short handed in overtime to finish off a hat trick to win the game for the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Read more about this topic: List Of NHL Players With 500 Goals
Famous quotes containing the words player and/or achievements:
“If God had an agent, the world wouldn’t be built yet. It’d only be about Thursday.”
—Jerry Reynolds, Sacramento Kings’ player personnel director. Quoted in Newsweek (New York, November 25, 1991)
“When science, art, literature, and philosophy are simply the manifestation of personality, they are on a level where glorious and dazzling achievements are possible, which can make a man’s name live for thousands of years. But above this level, far above, separated by an abyss, is the level where the highest things are achieved. These things are essentially anonymous.”
—Simone Weil (1909–1943)