Surpassing the 100-point plateau is a very special mark for NHLers. While it may have been somewhat common during the high-flying 1980s, it’s a feat that very few players accomplish. It’s something that we generally only see from the most elite of the elite. Connor McDavid, Nikita Kucherov and Nathan MacKinnon have routinely hit the mark, but new members rarely enter the club. 

This season, there are several players on pace for 100 points or more. There’s another handful that are on pace for just under 100, so a hot week could easily get them into the running. Of those on pace to reach 100 points, six have hit it before. 

Macklin Celebrini, Martin Necas, and Jack Eichel are all on pace to become the newest members of the club. Connor Bedard is on pace to eclipse the century mark with ease, but a recent injury could make that a bit more difficult, depending on how long he’s out. The team will re-evaluate him after the Christmas break, but any longer than that would put him behind the eight-ball. 

Let’s take a look at the four potential new members to the 100-point club and whether they might get there, as well as a quick look at the players who are just behind the pace who could reach the mark for the first time. 

Macklin Celebrini, C, San Jose Sharks 

Pace: 123 points

The second-year San Jose Sharks forward has been nothing short of phenomenal this year. His game remains as detailed as ever, with his impressive puck battle ability and smart positional play at both ends of the ice, but his offensive game has exploded this season.

Macklin Celebrini is elevating everyone around him, drawing attention and allowing others to find a bit more space. It works so well because Celebrini is more than happy to put the puck on his teammate's stick. He’s utilizing the help around him as effectively and efficiently as he possibly can. 

Are Celebrini's Numbers Good Enough To Drag The Sharks To The Playoffs? San Jose Sharks superstar Macklin Celebrini is on pace for an incredible offensive season. But can the Sharks ride Celebrini's dominance to a Stanley Cup playoff spot?

Celebrini has plenty of buffer if he were to have a slow week or even a couple of slow weeks. He’s given himself plenty of room for error, and the fact that he’s doing what he’s doing on a team that isn’t loaded offensively makes it all the more impressive. Barring injury, Celebrini is a safe bet to hit 100 points and then some.  

Martin Necas, RW, Colorado Avalanche 

Pace: 111 points

When Martin Necas was traded to the Colorado Avalanche in the Mikko Rantanen deal, the Carolina Hurricanes didn’t want to pay him because he hadn’t reached the upper echelon of skill players yet. The Avs were hoping that in a more free-flowing environment, he would be able to reach that level.

This season, we’ve seen Necas fully unleashed, playing with unrelenting speed and utilizing his skill as we’ve never seen at the NHL level. Playing alongside MacKinnon also helps.

One interesting tidbit about playing with MacKinnon is that when Rantanen was playing alongside the Avs' top center, he reached the 100-point mark twice, with 105 being the high-water mark.

Necas could surpass that number as he’s on pace for 111 this season. Coincidentally, Rantanen is also on pace for 111 with the Dallas Stars. Necas is in a prime position to get there with excellent teammates and the right environment. He has a bit of room for error, but it’s no guarantee. 

Jack Eichel, C, Vegas Golden Knights 

Pace: 106 points

For years, Jack Eichel has been viewed as one of the best centers in the NHL. Despite never hitting the century mark, thanks in part to all of those dreadful tears wth the Buffalo Sabres, Eichel has consistently raised his game and evolved into one of the most well-rounded forwards in the NHL.

He’s a proven winner, and with the Vegas Golden Knights struggling a bit despite being second in the Pacific Division (they have 10 overtime losses already), he has been tasked with putting this team on his back just to get a point some nights. 

Eichel is probably the most surprising player in this group to never hit the 100-point mark. He’s been considered elite for a while now, and the Golden Knights have been an excellent team the entire time he’s been there.

He has less room to play with as he’s only on pace for 106 points, but with good health and improved play from linemate Mitch Marner as he continues to get comfortable in Vegas, Eichel should be capable of hitting the mark. 

Connor Bedard, C, Chicago Blackhawks

Pace: 111 points*

The hype around Connor Bedard when he came into the league was insane. He was tasked with being the savior for a Chicago Blackhawks franchise that had fallen into the depths of despair after a nearly unprecedented run in the salary cap era.

Bedard tore up the WHL and was consistently setting records at international tournaments, whether at the U-18 or U-20 level. It’s taken a bit to get here for a variety of reasons, but we are seeing the offensively dominant forward that we were promised. Bedard was a man on a mission before his injury. 

Why Connor Bedard Still Deserves To Be On Canada's Olympic Roster Despite Injury Chicago Blackhawks star Connor Bedard's recent injury casts doubt on his readiness for the Olympics. But should he be left off the Canadian roster altogether as a result?

His path to 100 points is going to be the most difficult among the group currently on pace for it. With four more games before the new year, Bedard could miss those games and stay close to the pace. If he misses more time than that, it may be a much more difficult task. Bedard is truly special, and Chicago is seeing that now, so don’t count him out even if he does miss a handful more games. 

The Best Of The Rest

A pair of Winnipeg Jets are on track to finish a couple of points shy of 100 in Mark Scheifele and Kyle Connor. They have been pretty much all of their teams' offense this season, and they will need to continue playing at this level if the Jets have plans of making the playoffs.

Scheifele and Connor are the dynamic duo that Winnipeg needs, but with so much of the offense on them, will they run out of gas? 

Toronto Maple Leafs right winger William Nylander was on pace to eclipse 100 points after finishing just two points off a couple of years ago. He missed a handful of games earlier this year, which knocked him off the pace, so he will have to get back on the kind of run he was on earlier this season to get back on track.  

One of the only things Cale Makar hasn’t accomplished is hitting 100 points. The league's best defenseman has hit 90 points in each of the last two seasons, and this year, he’s on pace for 96 points. All it takes is a hot couple of weeks, and Makar could be well over 100 points by the time the season ends. It feels bound to happen. 

NHL Norris Trophy Rankings: Makar, Heiskanen Star In The Top Five The Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets, Edmonton Oilers and Washington Capitals each have a D-man who made December's NHL Norris Trophy rankings.

Other players who are slightly behind the pace that could find their way into challenging 100 points for the first time include Matt Boldy, Nick Suzuki, and Leo Carlsson. All of them would need to have a really hot run for an extended period of time to get close, but each of them has shown the ability to do so. 

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.