Phil Esposito

center · 1963-64 to 1980-81 · CHI, BOS, NYR · 1,412 games

Every comparison Phil Esposito leads among NHL skaters since 1917-18: 193 claims in 15 families, the best first. A row leads its field now, or set a record that was later broken. Each links to its board.

shots on goal · a season

leads35 games with 8+ shots on goal in BOS's first 78 games of 1970-711st of 26,138 player-seasons, next 25 · leads from game 25 to 7835games

shots on goal

set it24 games with 10+ shots on goal in his first 580 gamesa record when he got there, 1st of 17 careers, past 4 · held from game 400 to 810 · broken by Alex Ovechkin, 35, Mar 16, 201324games

points

set it58 games with 4+ points in his first 800 gamesa record when he got there, 1st of 55 careers, past 31 · held from game 465 to 1280 · broken by Wayne Gretzky, 174, Dec 2, 198958games

game-winning goals

leads92 games with a game-winning goal in his first 800 games1st of 838 careers, next 87 · leads from game 680 to 94092games

power-play goals

leads7 straight games with a power-play goal in his first 600 games1st of 1,486 careers, next 6 · leads from game 540 to 12807games

goals

set it477 games with a goal in his first 1,100 gamesa record when he got there, 1st of 27 careers, past 418 · held from game 600 to 1280 · broken by Marcel Dionne, 479, Nov 16, 1985 · said 1 other way477games

assists

set it167 games with 2+ assists in his first 900 gamesa record when he got there, 1st of 46 careers, past 142 · held from game 510 to 1280 · broken by Marcel Dionne, 181, Jan 15, 1983167games

points · a season

set it25 games with 3+ points in BOS's first 78 games of 1970-71a record when he got there, 1st of 4,867 player-seasons, past 18 · held from game 29 to 78 · broken by Wayne Gretzky 1980-81, 28, Apr 4, 198125games

game-winning goals · a season

leads16 games with a game-winning goal in BOS's first 78 games of 1971-72one of 3, of 29,629 player-seasons · leads from game 61 to 78 · said 1 other way16games

goals · a season

leads12 games with 2+ goals in BOS's first 30 games of 1973-74one of 2, of 30,590 player-seasons · leads from game 28 to 3312games

plus-minus

set it358 games with a plus-minus in his first 800 gamesa record when he got there, 1st of 10 careers, past 293 · held from game 480 to 810 · broken by Jacques Lemaire, 375, Apr 2, 1978358games

power-play goals · a season

leads20 games with a power-play goal in BOS's first 50 games of 1974-75one of 2, of 29,146 player-seasons · leads from game 47 to 5720games

assists · a season

set it24 games with 2+ assists in BOS's first 76 games of 1968-69a record when he got there, 1st of 4,490 player-seasons, past 16 · held from game 53 to 76 · broken by Bobby Orr 1969-70, 25, Apr 5, 197024games

hat tricks

set it32 hat tricks through his first 1,200 gamesa record when he got there, 1st of 19 careers, past 16 hat tricks · held from game 1040 to 1280 · broken by Wayne Gretzky, 49 hat tricks, Dec 2, 199532hat tricks

plus-minus · a season

set it44 games with a plus-minus in BOS's first 76 games of 1968-69a record when he got there, 1st of 999 player-seasons, past 40 · held from game 59 to 76 · broken by Phil Esposito 1970-71, 45, Apr 4, 197144games

A lead is an interval: the stretch of N where he is first, worded at one N inside it. "One of 4" is a tie for first. A record "when he got there" was first among the careers that had reached that point by then. The field is every NHL skater career since 1917-18, or every player-season where he dressed for half the team's games so far. The method is in the board's notes.