Ask The Hockey History Blogger

Mike Richards, just 24 years old, got the 20th short-handed goal of his career last night. What is the record for short-handed goals in a career?

Richards may be the best specialty teams player in the league nowadays, excelling on both the PP and PK units.

Richards 20 career shorties is impressive, but well short of the record of 73, not surprisingly held by the NHL's goal scoring king, Wayne Gretzky. Mark Messier (63), Steve Yzerman (50), Mario Lemieux (49) and Butch Goring (40) round out the top 5.

Richards is on good pace to crack the top 5, possibly even the top 3. Only two players in NHL history scored more shorties by the age of 24 than Richards. Gretzky had 40 before he was 25, and Lemieux had 26.