A hat trick is one of the NHL';s rarest achievements with only 81 during the
2017-18 season, or roughly one in 6.4 percent of games. That';s more rare than
a shutout, with 144 in 2017-18, or one in 11.3 percent of games, or a
shorthanded goal, of which there were 211 last season, or one in 16.6 percent
of games. Of the 7,552 goals scored last season, 250, or 3.3 percent, were
scored in a hat trick.

The greatest player of all-time, Wayne Gretzky, had 50 regular season hat
tricks in his career, or one in 3.4 percent of his games. Active players Brian
Gionta, Paul Stastny, Claude Giroux, and Nicklas Backstrom, all with over 200
career goals, each have one regular season hat trick. The point is that hat
tricks are rare because they';re difficult.

But they';re also fun and the potential for one has everyone in the arena
watching with intrigue after a player reaches two goals in a game, waiting to
toss hats onto the ice, participating in a tradition that dates back to the
1930s or 1950s, depending on who you ask. It';s because of how fun they are
that I wrote all about them. There are many ways to look at hat tricks - by
team, by player, individual season, career, regular season, and postseason.
This post is about all of those and my goal is show that hat tricks are, in
fact, fun.Single Season Hat Trick Leaders10 - Wayne Gretzky 1981-82

Gretzky scored 10 hat tricks in a season twice and it';s no surprise that one
of those occurrences was during the 1981-82 season when he scored a record 92
goals as a member of the Edmonton Oilers. The Great One had back-to-back hat
tricks on Dec. 27 vs. the Los Angeles Kings with four goals and on Dec. 30
against the Philadelphia Flyers with five goals.Wayne Gretzky is the greatest
to ever play the game so it';s no surprise that he had the most hat tricks in a
 season, twice finishing with 10. (Photo by B Bennett/Bruce Bennett
Studios/Getty Images)

Those hat tricks were part of a stretch when he had three in five games when
including his Dec. 19 hat trick versus the Minnesota North Stars. Gretzky had
two or more goals in 22 games that season. He had two hat tricks against the
Flyers, one on Jan. 31 in addition to the one listed above, and two against the
 Kings with one on Nov. 25 as well as the one on Dec. 27.10- Wayne Gretzky
1983-84

Gretzky';s second season with 10 hat tricks was the same season he scored 87
goals, second-most in history. He had 24 games with at least two goals, more
such games than he had in 1981-82. He had back-to-back hat tricks twice. The
first began on Jan. 4 with a four-goal game against the North Stars. It was
followed up by a standard hat trick against the Hartford Whalers on Jan. 7.

His second of back-to-back hat tricks occurred on consecutive days, Feb. 21 and
 22 against the St. Louis Blues and Pittsburgh Penguins, respectively, with
four goals in each. Gretzky had two hat tricks versus the Winnipeg Jets, the
only team he had multiple hat tricks against that season, on Nov. 6 and Dec.
21.9 - Mike Bossy 1980-81

Arguably the greatest goalscorer in league history, Mike Bossy averaged .76
goals per game (G/G) for his career, highest in history using
Hockey-Reference';s rate stat requirements. During the 1980-81 season, led the
league with 68 goals and it was the fourth of nine straight seasons with at
least 50 goals. He had nine hat tricks that season including two instances of
back-to-back tricks.Mike Bossy is arguably the best goalscorer to ever play and
 has the highest goals per game rate in league history. He had nine hat tricks
during the 1980-81 season, the same season he led the league with 68 goals.
(Photo by Bruce Bennett Studios/Getty Images)

His first set of back-to-back hat tricks started on Nov. 8 against the Chicago
Black Hawks and ended on Nov. 11 with four goals versus the North Stars. His
second time began with a four-goal performance against the Penguins on Jan. 13
and ended on Jan. 17 versus the Washington Capitals. He scored at least two
goals in 16 games and had multiple hat tricks against one team, the Black
Hawks.9 - Mario Lemieux 1988-89

Mario Lemieux';s 1988-89 season was the best ever by a player not named
Gretzky. Lemieux scored 85 goals, fourth-most in history, and 199 points, which
 made him the only player besides Gretzky to ever approach 200 points in a
season. That season, Lemieux failed to register consecutive hat tricks but did
net a goal in seven straight games between Oct. 11 and 25. During that stretch,
 he accumulated 15 goals and two hat tricks.

