With just one more matchday remaining in the 2017 MLS regular season, it's a good time to check in on some of the records that have already been broken or have a chance to be broken this season.
Most 20+ goalscorers
The most players to score at least 20 goals in a season is three, which has now been accomplished four times after Nemanja Nikolic, Diego Valeri and David Villa all reached the total already this year.
If Josef Martinez (18) or Ignacio Piatti (17) could hit 20, it would be the most 20+ goalscorers we've ever seen in a season.
T-1. 1996 (Roy Lassiter, Raul Diaz Arce, Eduardo Hurtado)
T-1. 2013 (Camilo, Mike Magee, Marco Di Vaio)
T-1. 2015 (Sebastian Giovinco, Kei Kamara, Robbie Keane)
T-1. 2017 (Nikolic, Valeri, Villa)
Most 10+ goalscorers
2017 has already seen the most players to score at least 10 goals, with 28 players already hitting the mark. Six more players currently have nine goals.
1. 2017 - 28
2. 2014 - 26
3. 2015 - 22
T-4. 1998, 2016 - 19
Dual threats
Only one player had ever had 20 goals and 10 assists in a season, with Sebastian Giovinco being the only one to accomplish the feat in 2015.
Diego Valeri matched the Italian with a goal and two assists last Sunday. In doing so he became the second member of the 20/10 club (21 G, 11 A). David Villa currently sits on 20 goals and nine assists, with a chance to match Giovinco and Valeri.
SKC's historically-great defense
While the 2010 edition of Real Salt Lake hold the single-season record for conceding the fewest goals in a season (20), Sporting KC still have a shot of conceding the third-fewest goals per game in MLS history.
1. 2010 RSL - .67
2. 2007 HOU - .77
3. 2012 SKC - .79
4. 2017 SKC - .82*
5. 2011 LA - .82
The sieves on the other end
After a horrific start, Minnesota United FC have mostly stabilized their defense, but they could still allow the most in MLS history.
The 1998 Colorado Rapids currently hold the record at 69, with Minnesota sitting at 67 and the LA Galaxy at 62.
The 2.52 goals conceded per game average set by the 2001 Tampa Bay Mutiny looks out of reach for both teams. The New England Revolution have had a particularly tough time on the road this season, conceding 44 goals. Only the 1998 Rapids have allowed more at 45.
Toronto FC chasing history
We've chronicled Toronto FC's run throughout the season. You can catch up on the current situation here.
Valeri's historic run
Recently Portland's Diego Valeri broke the record by scoring in nine consecutive games. You can get the full breakdown here.
Josef's goals per game
MLS's official fact and record book places Didier Drogba first in terms of goals per game, when he scored 11 goals in 11 games during the 2015 season. That games played threshold seems a little low. Stern John scored 26 goals in 27 games in 1998 with Columbus Crew SC (.96 goals/game) is the mark that Josef Martinez should be chasing if he manages to play in 20 games. He's currently sitting on 18 goals through 19 games (.95).
Guzan's a wall
Brad Guzan is currently sitting on a shutout streak of 482 minutes. If he and Atlanta United hold Toronto FC scoreless, he could have the third-longest individual shutout streak.
Player |
Minutes |
Start |
End |
|---|---|---|---|
Tony Meola (KC) |
681 |
4/19/00 |
5/27/00 |
Donovan Ricketts (LA) |
612 |
9/26/09 |
4/17/10 |
Nick Rimando (RSL) |
567 |
5/29/10 |
7/17/10 |
Pat Onstad (HOU) |
547 |
6/10/07 |
7/22/07 |
Jimmy Nielsen (KC) |
546 |
3/9/13 |
4/20/13 |
Kevin Hartman (DAL) |
531 |
5/1/11 |
5/28/11 |
Kevin Hartman (LA) |
521 |
6/17/06 |
7/22/06 |
Nick Rimando (RSL) |
511 |
8/7/10 |
10/2/10 |
Pat Onstad (HOU) |
491 |
4/4/09 |
5/16/09 |
Brad Guzan (ATL) |
482 |
9/16/17 |
current |
He also currently has a goals against average of .62, which currently matches Kevin Hartman's 2010 record.
Year |
Player |
Team |
GP |
MIN |
GA |
GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2010 |
Kevin Hartman |
DAL |
20 |
1755 |
12 |
0.62 |
2017 |
Brad Guzan |
ATL |
13 |
1170 |
8 |
0.62 |
2010 |
Nick Rimando |
RSL |
27 |
2430 |
18 |
0.67 |
2012 |
Michael Gspurning |
SEA |
21 |
1845 |
15 |
0.73 |
2016 |
Zac MacMath |
COL |
17 |
1530 |
13 |
0.76 |
Most hat tricks ever
2017 saw the record for most hat tricks recorded in a single season broken, as the feat was accomplished on 15 different occasions.
1. 2017 - 15
2. 1998 - 13
T-3. 2011 - 10
T-3. 2016 - 10
D.C. ineptitude
It hasn't been the best season for D.C. United, as they will finish in last place in the Eastern Conference. They can look to their paltry attack as the main culprit as they have been shutout 17 teams, matching the all-time record for most times shutout in a single season.
T-1. 2017 D.C. United - 17
T-1. 2010 D.C. United - 17
T-3. 2012 Chivas USA - 16
T-3. 2013 D.C. United - 16
Lodeiro hacked
It's no secret that teams do not want to let Nicolas Lodeiro tear them up. This year they seem to have employed a tactic of fouling the Sounders' Uruguayan international, and the 104 times he has been fouled is among the most any player has been fouled in a season and the third-most of all-time.
1. 2006 Alejandro Moreno (HOU) - 112
2. 2004 Davy Arnaud (SKC) - 111
3. 2017 Nicolas Lodeiro (SEA) - 104*
4. 2005 Alejandro Moreno (SJ) - 102
5. 2014 Quincy Amarikwa (CHI) - 101
Advancing forward
There are also a few advanced statistics where MLS has moved forward this season. We only have data since 2010, but the league is set to set new marks for passes per game, passing accuracy and passing accuracy in the final third.
Passes per game
1. 2017 - 856.13
2. 2016 - 835.02
3. 2014 - 829.98
Passing Accuracy
1. 2017 - 79.36%
2. 2014 - 78.77%
​3. 2012 - 78.43%
Passing Accuracy in final third
1. 2017 - 65.49%
2. 2014 - 64.44%
​3. 2016 - 64.33%
