# What is the best final season of an NHL career?

> Some walked away holding the Cup; others left after one last milestone goal or a season that looked nothing like a farewell.

*By YPB Team · Published November 10, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-best-final-season-of-an-nhl-career*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Lanny McDonald (1988–89)** — score 1000/1000
   McDonald reached his 1,000th point and 500th goal in March 1989 and scored in Calgary's Cup-clinching Game 6 win in Montreal.
2. **Ray Bourque (2000–01)** — score 733/1000
   Bourque recorded 59 points for Colorado, made the First All-Star Team and won his only Stanley Cup before retiring.
3. **Maurice Richard (1959–60)** — score 551/1000
   Richard captained Montreal to its fifth straight Stanley Cup in 1960 and retired before the next season.
4. **Bill Barilko (1950–51)** — score 466/1000
   Barilko scored the overtime goal that won Toronto the 1951 Stanley Cup and died in a plane crash that August.
5. **Mark Recchi (2010–11)** — score 466/1000
   Recchi won the 2011 Stanley Cup with Boston at age 43 and retired after the Final.
6. **Kimmo Timonen (2014–15)** — score 466/1000
   Timonen was traded from Philadelphia to Chicago in February 2015 and won his first Stanley Cup that June.
7. **Gordie Howe (1979–80)** — score 363/1000
   Howe played all 80 games for Hartford and scored 15 goals in the season he turned 52.
8. **Mike Bossy (1986–87)** — score 363/1000
   Bossy scored 38 goals in 63 games for the New York Islanders while playing through a back injury.
9. **Ken Dryden (1978–79)** — score 363/1000
   Dryden won the Stanley Cup with Montreal and shared the Vezina Trophy with Michel Larocque before retiring at 31.
10. **Patrice Bergeron (2022–23)** — score 363/1000
   Bergeron won a record sixth Selke Trophy while captaining a Boston team that set NHL records with 65 wins and 135 points.
11. **Patrick Roy (2002–03)** — score 363/1000
   Roy won 35 games for Colorado with a 2.18 goals-against average in his last NHL season.
12. **Syl Apps (1947–48)** — score 363/1000
   Apps led Toronto with 26 goals, passed 200 career goals in the final weekend and captained the Leafs to the Stanley Cup.
13. **Dominik Hašek (2007–08)** — score 363/1000
   Hašek went 27–10–3 in the regular season and won his second Stanley Cup with Detroit.
14. **Jean Béliveau (1970–71)** — score 0/1000
   Béliveau scored his 500th goal, posted 76 points and captained Montreal to the 1971 Stanley Cup.
15. **Ken Daneyko (2002–03)** — score 0/1000
   Daneyko returned to the lineup for Game 7 of the 2003 Final and won his third Stanley Cup with New Jersey.
16. **Bill Durnan (1949–50)** — score 0/1000
   Durnan won his sixth Vezina Trophy and made his sixth First All-Star Team with Montreal, posting eight shutouts and a 2.20 goals-against average.

Tags: hockey, players, nhl, legends, stanley cup