He also scored multiple goals in 24 games and finished with two hat tricks
versus the New Jersey Devils. He scored five goals along with three assists
against them on Dec. 31 and had a standard hat trick on March 31.8 - Brett Hull
 1991-92

Brett Hull scored 70 goals during the 1991-92 season, the third straight season
 he led the league in goals, and also the third consecutive season with 70 or
more goals. He had no back-to-back hat tricks that season but did score
two-plus goals in 14 games. He had his most hat tricks against the New York
Islanders with two, one on Dec. 10 and a second on Dec. 21, in only three games
 against them that season.Brett Hull led the league in goals three straight
seasons between 1990 and 1992. During the 1991-92 season, when he netted 70
goals, he had eight hat tricks, fifth-most in history. (David E. Klutho/Sports
Illustrated)Most Career Hat Tricks50 - Wayne Gretzky

Again, nearly every list for "the best" or "the most" of something in NHL
history will include Gretzky and most likely, he';ll top the list. His 50
career hat tricks are 10 more than any other player and doesn';t include his 10
 postseason hat tricks in the NHL, his four WHA regular season hat tricks, nor
his one WHA postseason hat trick.

In addition to his two 10-hat trick seasons, he also had a season with six and
two seasons with four hat tricks. He had seven NHL hat tricks against the Jets
and one in the WHA against them, his most against one franchise. Using his 40
regular season NHL hat tricks, he scored one in 3.4 percent of his games as
well as one in five percent of WHA games.40 - Mario Lemieux

Lemieux played in 915 regular season games in his career, over 500 less than
Gretzky, but still managed to have the second-most hat tricks in history.
Lemieux';s 40 regular season hat tricks equal one in 4.4 percent of games. He
also had three postseason hat tricks, including five goals against the Flyers
on April 25, 1989. On top of his nine hat tricks during the 1988-89 season, he
also had two seasons with six, one with five, and two with four hat
tricks.Mario Lemieux finished with the second-most regular season hat tricks in
 league history behind Wayne Gretzky despite playing in 500 fewer games than
Gretzky. (Tony McCune/Wikimedia)

He totaled four regular season hat tricks against the Flyers, his most against
one team, and added one against them in the postseason. He also had a four-goal
 game against the Flyers on March 20, 1993, his third of four hat tricks during
 the 1992-93 season when he played in 60 games.39 - Mike Bossy

Bossy scored a hat trick in 5.2 percent of games he played, by far the highest
among those on this list. In only 752 regular season games, he finished with 39
 hat tricks and added five in 129 postseason games. In addition to his nine hat
 tricks in 1980-81, he finished with five twice and had three seasons with four
 hat tricks. He had six hat tricks against the Black Hawks/Blackhawks,
including two against them during each of the 1980-81 and 1983-84 seasons.33 -
Brett Hull

Hull finished with 33 regular season hat tricks, or one in 2.6 percent of
games. He had at least three hat tricks in four seasons and had three regular
season hat tricks against the Dallas Stars and Toronto Maple Leafs, including
back-to-back hat tricks against the Maple Leafs on Oct. 24-25, 1990. Hull had
one playoff hat trick, in 2002, as a member of the Detroit Red Wings against
the Vancouver Canucks.32 - Phil Esposito

Longtime Boston Bruin Phil Esposito was the career leader in hat tricks from
1978 until 1985 when Gretzky passed him. Esposito finished with 32 hat tricks,
still fifth-most in history, quite a feat considering he hasn';t played in 37
years. He scored a hat trick in 2.5 percent of games and had four postseason
hat tricks in 130 games. He had one season with seven hat tricks and three with
 four hat tricks. He victimized the Canucks throughout his career, scoring five
 hat tricks against them.Phil Esposito has the fifth-most regular season hat
tricks in league history with 32, including five against the Canucks. [Public
domain], via Wikimedia CommonsActive Hat Trick Leaders20 - Alex Ovechkin

If you don';t include Jaromir Jagr, Alex Ovechkin is the active leader in goals
 by a wide margin. Therefore it makes sense that his 20 hat tricks in the
regular season are tops among active players and ties him for 14th all-time.
That';s equal to one in two percent of his games. He has three seasons with
three hat tricks - 2007-08, 2008-09, and 2017-18.

