NHL Single-Season Plus/Minus Record Progression

Every season that raised the bar, and the leader in every season between.

The NHL single-season plus/minus record is 124, set by Bobby Orr in 1970-1971. It has stood for 56 years. The mark has been raised 2 times since 1959.

P G A P/GP PPG GWG PIM +/-SHG PPP S S%G/GP GP

Record Holders

3 marks since 1959-1960

Year	Player	+/-	Stood for
1970-1971	Bobby Orr	124	still standing
1961-1962	Lou Fontinato	55	9 years
1959-1960	Doug Harvey	37	2 years

The earliest marks here are records only in the sense that nobody had done better yet. Season length, schedule and the rules themselves have all changed, so a figure from the 1870s is not comparable with a modern one and is not offered as though it were.

Every Season

75 seasons

Year	Leader	+/-
2025-2026	Nathan MacKinnon	57
2024-2025	Ryan McDonagh	43
2023-2024	Gustav Forsling	56
2022-2023	Hampus Lindholm	49
2021-2022	Johnny Gaudreau	64
2020-2021	Mikko Rantanen	30
2019-2020	Ryan Graves	40
2018-2019	Mark Giordano	39
2017-2018	William Karlsson	49
2016-2017	Ryan Suter	34
2016-2017	Jason Zucker	34
2015-2016	Tyler Toffoli	35
2014-2015	Nikita Kucherov	38
2014-2015	Max Pacioretty	38
2013-2014	David Krejci	39
2012-2013	Pascal Dupuis	31
2011-2012	Patrice Bergeron	36
2010-2011	Zdeno Chara	33
2009-2010	Jeff Schultz	50
2008-2009	David Krejci	37
2007-2008	Pavel Datsyuk	41
2006-2007	Thomas Vanek	47
2005-2006	Wade Redden	35
2005-2006	Michal Rozsival	35
2003-2004	Martin St. Louis	35
2003-2004	Marek Malik	35
2002-2003	Peter Forsberg	52
2002-2003	Milan Hejduk	52
2001-2002	Chris Chelios	40
2000-2001	Patrik Elias	45
2000-2001	Joe Sakic	45
1999-2000	Chris Pronger	52
1998-1999	Alexander Karpovtsev	39
1997-1998	Chris Pronger	47
1996-1997	John LeClair	44
1995-1996	Vladimir Konstantinov	60
1994-1995	Ron Francis	30
1993-1994	Scott Stevens	53
1992-1993	Mario Lemieux	55
1991-1992	Paul Ysebaert	44
1990-1991	Theo Fleury	48
1990-1991	Marty McSorley	48
1989-1990	Paul Cavallini	38
1988-1989	Joe Mullen	51
1987-1988	Brad McCrimmon	48
1986-1987	Wayne Gretzky	69
1985-1986	Mark Howe	87
1984-1985	Wayne Gretzky	100
1983-1984	Wayne Gretzky	78
1982-1983	Wayne Gretzky	61
1982-1983	Charlie Huddy	61
1981-1982	Wayne Gretzky	80
1980-1981	Brian Engblom	63
1979-1980	Jim Schoenfeld	60
1978-1979	Bryan Trottier	76
1977-1978	Guy Lafleur	73
1976-1977	Larry Robinson	120
1975-1976	Bobby Clarke	83
1974-1975	Bobby Orr	80
1973-1974	Bobby Orr	84
1972-1973	Jacques Laperriere	77
1971-1972	Bobby Orr	83
1970-1971	Bobby Orr	124	new record
1969-1970	Bobby Orr	54
1968-1969	Phil Esposito	55
1968-1969	Bobby Orr	55
1967-1968	Dallas Smith	33
1966-1967	Pierre Pilote	54
1965-1966	Ted Harris	34
1964-1965	Carl Brewer	33
1963-1964	Pierre Pilote	31
1962-1963	Carl Brewer	32
1961-1962	Lou Fontinato	55	new record
1960-1961	Tim Horton	31
1959-1960	Doug Harvey	37	new record