Assists play a crucial role in ice hockey, as they contribute to goal-scoring by setting up teammates. In the NHL, a goal can have up to two assists—one primary and one secondary—both counting toward a player's point total. The player with the most points in a season receives the Art Ross Trophy.
Wayne Gretzky holds the NHL record for most career assists with 1,963 in 1,487 games, as of March 2025. His assists per game average stands at 1.32. In the 1985-86 season, Gretzky set the single-season assist record with 163 assists. Gretzky's assist record is so extraordinary that even if his 894 career goals were excluded, his assist total alone would still make him the NHL's all-time points leader.
List of NHL All-Time Assists Leaders
As per the official website of the NHL, Wayne Gretzky leads the NHL all-time assists list, a mark considered nearly untouchable. Ron Francis (1,249) and Mark Messier (1,193) follow.
Among active players, Sidney Crosby (1,050), Patrick Kane (836), Evgeni Malkin (827), Anze Kopitar (826), Nicklas Backstrom (762), and Claude Giroux (742) are in the top 50.
Gordie Howe (1,049) and Mario Lemieux (1,033) are also among the all-time leaders. Joe Thornton (1,109) ranks highest among recent retirees. The following are the Top-50 players with the most career assists, as of March 20, 2025:
| Rank | Player | Assists | GP | Final season |
| 1 | Wayne Gretzky | 1,963 | 1,487 | 1998–99 |
| 2 | Ron Francis | 1,249 | 1,731 | 2003–04 |
| 3 | Mark Messier | 1,193 | 1,756 | 2003–04 |
| 4 | Ray Bourque | 1,169 | 1,612 | 2000–01 |
| 5 | Jaromir Jagr | 1,155 | 1,733 | 2017–18 |
| 6 | Paul Coffey | 1,135 | 1,409 | 2000–01 |
| 7 | Joe Thornton | 1,109 | 1,714 | 2021–22 |
| 8 | Adam Oates | 1,079 | 1,337 | 2003–04 |
| 9 | Steve Yzerman | 1,063 | 1,514 | 2005–06 |
| 10 | Sidney Crosby | 1050 | 1,333 | Active |
| 11 | Gordie Howe | 1,049 | 1,767 | 1979–80 |
| 12 | Marcel Dionne | 1,040 | 1,348 | 1988–89 |
| 13 | Mario Lemieux | 1,033 | 915 | 2005–06 |
| 14 | Joe Sakic | 1,016 | 1,378 | 2008–09 |
| 15 | Doug Gilmour | 964 | 1,474 | 2002–03 |
| 16 | Mark Recchi | 956 | 1,652 | 2010–11 |
| 17 | Al MacInnis | 934 | 1,416 | 2003–04 |
| 18 | Larry Murphy | 929 | 1,615 | 2000–01 |
| 19 | Stan Mikita | 926 | 1,394 | 1979–80 |
| 20 | Bryan Trottier | 901 | 1,279 | 1993–94 |
| 21 | Phil Housley | 894 | 1,495 | 2002–03 |
| 22 | Dale Hawerchuk | 891 | 1,188 | 1996–97 |
| 23 | Nicklas Lidstrom | 878 | 1,564 | 2011–12 |
| 24 | Phil Esposito | 873 | 1,282 | 1980–81 |
| 25 | Denis Savard | 865 | 1,196 | 1996–97 |
| 26 | Bobby Clarke | 852 | 1,144 | 1983–84 |
| 27 | Patrick Kane | 836 | 1280 | Active |
| 28 | Henrik Sedin | 830 | 1,330 | 2017–18 |
| 29 | Evgeni Malkin | 827 | 1,198 | Active |
| 30 | Anze Kopitar | 826 | 1431 | Active |
| 31 | Alex Delvecchio | 825 | 1,550 | 1973–74 |
| 32 | Gilbert Perreault | 814 | 1,191 | 1986–87 |
| 33 | Johnny Bucyk | 813 | 1,540 | 1977–78 |
| Mike Modano | 813 | 1,499 | 2010–11 | |
| 35 | Pierre Turgeon | 812 | 1,294 | 2006–07 |
| 36 | Jari Kurri | 797 | 1,251 | 1997–98 |
| 37 | Guy Lafleur | 793 | 1,126 | 1990–91 |
| 38 | Peter Stastny | 789 | 977 | 1994–95 |
| 39 | Mats Sundin | 785 | 1,346 | 2008–09 |
| 40 | Brian Leetch | 781 | 1,205 | 2005–06 |
| 41 | Jean Ratelle | 776 | 1,280 | 1980–81 |
| 42 | Vincent Damphousse | 773 | 1,378 | 2003–04 |
| Teemu Selanne | 773 | 1,451 | 2013–14 | |
| 44 | Chris Chelios | 763 | 1,651 | 2009–10 |
| 45 | Nicklas Backstrom | 762 | 1,105 | Active |
| 46 | Bernie Federko | 761 | 1,000 | 1989–90 |
| 47 | Doug Weight | 755 | 1,238 | 2010–11 |
| 48 | Larry Robinson | 750 | 1,384 | 1991–92 |
| 49 | Claude Giroux | 746 | 1,249 | Active |
| 50 | Denis Potvin | 742 | 1,060 | 1973-88 |
FAQs on NHL
A. The NHL was founded on November 26, 1917.
A. The Montreal Canadiens hold the record with 25 championships.
A. The first NHL season took place in 1917–18.
A. The NHL has 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada.
A. The Florida Panthers won their first Stanley Cup in the 2023–24 season.