Ovechkin has his most hat tricks against the Ottawa Senators with three, one
each in 2007, 2009, and 2017. That includes a four-goal, one-assist performance
 in an 8-6 win on Dec. 29, 2007. He also has one postseason hat trick, on May
4, 2009 against the Penguins when both he and Sidney Crosby had hat tricks.*15
- Jaromir Jagr

Jagr is still technically an active player although it';s unlikely he plays in
the NHL again. He has 15 career hat tricks, but hasn';t scored one since the
2014-15 season and with over 1,700 regular season games, he has a hat trick in
under one percent of his games. He scored 10 with the Penguins, three with the
New York Rangers, two with the Capitals, and one as a Devil.Jaromir Jagr has 15
 regular season hat tricks in his illustrious career, including three with the
Rangers, his second-most with a franchise.

He';s had three hat tricks in a season twice, in 2000-01 and 2005-06. His three
 hat tricks against the Bruins are his most against one franchise and all three
 occurred when he was a Penguin. Jagr has one postseason hat trick, also as a
Penguin, on May 11, 1996 against the Rangers when he and Lemieux both had
one.14 - Marian Gaborik

Due to Marian Gaborik';s recent injury history, it';s easy to forget how
consistent of a goalscorer he was early in his career. It';s an understandable
sentiment to have; he had 30-plus goals in five of six seasons between 2001-02
and 2007-08 but hasn';t scored that many since 2011-12. He had three hat tricks
 in a season twice, in 2002-03 and 2010-11, but hasn';t had a hat trick since
the 2012-13 season and has averaged one in 1.4 percent of his games.

Gaborik has tortured the Colorado Avalanche throughout his career with two hat
tricks against them, one as a member of the Rangers and one with the Minnesota
Wild. His hat trick with the Rangers occurred on Jan. 31, 2010 when he scored
all three of his team';s goals.14 - Eric Staal

Somewhat of a surprising player on this list, Eric Staal has nearly 400 regular
 season goals and led the league with four hat tricks during the 2008-09
season. He has a hat trick in 1.3 percent of games and scored one in 2017-18 as
 a member of the Wild against the Blues on Feb. 27 when he had three goals and
two assists.Eric Staal led the league with four hat tricks during the 2008-09
season and has 14 regular season hat tricks in his career. - Photo By Andy
Martin Jr

In addition to that hat trick against the Blues, he scored another against them
 in 2006 as a member of the Carolina Hurricanes. His two hat tricks versus the
Blues are tied with the Atlanta Thrashers for his most against one franchise.
Both hat tricks versus the Thrashers were with the Hurricanes, one in 2008 and
one in 2010.13 - Ilya Kovalchuk

If he weren';t returning to the NHL this season, Ilya Kovalchuk wouldn';t be on
 this list. His 13 regular season hat tricks have occurred in 816 games, with
one in 1.6 percent of games. Although he hasn';t had a hat trick since the
2011-12 season, he had three in 2007-08. In total, he had 11 hat tricks with
the Thrashers, two with the Devils, and doesn';t have any in the postseason.

The only team he has multiple hat tricks against is the Tampa Bay Lightning
with two, both as a Thrasher. The first occurred in 2005 when he had four goals
 and his second was a standard hat trick in 2007. Had the borderline hall of
famer not left the NHL for five seasons to play in the KHL, it';s not
unthinkable that he';d at least be second in hat tricks among active players.12
 - Evgeni Malkin

Evgeni Malkin may not be among the 100 best players in NHL history, but his one
 regular season hat trick in 1.5 percent of games are behind only Ovechkin and
Kovalchuk on this list. Malkin had three hat tricks during the 2011-12 season,
two in 11 days between Jan. 3 and Jan. 14, 2008, and has one hat trick each of
the past three seasons.Evgeni Malkin won the 2009 Conn Smythe Trophy with 14
goals and 36 points in 24 games that postseason. He scored a hat trick in Game
Two of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Hurricanes.

