6 Biggest One-Season Wonders in NHL History

by Spencer Toth - 3/9/2026

Biggest one season wonders in NHL history Andrew Hammond

There have been nearly 9,000 NHL players in the 107-year history of the league, all with wildly different career paths. Some found consistent success at the top; others appeared only a handful of times, but few had roller coaster careers like this group. Sometimes, one good season -- or even one good month -- of NHL play, can solidify a prospect's place in the league. That can be used as a springboard for a long career, or it can be looked back on as the peak of their career. Here are the biggest one-season wonders that stole headlines before they disappeared back into irrelevancy.

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#1 Jonathan Cheechoo 2005-06

The legend of Jonathan Cheechoo is the best example of a true one-season wonder. After collecting a respectable 63 career points through his first two NHL seasons, Jonathan Cheechoo exploded for 56 goals and 93 points in the 2005-06 season. He won the Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL’s top goalscorer and is still the only Rocket Richard recipient in San Jose Sharks history.

What makes Cheechoo’s sudden rise so astonishing is his sudden fall from grace. Injuries kept him from finding the same success, while defensive adjustments and a regression back to the mean for his shooting percentages also played a part in his decline. He followed up his 93-point campaign with 69 points the following year but never eclipsed 40 points again before fizzling out of the league in 2010. His legendary season alongside Joe Thornton will never be forgotten, as it remains the best example of a perfect storm creating a one-season wonder.

#2 Andrew Hammond 2014-15

Andrew “The Hamburglar” Hammond was one of the most remarkable stories in NHL history. Hammond was struggling to make the Ottawa Senators during the early stages of his career, only appearing once in relief during the 2013-14 season. He was then unexpectedly called up due to injuries and poor form in the crease for the Sens and took full advantage of his opportunity. Hammond went 20-1-2 in his 23 starts during the 2014-15 season, the first 23 starts of his professional career. He posted a 1.79 GAA with a .941 save percentage, as he ignited an Ottawa fanbase that was desperate to have something to cheer for.

Fans started dressing up in “Hamburglar” gear, as Hammond’s legendary run had him poised to be the face of the franchise for the Canadian capital. However, just as quickly as the Hamburglar appeared, he was quickly sent back down to the AHL. Hammond played 24 games the following season but only won seven games with a .914 save percentage. His stats were still respectable, but Hammond never found his footing again and played just 18 more games across the next six seasons. His stunning stretch was more like a one-month wonder than an entire season of magic, but he remains one of the most remarkable runs in NHL history.

#3 Jean-Sebastian Giguere 2002-03

Jean-Sebastian Giguere is often overlooked as a one-season wonder since he played nearly 600 regular season games, but nothing will come close to his 2002-03 playoff run. Giguere’s best save percentage in the regular season was .922 with the Ducks in 07-08, far less than his .945 save percentage during Anaheim’s 2003 playoff run.

A huge underdog in every series, Giguere carried the Ducks all the way to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final before falling one game short. He paired his .945 save percentage with a 1.62 GAA, single-handedly putting the team on his back. He would go on to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, despite finding himself on the losing side in the Final. He is one of six players to achieve that accomplishment, with him and Connor McDavid in 2024 being the only ones since 1987. Giguere would go on to have a successful NHL career, but he was never one of the top shot-stoppers in the league other than during his legendary Cup run.

#4 Rob Brown 1988-89

Not many know the tale of Rob Brown’s legendary season with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Brown had a solid rookie season, scoring 24 goals with 44 points during his first 51 games in the NHL. During his sophomore season, Brown exploded for 49 goals with 115 points, despite playing only 68 games in the regular season. Brown’s 29% shooting percentage was the driving force behind his success, and he looked poised to have a long career in Pittsburgh as one of the league’s top players.

He was never able to match that production again. His next best season came the following year with 80 points in 80 games, and he never eclipsed 60 again after that. Brown would bounce around the league, playing on five different teams before settling back down in Pittsburgh to close out his career. Brown finished with 438 points in 543 games but was never able to develop into the talent he looked like during the 1988-89 season.

#5 Ryan O'Reilly 2018-19

Ryan O’Reilly has had a long and successful NHL career, playing 1,214 games (and counting) for five different teams with 884 points and a Stanley Cup. While he carved out a solid career as a two-way center, nothing came close to his 2018-19 season with the St. Louis Blues. O’Reilly was acquired from the Buffalo Sabres in 2018 after collecting a career-high 61 points the year before, but had a -23 +/- due to poor play around him.

He instantly gelled with his teammates in St. Louis, leading the team on one of the most unlikely Stanley Cup runs of all time. O’Reilly’s consistent play on both ends of the ice allowed the Blues to crawl from last place into the playoffs and all the way to the Stanley Cup. He posted a new career-high 77 points in the 2018-19 season but was never able to reach those heights again. O’Reilly turned into a depth center that specialized in the faceoff dot and on special teams during the tail end of his career. Injuries, trades, and his return to a defensive role have him as a true modern-era one-season wonder.

#6 Vic Hadfield 1971-72

Vic Hadfield had a successful 16-year NHL career, where he spent the first 13 seasons with the legendary New York Rangers. He became the 14th captain of the franchise in 1971 and rewarded the team with an astonishing 50 goals and 106 points. Considering his previous career high was 26 goals for 66 points, this was a remarkable offensive turnaround during the second half of his career. Hadfield was suddenly a key offensive contributor for the Rangers and even led the team to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1972. Collecting 100 points is no easy task in the NHL, and the even more impressive stat was his +60 +/- that season. Hadfield was dominant on both ends of the ice during his first year as the captain, but was never able to replicate that season. In the 1972-73 season, he had only 62 points and eventually left for Pittsburgh just two years later. His 100-point season was the highlight of his career and was the only year he was a real superstar in the league.

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Start:	March 10, 2026 @ 11:45 PM
Expert:	Griffin Murphy
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6 Biggest One-Season Wonders in NHL History

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