Wayne Gretzky's 2,857 points have been hockey's most untouchable record for a quarter-century — and nobody is within a thousand points of it.
Quick answer: 1. Wayne Gretzky, 2. Jaromír Jágr, 3. Mark Messier, 4. Gordie Howe, 5. Ron Francis, 6. Marcel Dionne, 7. Sidney Crosby, 8. Steve Yzerman, 9. Mario Lemieux, 10. Alex Ovechkin.
Wayne Gretzky finished his career in 1999 with 2,857 points, and the gap between first and second (936 points) is bigger than most Hall of Fame careers. That record isn't moving. Everything below it is. Sidney Crosby climbed past two legends in 2025-26 to take over Pittsburgh's franchise record and seventh place all-time, while Alex Ovechkin — already the NHL's all-time goals king — now sits in the top 10 in points, 46 clear of Joe Sakic. Here are the 10 highest point totals in NHL history, current through the end of the 2025-26 regular season.
The Great One's 2,857 points sit 936 clear of second place — a record that has stood since his 1999 retirement. His 1,963 assists alone would rank third all-time in total points.
No European-born player has ever scored more than Jágr's 1,921 points, compiled over 24 NHL seasons with nine different teams. His 135 game-winning goals are an NHL record.
Messier's 1,887 points span 25 seasons with Edmonton, the New York Rangers, and Vancouver. His 1,193 assists rank third all-time.
Mr. Hockey's 1,850 points spanned four decades, from 1946 to 1980, and stood as the all-time record before Gretzky arrived. His 1,767 games played are the most of anyone in the top 10.
Francis ranks second all-time in assists (1,249), behind only Gretzky, and finished with 1,798 points over 23 seasons with Hartford, Pittsburgh, Carolina, and Toronto.
Dionne needed only 1,348 games for his 1,771 points — his 1.31 points per game is the third-highest rate in the top 10, behind only Gretzky and Lemieux.
Still active, Crosby passed Steve Yzerman and Mario Lemieux in 2025-26 to take over the Penguins' franchise scoring record at 1,761 points. His 21 consecutive point-per-game seasons are an NHL record.
Yzerman played all 1,514 of his games for Detroit, retiring in 2006 with 1,755 points. Crosby passed him for seventh place during the 2025-26 season.
Super Mario's 1,723 points came in just 915 games — 1.88 per game, second only to Gretzky in the top 10. He spent his entire NHL career with Pittsburgh.
The NHL's all-time goals leader (929) sits 10th in points with 1,687 — 46 clear of Joe Sakic in 11th. He broke Gretzky's regular-season goals record (895) in April 2025.
| # | Name | Points | Goals | Assists | Games played | Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wayne Gretzky | 2,857 | 894 | 1,963 | 1,487 | Edmonton Oilers, Los Angeles Kings, St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers |
| 2 | Jaromír Jágr | 1,921 | 766 | 1,155 | 1,733 | Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames |
| 3 | Mark Messier | 1,887 | 694 | 1,193 | 1,756 | Edmonton Oilers, New York Rangers, Vancouver Canucks |
| 4 | Gordie Howe | 1,850 | 801 | 1,049 | 1,767 | Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers |
| 5 | Ron Francis | 1,798 | 549 | 1,249 | 1,731 | Hartford Whalers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Carolina Hurricanes, Toronto Maple Leafs |
| 6 | Marcel Dionne | 1,771 | 731 | 1,040 | 1,348 | Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, New York Rangers |
| 7 | Sidney Crosby | 1,761 | 654 | 1,107 | 1,420 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 8 | Steve Yzerman | 1,755 | 692 | 1,063 | 1,514 | Detroit Red Wings |
| 9 | Mario Lemieux | 1,723 | 690 | 1,033 | 915 | Pittsburgh Penguins |
| 10 | Alex Ovechkin | 1,687 | 929 | 758 | 1,573 | Washington Capitals |
Ranked by official NHL regular-season career points (goals + assists) for every player in NHL history, current through the end of the 2025-26 regular season. Rank 1 is the highest point total. Playoff points and WHA statistics are excluded; active players' totals include their 2025-26 seasons.
No — this list counts regular-season points only, which is the NHL's standard for career scoring records. Playoff scoring is tracked separately, and the order would change: with playoffs included, Mark Messier would jump to No. 2 (2,181 points) and Ovechkin would drop to 11th. Wayne Gretzky leads the playoff list too, with 380 playoff points.
Sidney Crosby, with 1,761 points — seventh all-time. In 2025-26 he passed both Steve Yzerman and Mario Lemieux, becoming the Penguins' all-time scoring leader and extending his NHL record to 21 consecutive point-per-game seasons.
Essentially no one alive has a path. The gap to second-place Jágr (936 points) is itself more than a full Hall of Fame career, and the closest active player, Crosby, trails by 1,096. Even Connor McDavid, at 1,220 points through the 2025-26 season, would need more than 1,600 additional points.
Ovechkin is 10th with 1,687 points (929 goals, 758 assists). He is the NHL's all-time leader in regular-season goals after passing Gretzky's mark of 895 in April 2025, but his assist total keeps him behind pure playmakers like Ron Francis on the points list.
Joe Sakic is 11th with 1,641 points and Phil Esposito is 12th with 1,590. Ovechkin's 1,687 gives him a 46-point cushion over Sakic entering the 2026-27 season, so the top 10 is stable for now.
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