He has been particularly good against the Islanders and Lightning with two hat
tricks against each, unsurprising as his 26 regular season goals against the
Islanders are his most against one franchise. He also has two postseason hat
tricks, one against the Hurricanes during the 2009 Playoffs which helped him
win the Conn Smythe Trophy and one against the Columbus Blue Jackets in
2014.Progressive Leaders

The NHL started off with a bang from a hat trick perspective in 1917-18, the
league';s inaugural season, as Hall of Famers Cy Denneny and Joe Malone both
tallied seven that season. Denneny finished with 25 hat tricks while Malone
retired with 18. Denneny was the league';s sole career leader in hat tricks
from the second season, in 1918-19, until the 1955-56 season when Maurice
"Rocket" Richard tied him with 25.Maurice "Rocket" Richard took over as the
sole leader in career hat tricks with 26 during the 1957-58 season and remained
 in the lead until the 1970-71 season when Bobby Hull surpassed him.

Richard took the lead two seasons later, in 1957-58, and remained the all-time
leader until the 1970-71 season when Bobby Hull surpassed him with 27 tricks.
Hull';s 28 career hat tricks were tops until Phil Esposito took over during the
 1977-78 season and he led until Gretzky passed him during the 1984-85 season
with 34 and has held the lead since.

By individual seasons, Denneny and Malone';s seven hat tricks in 1917-18
remained the most in a single season until the 1980-81 season when Bossy
surpassed them with nine. That record lasted less than a season when Gretzky
had 10, a record that remains intact.Yearly Leaders2017-18 (3) - Alex Ovechkin,
 Connor McDavid, Alex DeBrincat

Ovechkin scored all three of his hat tricks in 2017-18 before the calendar
flipped to 2018. He opened the season with back-to-back hat tricks on Oct. 5,
with three goals against the Senators and Oct. 7, with four goals against the
Montreal Canadiens. His third hat trick occurred on Nov. 25 against the Maple
Leafs.

Connor McDavid';s first hat trick was against the Calgary Flames in the Oilers
first game on Oct. 4 when he scored all three of his team';s goals. His second
was on Feb. 5 against the Lightning when he netted four goals and added an
assist and his final hat trick was on Feb. 18 against the Avalanche. Alex
DeBrincat';s three hat tricks were the first three of his career, against the
Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 27, the Red Wings on Jan. 25, and the Blues on March
18.2016-17 (3) - Patrik Laine

Patrik Laine';s three hat tricks during the 2016-17 season led the league and
were the first three of his career, making him the youngest in league history
with three. The first was against the Maple Leafs on Oct. 19 and was followed
up by ones against the Stars on Nov. 8 and Feb. 14.Patrik Laine led the league
with three hat tricks during the 2016-17 season. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey
Writers)2015-16 (3) - Zach Parise

Three of Zach Parise';s five career hat tricks took place during the 2015-16
season as a member of the Wild. Like Ovechkin and McDavid listed above,
Parise';s first hat trick that season was in the Wild';s first game and on the
road against the Avalanche. He also had one on the road against the Blue
Jackets on Jan. 5 and one at home against the Flames on March 24.2014-15 (3) -
Corey Perry

Corey Perry';s first hat trick of the 2014-15 campaign occurred in the Ducks';
6-4 loss to the Penguins to open the season on Oct. 9. On Oct. 22, he had a
three-goal game against the Buffalo Sabres and finished with one against the
Maple Leafs on Jan. 14.2013-14 (3) - Tyler Seguin, Joe Pavelski, Max Pacioretty

