Breaking down every 50-plus single-season goal scorer in St. Louis Blues history

The St. Louis Blues have had many players put up prominent single-season and career numbers, but who had the best among goals scored? Overall, the Blues had seen eight instances in which one of their players found the back of the net 50-plus times in a single season and three overall - one of which accomplished the feat five times. 

If you’re a die-hard Blues fan, you probably know who that player is. But if you’re new to the team and are instead reading this article to learn more about the franchise’s history, stick around. All three of the following players are worth knowing, but the one who achieved five 50-plus goal seasons should be one of the first names that comes to mind if someone mentions Blues hockey. 

Brendan Shanahan, 51/1992-93

Brendan Shanahan is one of two players on this list who is mentioned multiple times, and if you’re a Blues fan, you probably know who that other player is. But before we get to them, let’s talk about Shanahan’s 1992-93 campaign, in which he finished with 51 goals. 

He also had 43 assists and 94 total points, plus a 22.0 shooting percentage. While Shanahan would score more goals in a single season the following year, he never reached the 22.0 mark again, meaning in 1992-93, just under one in every five shot attempts found twine. 

Brendan Shanahan, 52/1993/94

The following season, Brendan Shanahan scored 52 times, and while his shooting percentage dropped from 22.0 to 13.1 percent, you can argue he enjoyed a better season. Sure, more goals scored was definitely a good start, but he finished with a career-high 102 points, marking the only time he reached the century mark in one season. 

Shanahan also led the league in shot attempts with 397, which was by far the largest total of his career. Divide that number by the 81 games Shanahan played in, and you’ll get 4.9 per contest. Oh, and one more fun fact: Shanahan wasn’t someone you wanted to play if your team was on the man advantage - he scored seven short-handed goals that season. 

Brett Hull, 54/1992-93

With 527 goals, Brett Hull will always be one of the best scorers in St. Louis Blues history. And in 1992-93, he, alongside Brendan Shanahan, found the net 50-plus times, ending the season with 54 goals, 47 assists, and 101 points. 

As you’ll soon find out, the 1992-93 season was rather a modest year for Hull in terms of scoring 50-plus times, considering that there were four campaigns when he scored even more. But before we dive into Hull’s most legendary seasons, let’s check out one other name on this list. 

Wayne Babych, 54/1980-81

Wayne Babych’s career lasted just nine seasons, and he left the game shortly before his 29th birthday. But he was nonetheless an effective player throughout his six seasons with the Blues, finishing with 155 goals in 396 career games in Gateway City, but his 1980-81 season was one for the record books. 

Babych’s campaign that year included 54 goals, 42 assists, 96 points, and an outstanding 17.6 shooting percentage. He would never get close to scoring 54 times in a single season ever again, but few fans in St. Louis will forget just how well Babych played that season. 

Brett Hull, 57/1993-94

Okay, back to Brett Hull, who put up 57 goals in 1993-94, good for a 14.5 shooting percentage. He led the league that year with 25 goals on the man advantage, and Hull’s 40 assists led him to finish the year with 97 points. 

These numbers would be career-highs for upper-echelon players regardless of the era, but for Hull, his 1993-94 campaign paled compared to what he achieved earlier in his career. 

Brett Hull, 70/1991-92

No, neither this section nor the next two contain typos - Brett Hull put 70 pucks in the back of the net in 1991-92, and it should be no surprise that he led the league in goals scored. What’s even more impressive is that Hull scored 70 in just 73 games, allowing him to finish the season with 0.958 goals per game. 

He finished in third for the Hart Trophy that season, and Hull also led the NHL with 408 shots on goal. With 109 total points, it was the third straight season in which he hit triple-digit points totals, and also the third of four times in his career. 

Brett Hull, 72/1989-90

Two years before his legendary 70-goal season, Brett Hull put up 72 goals, 41 assists, and 113 points in 80 games. As would be the case the following season and in 1991-92, Hull led the league in shots on goal, and in even-strength goals, with 385 and 45, respectively. 

And yes, you did the math correctly if you realized that, with 72 goals total and zero short-handed goals, it means Hull put up 27 power play goals, and that number also led the NHL. The 113 points he finished the year with was the second-highest total in his career, with his remarkable 1990-91 season being the best. 

Brett Hull, 86/1990-91

In 1990-91, Brett Hull scored 86 goals in 78 games, giving him 1.1 per game that season. With 45 assists, he also finished with a career-high 131 points, and his 22.1 shooting percentage was also a career-best. 

That said, it’s no wonder he finished the season as the Hart Trophy recipient. He also won the Pearson Award, finished second for the Byng, and ended up as a First-Team All-Star for the second year running. While Hull would never reach those numbers again, he still put up respectable seasons for quite some time in St. Louis, Dallas, and Detroit. 

(Statistics powered by Hockey-Reference)