Honestly, looking at the scoreboard during an NHL game in the early '80s was basically like watching a pinball machine. Goals were flying in from every angle. Goalies were wearing what looked like sofa cushions for leg pads, and defensive systems were, well, mostly just a suggestion. When you talk about the highest scoring NHL teams, you're really talking about a specific era of "run and gun" hockey that we might never see again.
People always argue about who the best team ever was, but if you're measuring by pure, unadulterated goal-scoring power, there isn't much of a debate. It's the Edmonton Oilers. Specifically, the 1983-84 squad.
The 1983-84 Edmonton Oilers: A Scoring Machine
This team was absolute insanity. They didn't just beat people; they embarrassed them. Led by Wayne Gretzky—who was basically playing a different sport than everyone else at the time—the Oilers finished that season with 446 goals. Think about that number for a second. In an 80-game season, they averaged 5.58 goals per game.
Most modern teams are thrilled if they can maintain a 3.5 average. The 1983-84 Oilers were scoring nearly six goals every single time they stepped onto the ice.
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Why Nobody Could Stop Them
It wasn't just Gretzky, although his 87 goals and 118 assists that year certainly helped. You've got to remember the supporting cast. They had three other guys—Glenn Anderson, Jari Kurri, and defenseman Paul Coffey—who all cleared 40 goals. It’s kinda ridiculous when you realize they had four 100-point scorers on one roster.
If you tried to shut down Gretzky, Coffey would just skate the puck end-to-end and bury it. If you shadowed Kurri, Mark Messier would run you over and score on the power play. They were a nightmare to coach against.
The 1970-71 Boston Bruins and the Original Powerhouse
Before the Oilers dynasty took over the record books, the 1970-71 Boston Bruins held the crown for the highest scoring NHL teams. They were a different kind of beast. While the Oilers were about speed and finesse, the Big Bad Bruins were about brute force and relentless pressure.
They finished that year with 399 goals. It’s a bit of a tragedy for Boston fans that they didn't hit the 400 mark, but Phil Esposito’s 76 goals that season was a record that felt untouchable until #99 came along.
What's really wild about that Bruins team is that they had the greatest defenseman to ever live, Bobby Orr, putting up 139 points from the blue line. You don't see that anymore. Modern defensemen are "offensive" if they get 60 points. Orr was basically a fourth forward who also happened to be the best defender in the league.
The Most Goals in a Single Game
While season totals are great, some of the weirdest history happens in those one-off blowout games. The record for the most goals by one team in a single game is actually much older than the Gretzky era.
On March 3, 1920, the Montreal Canadiens put 16 goals past the Quebec Bulldogs. The final score was 16-3. Honestly, I can’t even imagine what that looked like. It was the "Deadball Era" of hockey in some ways, yet Montreal decided to treat the Bulldogs like a literal punching bag.
More recently, the 1980s saw some high-water marks:
- Edmonton Oilers (1983): Scored 13 goals against the New Jersey Devils.
- Buffalo Sabres (1981): Put 14 on the board against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
- Philadelphia Flyers (1984): Also notched 13 goals in a single outing against Pittsburgh.
What Most People Get Wrong About Scoring Records
There’s a common misconception that the highest scoring NHL teams were just lucky to play in an era with bad goalies. While it’s true that goalie equipment was smaller and the butterfly style hadn't been perfected, that doesn't tell the whole story.
The game was played at a different pace. The neutral zone trap hadn't been invented yet. Coaches didn't obsess over "expected goals" or "high-danger chances." They just told their players to go get the puck and shoot it.
The Modern Era Shift
In the 2024-25 season, we saw a massive jump in scoring compared to the "Dead Puck Era" of the early 2000s. The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers were both pushing the pace, with Florida leading the league with 346 goals. That’s a far cry from 446, but in today’s game, where goalies are 6'5" and wear massive gear, it’s arguably just as impressive.
Right now, in the 2025-26 season, the Colorado Avalanche are the ones to watch. As of mid-January 2026, Nathan MacKinnon has them averaging over 4 goals a game. It’s not "80s Oilers" level, but for the modern salary cap era, it’s about as explosive as it gets.
Take Action: How to Track High-Scoring Teams
If you're a fan of high-octane hockey and want to know which teams are currently lighting up the lamp, you need to look past the basic standings.
- Monitor Goals For Per Game (GF/GP): This is the gold standard. A team might have a lot of goals just because they’ve played more games. Check the average to see who is actually the most dangerous.
- Watch the Power Play Percentage: High-scoring teams usually live and die by their special teams. If a team is clicking at over 25% on the power play, they’re likely going to finish near the top of the league in scoring.
- Look at Secondary Scoring: The truly historic teams aren't one-line wonders. Look at the third and fourth lines. If the "bottom six" are chipping in 10-15 goals each, that’s when a team starts chasing records.
Keep an eye on the schedule for when the Avalanche or the Oilers play bottom-tier defensive teams. Those are the nights where you might see a double-digit scoreline and a piece of history.