Tyler Seguin has eight career hat tricks, including seven as a Star. His three
hat tricks during the 2013-14 season are his most in a season and included a
four-goal game on the road against the Flames and home hat tricks against the
Flyers and Canucks. All four of Joe Pavelski';s career hat tricks occurred in
road games and during the 2013-14 season, they were against the Lightning,
Flyers, and Oilers. The third player who tied for the league lead was Max
Pacioretty, with hat tricks against the Wild, Canucks, and Senators.Tyler
Seguin has seven hat tricks with the Stars. Three of them occurred during the
2013-14 season when he tied for the league lead. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey
Writers)Times Leading the League8 - Maurice "Rocket" Richard

Richard led the league in hat tricks a record eight times between 1944 and
1955, including three consecutive seasons between 1946-47 and 1948-49 and never
 had more than four in a season.6 - Bobby Hull

Bobby Hull tied or led the NHL outright six times, including four straight
seasons between 1963-64 and 1966-67. He finished his NHL career with 28 regular
 season hat tricks and added another 13 in the WHA.5 - Charlie Conacher

Charlie Conacher led the league in hat tricks five times during the 1930s as a
member of the Maple Leafs. He finished his career with 15 regular season hat
tricks.Charlie Conacher led the league in hat tricks five times, all as a
member of the Maple Leafs.5 - Cy Denneny

Denneny, the league';s original hat trick king, led the league in the category
five times in the league';s first seven seasons.5 - Gordie Howe

Although Gordie Howe';s career spanned five decades, all five times he led the
league in hat tricks occurred between 1949-50 and 1956-57. He finished with 19
regular season hat tricks in the NHL and never had more than three in a season.

*Notable that Gretzky only led the led in hat tricks three times.Times in the
Top-10 for Hat Tricks in the Last 10 Seasons5 - Alex Ovechkin

Top-10 in 2008-09, 2012-13, 2015-16, 2016-17, and 2017-18.3 - Corey Perry

Top-10 in 2010-11, 2011-12, and 2014-15.Corey Perry was top-10 in the league in
 hat tricks in 2010-11, 2011-12, and 2014-15. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)3
 - Steven Stamkos

Top-10 in 2010-11, 2011-12, and 2013-14.3 - Eric Staal

Top-10 in 2008-09, 2009-10, and 2010-11.Hat Tricks by Season - Past 10
Seasons2017-18 - 81

Most For: Chicago Blackhawks/New York Islanders/Winnipeg Jets - 5

Most Against: Carolina Hurricanes - 6

Fewest For: Detroit Red Wings/Ottawa Senators - 0

Fewest Against: New Jersey Devils/Vancouver Canucks - 02016-17 - 59

Most For: Chicago Blackhawks - 5

Most Against: Dallas Stars/Tampa Bay Lightning - 5

Fewest For: Arizona Coyotes/Buffalo Sabres/Calgary Flames/Los Angeles
Kings/Vancouver Canucks - 0

Fewest Against: Los Angeles Kings/New Jersey Devils/New York Rangers -
02015-16 - 67

Most For: Calgary Flames - 6

Most Against: Edmonton Oilers - 6

Fewest For: Florida Panthers/New Jersey Devils/St. Louis Blues - 0

Fewest Against: Dallas Stars/New York Islanders/Tampa Bay Lightning/Washington
 Capitals - 02014-15 - 49

Most For: St. Louis Blues - 7

Most Against: Arizona Coyotes/Buffalo Sabres - 5

Fewest For: Boston Bruins/Buffalo Sabres/Chicago Blackhawks/Florida
Panthers/Philadelphia Flyers - 0

Fewest Against: Minnesota Wild/New York Rangers/Winnipeg Jets - 02013-14 - 56

Most For: San Jose Sharks - 6

Most Against: Colorado Avalanche/Ottawa Senators/Vancouver Canucks - 5

Fewest For: Buffalo Sabres/Colorado Avalanche/Columbus Blue Jackets/Florida
Panthers/Vancouver Canucks/Winnipeg Jets - 0

Fewest Against: Boston Bruins/Detroit Red Wings/Los Angeles Kings/Montreal
Canadiens/Pittsburgh Penguins - 02012-13 - 32

