Which NHLers could become first-time 50-goal scorers in 2026-27?
There’s nothing more important to the NHL than scoring goals. And few things are harder than scoring 50 of them in a season.
Cole Caufield knew that as well as anyone. For about half a decade, many wondered when, not if, he’d become a 50-goal scorer in the NHL. But year after year, he continued to fall short as the Montreal Canadiens waited their turn to become competitive again. But last year, it all came together. He finally broke through the half-century mark, joining Colorado’s Nathan MacKinnon as the only two players to do in 2025-26.
Here’s one super wildcard option to make it happen this year: Edmonton’s Evan Bouchard. No defenseman has ever reached the mark, with Paul Coffey’s 48-goal effort in 1985-86 being the gold standard. Bouchard is among the NHL’s top goal-scorers this year, but, naturally, we should expect him to slow down a bit as the season wears on. Still, the early Norris Trophy favorite looks like a potential threat to at least score 40, which would be insane.
So, which NHL stars could become 50-goal scorers for the first time? It’s a tough group to crack, but you can cement yourself as a true superstar if you make it happen:
Tage Thompson, C (Buffalo Sabres)
Previous best: 47
Thompson is coming off the third 40-goal season of his career and also his second-best point output at 81. He’s a true NHL star capable of winning just about every physical battle possible while dominating the middle of the ice. The Sabres are a force these days, too, especially after winning the Atlantic Division regular season title last year. He’s already off to an excellent start this year, pacing for more than 40 goals while averaging about six shots a game (he had nine against Minnesota last Tuesday).
This is a man on a mission; a 6-foot-6 beast looking to take Buffalo to the promised land. It’s hard to chase 50 goals as a center because of the added two-way responsibilities, but Thompson is just built differently. Alex Tuch might not be in Buffalo anymore, but Thompson has a strong support system capable of consistently creating quality chances. It feels like it’s only a matter of time until Thompson crosses over into 50-goal territory – and maybe even cracks triple-digit points.
Kyle Connor, LW (Winnipeg Jets)
Previous best: 47
With a couple of two-goal games already to his credit, Connor is tracking for more than 100 goals this year. That’s completely realistic, right? Connor had 47 goals in 2021-22 but has only cracked the 40-goal mark once since then. He has consistently been one of Winnipeg’s top players for close to a decade and was one of the few bright spots a year ago, too.
Connor is Winnipeg’s leading shot generator, consistently getting four to six a night – including many high-danger chances. He has also done a good job of staying healthy for the most part, having played in at least 90 percent of Winnipeg’s games in five of the past six seasons. With Winnipeg looking more dangerous than they were last year, this might be one of Connor’s best opportunities to finally hit the half-century mark.
Kirill Kaprizov, LW (Minnesota Wild)
Previous best: 47
Kaprizov scored 47 goals in his sophomore NHL season and has managed at least 40 in three of the next four years (the lone miss being an injury-riddled campaign). At his best, Kaprizov is one of the most dangerous scoring wingers in the league, using his speed and quick hands to capitalize from dangerous scoring areas. Kaprizov had 19 goals on the power play last year – if he can up that into the 20s, with one of the best shot releases in the league, he’ll be unstoppable. A full season (perhaps?) of having Quinn Hughes on the point should help, too.
The Novokuznetsk, Russia native still has a lot of work to do to live up to his massive $17-million AAV deal, but he’s very clearly Minnesota’s top forward and will remain so (unless Matt Boldy has something to say about it). It would be nice to see Minnesota get some extra center depth to truly take Kaprizov’s game to another level. But as long as he’s firing one-timers on the power play, Kaprizov will always be in contention for 50 goals.
Macklin Celebrini, C (San Jose Sharks)
Previous best: 45
Celebrini had one of the best sophomore campaigns in recent NHL memory last year with 45 goals and 115 points. That was enough to get him onto Canada’s Olympic team as a 19-year-old while also becoming one of the game’s biggest stars. Next up? Becoming the second 50-goal scorer in Sharks history behind Jonathan Cheechoo. Celebrini already has the most productive season the club has ever seen, and it feels like that’s just the basic starting point.
And the crazy thing? Celebrini is the best playmaker on this list yet is absolutely a threat to crack 50 goals. He’s truly one of the best players in the world, and it’s fascinating watching him lift the franchise up the way he has already. The Sharks will continue to improve over the next few years, and that starts with making a strong playoff push this season. Celebrini has started slowly in the goal column this year, but it wouldn’t be shocking to see him finish with the Rocket Richard this year once he really starts get going.
William Nylander, RW (Toronto Maple Leafs)
Previous best: 45
Nylander kicked off the season with a two-goal effort against Montreal, and while he failed to score in his next two outings, he followed it up with a three-point effort against Nashville. So it really feels like we’re seeing a highly determined Nylander, who, had he played a full 82 games last year, he easily would have challenged for 40 goals and 100 points. He’s a three-time 40-goal scorer, with his highest output being the 45 he had in 2024-25. Nylander also has a bit more help on Toronto’s second line than usual, whether its from 2026 draft wunderkind Gavin McKenna or, most recently, emerging breakout winger Easton Cowan.
The Leafs needed Nylander to step up offensively a bit more the past few years as Auston Matthews has struggled to get back to his full elite form. And for the most part, Nylander has been one of Toronto’s best players over the past half-decade. It feels like it’s only a matter of time until he eventually gets 50 goals. He’s known to trail off a little bit at times, but with Jim Hiller at the helm, it feels like Nylander’s already playing a bit more freely than he was with Craig Berube the past couple of years. Hopefully for Leafs Nation, it pays off with Nylander’s best year yet.
Also considered: Wyatt Johnston, LW (Dallas Stars); Jason Robertson, LW (Dallas Stars); Evan Bouchard, D (Edmonton Oilers); Nikita Kucherov, RW (Tampa Bay Lightning); Jake Guentzel, LW (Tampa Bay Lightning)
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