Nels Stewart
Stewart led the NHL in scoring once, when he had 42 points (34 goals) as a rookie in 1925-26. But Stewart was among the League's most consistent point producers during seven seasons with the Montreal Maroons and eight more split between the Boston Bruins and New York Americans. Stewart passed Morenz for the career lead Nov. 24, 1938, and retired in 1940 owning NHL records for goals (324) and points (515).
Syd Howe
The first Howe to own the NHL all-time scoring lead was a consistent point producer during his 16 seasons, most of them with the Detroit Red Wings. Howe never led the League in goals or points, and he was named to a postseason All-Star team once, in 1944-45, when he made the Second Team after he had 53 points in 46 games. He passed Stewart by getting point No. 516 on March 8, 1945, and retired in 1946 with 528 (237 goals, 291 assists).
Bill Cowley
Howe remained atop the all-time scoring leaderboard for less than two years before Cowley, one of the best passers of his era, moved past him with his 527th point on Feb. 12, 1947. Cowley, who spent 12 seasons with the Boston Bruins after one with the St. Louis Eagles, retired at the end of the 1946-47 season with 548 points (195 goals, 353 assists).
Elmer Lach
As the center of the Canadiens' famous "Punch Line" with Richard and Toe Blake, Lach won two NHL scoring titles and led the League in assists three times. He passed Cowley on Feb. 23, 1952; needing two points for the record, he had a goal and three assists in a game against the Chicago Blackhawks. Lach had passed Cowley's NHL career record for assists (354) six days earlier. However, Lach was the first No. 1 scorer to see his record broken before he ended his NHL career; he had 610 points before being passed by one of his linemates and finished his career after the 1953-54 season with 623 (215 goals, 408 assists).