The most prolific goal scorer in NHL history per game — nine straight 50-goal seasons for the Islanders dynasty.
Michael Dean Bossy was born in Montreal, Quebec in 1957. New York Islanders selected him 15th overall in the 1977 NHL Draft — considered a steal given his subsequent production. His entire 10-season career was spent with the Islanders, winning four consecutive Stanley Cup championships (1980, 1981, 1982, 1983). He is the only player in NHL history to score 50 or more goals in each of his first nine professional seasons. He scored 573 career goals in 752 games — a goals-per-game ratio exceeded only by Wayne Gretzky in the modern era. He won the Calder Trophy as best rookie in 1978 and the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 1982. He averaged 0.762 goals per game — the highest career average of any right wing in NHL history. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1991 and named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players in 2017. His career was cut short by a chronic back condition at age 29. He died in April 2022 aged 65. His scoring rate and consistency across nine uninterrupted 50-goal seasons represent a statistical achievement that may never be matched.
Stanley Cup 4x (1980,1981,1982,1983)
He scored 50 goals in each of his first nine NHL seasons — a record that has never been approached by any other player.
Did You Know?Career Honours
- Stanley Cup 4x (1980,1981,1982,1983)
- Calder Trophy
- Conn Smythe Trophy
- Hall of Fame (1991)
- NHL 100 Greatest Players