Point Men...

Larry Murphy
1981-82 O-Pee-Chee #393

Was kinda surprised that this 1980-81 record still stands...

Larry Murphy scored 16 goals and 60 assists for 76 points in his first season.

This set a new record for most points by a rookie defenceman.

A new record had been set the previous year with Ray Bourque scoring 65 points (1979-80).


















 

 

 

Brian Leetch RC
1989-90 O-Pee-Chee #136

The only D-men to come close:
Brian Leetch had 71 points (1988-89)
Gary Suter had 68 points (1985-86)

*Brian Leetch only played 68 games his rookie season (as compared to 80 games by Larry Murphy).

The 71 points scored by Brian Leetch are at a rate of more than a point per game.

Leetch still holds the record for goals by a rookie defenceman with 23.



Despite the 2019-20 shortened season, two guys managed to crack the top 20 of the all-time list for rookie defenceman scoring:
Quinn Huges (Vancouver) 53 points
Cale Makar (Colorado) 50 points