Most assists in an NHL game: Taylor and Gretzky share the record
The NHL single-game assists record is seven, shared by Billy Taylor Sr. and Wayne Gretzky. See all four record games and the separate playoff mark.
The most assists by one player in an NHL regular-season game is seven. Billy Taylor Sr. set the record with Detroit in 1947, and Wayne Gretzky tied it three times with Edmonton. As of October 10, 2026, they remain the only players listed with seven assists in the NHL’s official single-game record table.
The separate Stanley Cup playoff record is six assists, shared by Mikko Leinonen and Gretzky. These are NHL records—not claims about every league or level of hockey.
All four seven-assist games
| Player | Team | Date | Opponent | Result | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Billy Taylor Sr. | Detroit Red Wings | March 16, 1947 | At Chicago | Won 10–6 | 7 |
| Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers | February 15, 1980 | Washington | Won 8–2 | 7 |
| Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers | December 11, 1985 | At Chicago | Won 12–9 | 7 |
| Wayne Gretzky | Edmonton Oilers | February 14, 1986 | Quebec | Won 8–2 | 7 |
The NHL record list confirms the players, dates, opponents and assist totals; ESPN’s record summary supplies the final scores.
Taylor holds the distinction of reaching seven first. Gretzky holds the distinction of doing it repeatedly: three of the four record performances belong to him.
The December 1985 game also produced 21 combined goals. That makes it relevant to a different record: the highest-scoring NHL game. Combined team scoring and an individual’s assists are separate measurements.
Most assists in a playoff game
The official NHL playoff record table lists two six-assist performances:
- Mikko Leinonen, New York Rangers: April 8, 1982, against Philadelphia, in Game 2 of the Division Semifinals.
- Wayne Gretzky, Edmonton Oilers: April 9, 1987, against Los Angeles, also in Game 2 of the Division Semifinals.
Connor McDavid’s five assists against Los Angeles on April 22, 2024, sit one below that playoff record. The seven-assist mark belongs to the regular-season category.
What the assist total measures
An assist is scoring credit, not simply a count of completed passes. The NHL’s glossary allows assists for up to two players who touched the puck before a goal, provided no defender played or possessed it in between. The total therefore need not represent only the final pass to the scorer.
Seven assists means credit on seven separate goals. It does not mean seven chances created, seven shots set up, or seven goals personally scored. A pass that creates a chance but produces no goal cannot add to this total.
Six-assist games still appear in recent NHL records: Leon Draisaitl in 2021, Kris Letang in 2023, McDavid in 2024 and David Pastrnak on January 10, 2026. Each is listed one assist below the record.
For performance analysis, read the number as a record of credited involvement in successful scoring plays. It captures an exceptional result, but teammate finishing and the game’s scoring opportunities also shape it; assists alone are not a complete measure of passing skill.