Fantasy: 2024 year in review by the numbers

NHL.com's fantasy staff identifies the 12 numbers that told the story of the 2024 calendar year.

Number: 1

The Florida Panthers became the first team since the Stanley Cup Playoffs expanded to 16 teams in 1980 to go from being the lowest-seeded postseason team one year to Stanley Cup champions the following season. After the Panthers made the 2023 Stanley Cup Final as the second wild card in the Eastern Conference but lost to the Vegas Golden Knights, they became the third team in the expansion era (since 1967-68) to win the Cup after losing the Final the year prior (Edmonton Oilers in 1984; Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009). Florida became the fourth first-time winner of the Stanley Cup in the past seven seasons (Vegas in 2023; St. Louis Blues in 2019; Washington Capitals in 2018).

Number: 3

The Edmonton Oilers became the third team in NHL history (first since Detroit Red Wings in 1945) to force a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final after trailing 3-0 in the best-of-7 series. Edmonton was the 10th to do so in any postseason round but lost the deciding game at Florida. The Oilers scored 19 goals when facing elimination in the Cup Final, matching the highest such total in NHL history held by the 1942 Toronto Maple Leafs -- the only team in League history to successfully rally from down 3-0 in the Cup Final to win the championship.

Number: 7

Seven teenagers (19 years old or younger) have scored at least 25 points during the 2024 calendar year, led by Chicago Blackhawks forward Connor Bedard (62; won Calder Trophy as NHL's top rookie in 2024). That list also includes Montreal Canadiens forward Juraj Slafkovsky, Buffalo Sabres forward Zach Benson (28 each), San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini (27), Utah Hockey Club forward Logan Cooley, Anaheim Ducks forward Leo Carlsson (26 each) and Philadelphia Flyers forward Matvei Michkov (25). Bedard was the only teenager to reach that mark in 2023 (33 points).

Number: 9

It's the ninth time in NHL history that a goalie, Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets, is leading the League in wins (44), save percentage (0.926), goals-against average (2.22) and shutouts (nine) during a single calendar year (minimum 35 appearances). Only six other goalies have accomplished this feat: Roberto Luongo (2005), Dominik Hasek (1998), Martin Brodeur (1997), Ken Dryden (1977, 1975), Bernie Parent (1974) and Jacques Plante (1959, 1958). Hellebuyck won his second Vezina Trophy last season (also won in 2019-20), joining fellow finalist Sergei Bobrovsky as the only active goalies to win it multiple times.

Number: 15

Minnesota Wild forward Kirill Kaprizov led the NHL with 15 multigoal games during the 2024 calendar year. Kaprizov also led the entire League in even-strength goals (39) during the 2024 calendar year and ranked sixth in points (112), fourth in points per game (1.49), seventh in even-strength points (75) and tied for seventh in power-play points (37) since Jan. 1.

Number: 30

The Capitals have 30 more points and 17 more wins during the 2024 calendar year compared to 2023, the largest improvements in the NHL over the span. Washington's 31 wins and 73 standings points in 2023 both ranked 27th in the League, but the Capitals are tied for eighth in wins (48) and tied for 8th in points (103) in 2024. The Capitals clinched the final spot in the 2024 playoffs to earn their 15th postseason appearance since forward Alex Ovechkin debuted in 2005-06; the only team with more in that span is the Penguins (16).

Number: 31

Panthers forward Sam Reinhart led the NHL with 31 special-teams goals during the 2024 calendar year (leads League in both power-play goals with 24 and shorthanded goals with seven). Reinhart is tied for the most such goals in a calendar year since Dave Andreychuk also had 31 in 1993, tied with Kaprizov for the most goals (56) overall during the 2024 calendar year and scored the Stanley Cup-winning goal against the Oilers in Game 7.

Number: 34

Oilers forward Connor McDavid made history in 2024 with the most assists (34) in a single postseason, breaking Wayne Gretzky's record of 31 with Edmonton in 1988. McDavid finished the playoffs with 42 points -- 20 more than the highest-scoring players from any other team (Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk each had 22 playoff points), marking the largest difference ever in a single postseason. McDavid won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most-valuable player of the 2024 postseason, the first player to win the award from the losing team since goalie Jean-Sebastien Giguere of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in 2003, and the sixth such recipient in NHL history.

Number: 41

Ovechkin has scored 41 goals during the 2024 calendar year and, with 870 career goals, is 25 away from passing Gretzky (894) for the most in NHL history. It marks the 14th time in Ovechkin's career that he has scored at least 40 goals in a calendar year (regular season and playoffs combined), the most in NHL history.

Number: 48

Tampa Bay Lightning forward Nikita Kucherov led the NHL with 48 power-play points during the 2024 calendar year and ranked third in points overall (137 in 76 games) behind Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche (143 in 83 games and McDavid (138 in 78 games) over that span. Kucherov ranks second in career power-play points (340) since making his NHL debut Nov. 25, 2013, behind McDavid (349).

Number: 100

MacKinnon led the NHL in even-strength points (100) during the 2024 calendar year, the most in a calendar year since Jaromir Jagr in 1999 (104). MacKinnon also led the League in multipoint games (43) during the calendar year and became the second active NHL player to have 140 or more regular-season points in a calendar year, joining McDavid (twice). MacKinnon won the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most-valuable player last season, joining Peter Forsberg (2003) and Joe Sakic (2001) as the only Avalanche players to win it.

Number: 106

There were 106 hat tricks in 2024, the third straight calendar year with at least 100 -- marking the longest streak since the 1980s (seven straight years from 1980-86). Colorado Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen led all players with four hat tricks in the 2024 calendar year, one of which was a natural hat trick. There have been 21 natural hat tricks in 2024, the most in a single calendar year in NHL history.