Paul Reinhart is the lone reaguard to have topped the Vancouver scoring race and that was back in the 1989-90
Reinhart is the lone defenceman to lead the Canucks in scoring in a season, thanks to his 57 points, including 17 goals, in 1989-90.
A defenceman topping an NHL team in scoring in a season is rare, but not unheard of. Roman Josi had led the Nashville Predators in points for four straight years before finishing second to winger Filip Forsberg last season. Keith Yandle and then Oliver Ekman-Larsson went back-to-back consecutively atop the Arizona Coyotes’ scoring chart from 2012-16.
Ray Bourque, who is the all-time leader in scoring amongst defencemen in NHL history and sat No. 12 overall heading into the action around the circuit on Friday, led the Boston Bruins in scoring five times during his 21-year run with the club. Fellow Bruins great Bobby Orr led the entire league in scoring twice during his career, marking the only time a blueliner won the Art Ross Trophy as the league’s top scorer.
Prior to Hughes’ arrival, the Canucks’ record for points in a season by a defenceman belonged to Doug Lidster’s 1986-87 campaign (12-51-63). Reinhart’s 1989-90 is seventh best on that Vancouver list.
Vancouver finished last in the Smythe Division that campaign, at 25-41-14. Centre Trevor Linden, who was 19 and in his second year with the team, was second in Canucks scoring (21-30-51).
That wound up being Reinhart’s final campaign in the NHL. He retired the following September at the age of 30, due to back issues.
Hughes had been a game-time decision for Monday’s win over the San Jose Sharks. He did wind up playing.
Saturday is slated to be the 400th game of Hughes’ career. He is second in all-time scoring (51-324-375) amongst Vancouver’s rearguards, trailing only Alexander Edler (99-310-409). Edler played 925 games in Vancouver colours.
Hughes was second in the league in defencemen scoring to start Friday, trailing Colorado Avalanche defenceman Cale Makar (11-34-45). Columbus Blue Jackets defenceman Zach Werenski (11-24-35) was third.
Werenski was leading the NHL in ice time (26:30 minutes per game) for defencemen. Hughes (25:08) was sixth. He finished 11th last season (24:41).