The NHL continues to get faster and faster as the quality of the skaters improves with each year.
There’s more than one way to be effective on the ice: some guys can beat you with plain speed, while others rely on deceptiveness and edge work.
We recently asked some of the league’s top rookies give their pick for the best skater in the NHL and you can see the results of that at the top of this article. We’ll take a look at some of those guys and give you a chance to vote for who you think is the league’s best skater. And if your answer doesn’t appear in the poll, write in your vote in the comments section.
Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh
Crosby is one of those guys who you cannot afford to give any room, especially down low.
He has the ability to protect the puck, stop on a dime, and get going in the opposite direction an near-full speed in a fraction of a second.
Good luck trying to stop this:
His top speed is nothing to sneer at either.
Jack Eichel, Buffalo
Eichel has a deceptively powerful stride, generating a lot of power despite remaining fairly upright throughout.
Sabres fans have good reason to be excited over their 20-year-old, and a big part of that is how strong he already is on his skates.
He had 24 goals in his rookie season last year, and if healthy, Eichel has the tools to be a perennial 30-goal guy.
Connor McDavid, Edmonton
You had to know this was coming.
McDavid is a blur on the ice, with or without the puck, able to accelerate on a whim.
His ability to pick up speed in the neutral zone while stickhandling through defenders is perhaps unparalleled.
He was injured for much of his rookie season, but is almost a lock as an all-star game pick this year, which could mean getting the chance to watch the 19-year-old take part in the fastest skater competition.
Carl Hagelin, Pittsburgh
Hagelin is one of those guys who, along with Darren Helm and Michael Grabner, might not put up a lot of points, but when in full flight is nearly impossible to stop.
If the speedy Swede had the hands to match his feet, he’d probably have a lot more than 73 goals in 378 career NHL games, but he did play a crucial role on Pittsburgh’s third line with Phil Kessel and Nick Bonino during last year’s Cup run.
Still, it’s surprising to see someone capable of getting around that fast topping out at 17 goals in a season.
Patrick Kane, Chicago
If you’re looking for someone who has the hands to back up his feet, Kane is a great example.
The diminutive American has the ability to turn defenders inside out with his shiftiness on the ice, smoothly breaking down opponents.
It doesn’t matter if Kane’s in open ice, or in heavy traffic on the boards, he knows how to create space for himself with great edge work and acceleration.
Dylan Larkin, Detroit
We can’t make this list without considering the winner of last year’s fastest skater award, breaking Mike Gartner’s 20-year-old record.
Larkin is super light on his feet, and able to pick up tremendous speed through his turns.
Another youngster (he turned 20 this past July), Larkin exploded onto the scene in his rookie season last year, scoring 23 goals in 80 games as a rookie.
