Skip to content

Watch: 5 unforgettable goals in 2016

Perry Nelson / USA TODAY Sports

Break out the bubbly, another year has come and gone.

Yes, 2016 is in the books and while we rock our party hats, sip champagne, and listen to the dulcet tones of Auld Lang Syne, lets take a look back at some of the wondrous goals that left us jaw-dropped over the past 366 days (don't forget that one leap day).

5. Ryan O'Reilly vs. Kings

It wasn't quite the Gustav Nyquist goal we saw in 2014, but O'Reilly's one-man crusade-type goal over the Los Angeles Kings in mid-December was quite something.

It's because of goals like this that the Buffalo Sabres will be missing the 25-year-old who remains out of the lineup for the next little while following an appendectomy.

4. Patrick Kane vs. Canadiens

He's the reigning MVP, can we expect anything less?

One of Kane's gems of the last calendar year came earlier this season when he put on a stick-handling clinic against the Montreal Canadiens before going shelf on Al Montoya.

3. John Tavares vs. Blues

Who said behind-the-back had to refer to a pass?

Certainly not Tavares who dumbfounded onlookers - including the St. Louis Blues - when on Dec. 8 the Islanders captain stepped around Jay Bouwmeester by putting his stick behind his back before rifling a shot top corner.

Slow clap.

2. Rickard Rakell vs. Oilers

This is exactly what we wanted to see when news broke that 3-on-3 overtime was coming to the NHL.

Anaheim Ducks forward Rakell absolutely torched the Edmonton Oilers last season with a goal that was strikingly similar to Bobby Ryan's complete undressing of the Kings two seasons ago.

1. Connor McDavid vs. Blue Jackets

It was the goal of the year, simple as that.

McDavid deked out pretty much every single person in Rexall Place before sliding the puck past Joonas Korpisalo and subsequently dropping jaws around the league.

McDavid has scored some pretty goals early in his career, but few have compared to this one. Never forget.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox