It doesn’t matter if it’s the regular season or the playoffs, overtime can be a stressful time for players and fans. However, there are certain players who live for those moments and know how to get their second wind when the game is on the line.
In the history of the NHL, only 10 players have recorded 30 points or more in overtime, and only one of those players has scored 20 or more goals in the extra period.
Daniel and Henrik Sedin were dominant throughout their entire careers, so it’s not shocking that one of them made this list. In his 1,306 games, Daniel Sedin scored 16 overtime goals and recorded 15 assists in the extra period for a total of 31 points. Henrik, however, just missed the cut as he finished his career with 29 overtime points.
There are four players on this list who have 31 points in overtime, and there’s still chances for three of the four to add to their totals. The one player who’s no longer active of the four, though, is Sergei Fedorov. An offensive threat from anywhere on the ice, Fedorov scored 15 overtime goals and added 16 assists for 31 points.
The other two players currently sitting at 31 overtime points are Evgeni Malkin and Joe Thornton. The two are completely different players, but they both have the clutch gene and get the job done the way they know how. Malkin is one of three players on this list who hasn’t hit the 1,000-games mark yet, but he’s recorded 12 goals and 19 assists in overtime for 31 overtime points during his career. We’re guessing he’s going to finish his career a lot higher on this list.
Meanwhile, Joe Thornton might be nearing the end of his career, but he’s done a lot of incredible things during that time. One of the greatest playmakers in NHL history, Jumbo Joe has nine overtime goals and 22 overtime assists to his name, and he’s not done yet!
Ilya Kovalchuk recently returned to the NHL and he’s showing that he can still do some damage at the age of 37. Kovalchuk is also one of the three players on this list who hasn’t hit the 1,000-game mark yet, but he’d be well over that mark if he had never returned to Russia. In 926 games, Kovalchuk has scored 17 goals in overtime and helped set up 16 others for 33 career overtime points.
The third and final player on this list who has less than 1,000 games to their name is Sidney Crosby; but he’s quickly closing in with 984 games on his resume. One of the most clutch players in NHL history, Crosby has scored 16 goals in overtime and has set up another 17, totalling 33 career overtime points.
Ryan Getzlaf falls into the same category as Joe Thornton on this list, as they’ve set up a lot more goals in overtime than they’ve scored. But a win’s a win and that’s all that matters. In 1,053 games, Getzlaf has scored 10 goals in overtime and set up 24 others for 34 points in overtime.
Jaromir Jagr could probably return to the NHL and pot a few more points in overtime if he wanted to, but that won’t be happening anytime soon. Until Alex Ovechkin surpassed him in overtime goals, Jagr held the NHL record for most overtime goals with 19. In 1,733 games, Jagr also set up 16 goals in the extra frame for 35 career overtime points.
Alex Ovechkin is the NHL’s all-time leader in overtime goals with 23 and he’s also the only player in NHL history to score 20 or more goals in overtime. Sitting at 36 overtime points in 1,152 games, Ovi is just two overtime points away from setting the NHL record for most career overtime points, and there’s about a 99.9% chance he finishes is career with that record.
The man currently holding the NHL’s all-time record for overtime points is one of the greatest players in New Jersey Devils franchise history and one of the most clutch players in NHL history. Patrik Elias played all 1,240 games with the Devils and scored 16 goals and set up 21 others for 37 overtime points during that span.
*All numbers courtesy of NHL.com