Most For: Philadelphia Flyers - 4

Most Against: Nashville Predators - 3

Fewest For: 13 teams had no hat tricks

Fewest Against: 10 teams allowed no hat tricks2011-12 - 55

Most For: Tampa Bay Lightning - 6

Most Against: Tampa Bay Lightning - 5

Fewest For: Buffalo Sabres/Carolina Hurricanes/Dallas Stars/Minnesota Wild/St.
 Louis Blues/Winnipeg Jets - 0

Fewest Against: Detroit Red Wings/Los Angles Kings/Minnesota Wild/Montreal
Canadiens/Pittsburgh Penguins/St. Louis Blues - 02010-11 - 76

Most For: Anaheim Ducks - 7

Most Against: Atlanta Thrashers - 7

Fewest For: Dallas Stars/Florida Panthers/Minnesota Wild/Toronto Maple Leafs -
 0

Fewest Against: Detroit Red Wings/Montreal Canadiens/Pittsburgh
Penguins/Vancouver Canucks/Washington Capitals - 02009-10 - 67

Most For: Vancouver Canucks - 8

Most Against: Colorado Avalanche - 5

Fewest For: Anaheim Ducks/Atlanta Thrashers/Edmonton Oilers - 0

Fewest Against: Florida Panthers/New Jersey Devils - 02008-09 - 65

Most For: Calgary Flames/Carolina Hurricanes - 6

Most Against: Toronto Maple Leafs - 7

Fewest For: Colorado Avalanche/Detroit Red Wings/Minnesota Wild/San Jose
Sharks/Vancouver Canucks - 0

Fewest Against: Boston Bruins/Montreal Canadiens/Philadelphia Flyers/San Jose
Sharks - 0Hat Tricks by TeamAnaheim Ducks

Number of Hat Tricks in Franchise History: 53

Career Leader: Teemu Selanne - 13

Season Leader: Teemu Selanne (1997-98), Corey Perry (2010-11), Corey Perry
(2014-15) - 3Teemu Selanne';s 13 hat tricks with the Anaheim Ducks remain a
franchise record. (James Guillory-US PRESSWIRE)Arizona Coyotes

Number of Hat Tricks in Franchise History: 110

Career Leader: Dale Hawerchuk - 12

Season Leader: Teemu Selanne (1992-93) - 5Boston Bruins

Number of Hat Tricks in Franchise History: 323

Career Leader: Phil Esposito - 26

Season Leader: Phil Esposito (1970-71) - 7Buffalo Sabres

Number of Hat Tricks in Franchise History: 191

Career Leader: Rick Martin - 21

Season Leader: Rick Martin (1975-76), Alex Mogilny (1992-93) - 7Calgary Flames

Number of Hat Tricks in Franchise History: 198

Career Leader: Kent Nilsson - 14

Season Leader: Kent Nilsson (1982-83), Lanny McDonald (1982-83), Hakan Loob
(1987-88), Theo Fleury (1990-91) - 5Lanny McDonald';s five hat tricks during
the 1982-83 season are tied with three others for most in Calgary Flames
history.Carolina Hurricanes

Number of Hat Tricks in Franchise History: 121

Career Leader: Eric Staal - 13

Season Leader: Eric Staal (2008-09) - 4Chicago Blackhawks

Number of Hat Tricks in Franchise History: 280

Career Leader: Bobby Hull - 28

Season Leader: Bobby Hull (1959-60, 1965-66) - 4Colorado Avalanche

Number of Hat Tricks in Franchise History: 156

Career Leader: Peter Stastny - 16

Season Leader: Miroslav Frycer (1981-82), Peter Stastny (1982-83) - 4Columbus
Blue Jackets

Number of Hat Tricks in Franchise History: 34

Career Leader: Rick Nash - 5

Season Leader: Tyler Wright (2002-03), Rick Nash (2008-09), Jeff Carter
(2011-12) - 2Rick Nash is the Columbus Blue Jackets'; all-time leader in goals
so it';s only fitting that he leads them in career hat tricks with five.
(Jeanine Leech/Icon SMI)Dallas Stars

Number of Hat Tricks in Franchise History: 154

Career Leader: Dino Ciccarelli - 14

Season Leader: 8 Players - 3Detroit Red Wings

Number of Hat Tricks in Franchise History: 281

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