Who Is The Fastest Skater In The NHL?
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Many people believe that Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers is the fastest skater in the NHL. However, McDavid is not the only player with speed. There are a number of other players who can skate very fast.
In this blog post, we will take a look at some of the fastest skaters in the NHL and see who is the fastest skater in the league.
Connor McDavid
Connor McDavid is the fastest skater in the NHL. He is a center for the Edmonton Oilers. He was drafted first overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.
2017-18 Season
Connor McDavid is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the Edmonton Oilers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for five seasons from 2012 to 2017. He was ranked as the top prospect in hockey by multiple scouting services prior to being selected first overall by the Oilers in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. After winning back-to-back Hart Memorial Trophies and Art Ross Trophies as league MVP, McDavid led the Oilers to the playoffs in 2020, where they lost to the Anaheim Ducks in seven games.
2016-17 Season
McDavid entered the 2016–17 season as the reigning Art Ross and Hart Memorial Trophy winner. In his first game back from injury, McDavid recorded two assists in a 5–3 win over the Flames. On October 19, 2016, in a 4–1 win over the Carolina Hurricanes, Mcavid became the fourth-youngest player (19 years, 166 days) in NHL history to record 100 points in a season, and the youngest player to do so since Sidney Crosby (19 years, 137 days) in 2006–07. He would go on to finish the season with 100 points (30 goals and 70 assists), winning his second consecutive Art Ross Trophy as the league’s leading scorer. McDavid was also awarded the Ted Lindsay Award as the NHL Players’ Association’s most outstanding player, becoming only the sixth player to win both awards in consecutive seasons.
Jack Eichel
Jack Eichel is the fastest skater in the NHL. He is a center for the Buffalo Sabres. Eichel was born on October 28, 1996, in North Chelmsford, Massachusetts. He is the son of Lisa and Bob Eichel. Jack has two younger brothers, Nolan and Alexander.
2017-18 Season
In the 2017-18 season, Jack Eichel was the fastest skater in the NHL. He had a top speed of 21.1 mph.
2016-17 Season
Jack Eichel had an incredible 2016-17 season. He led the Buffalo Sabres in scoring with 24 goals and 33 assists for 57 points in 61 games. He also led the team in power-play goals with eight and game-winning goals with six. Eichel’s plus/minus rating of plus-10 was second best on the team.
Patrik Laine
2017-18 Season
In the 2017-18 season, Laine was the fastest skater in the NHL with a time of 13.36 seconds in the GMC NHL Skating Challenge. Laine’s time was just 0.04 seconds faster than McDavid’s time of 13.40 seconds.
2016-17 Season
In the 2016-17 season, Finnish superstar winger Patrik Laine took the NHL by storm, scoring an impressive 36 goals and 64 points in 73 games as a rookie. He also led the league in goals per game, and was second in points per game. Not bad for a 19-year-old kid!
But what truly separates Laine from other great players in the NHL is his incredible skating speed. In fact, Laine is widely considered to be the fastest skater in the league today.
How fast is Patrik Laine?
Well, in 2016, Laine was clocked at a top speed of 33.6 km/h (21 mph) during a game against the Carolina Hurricanes. To put that into perspective, the average human being can only run at speeds of around 15 km/h (9 mph). In other words, Laine is literally twice as fast as the average person!
What makes Laine’s skating so impressive is that he isn’t just fast in a straight line. He also has impeccable agility and balance, which allows him to change directions quickly and efficiently on the ice. This makes him extremely difficult to defend against, as he can easily blow by defenders who are trying to keep up with him.
So if you’re ever wondering who the fastest skater in the NHL is, there’s really only one answer: Patrik Laine.
Evgeni Malkin
Evgeni Malkin is a Russian professional ice hockey player for the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins. He is currently the fastest skater in the NHL with a top speed of 35.3km/h.
2017-18 Season
Malkin had a solid 2017-18 season, scoring 42 goals and 98 points in 78 games. He also won the Rocket Richard Trophy as the NHL’s leading goal-scorer. Malkin’s biggest asset is his speed. He is one of the fastest skaters in the NHL, and he uses his speed to create scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates. Malkin is also an excellent playmaker and is one of the best faceoff men in the NHL. He has won the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward twice, and he is a five-time All-Star.
2016-17 Season
In 2016-17, Malkin played in 62 games for the Pittsburgh Penguins, scoring 33 goals and 49 assists for 82 points. He led the team in scoring and was second on the team in assists. He also had a plus-minus rating of plus-21. Malkin finished the season fifth in the NHL in scoring and was named a finalist for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy, given to the player who best combines sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct with a high standard of playing ability.
Nathan MacKinnon
Nathan MacKinnon is the fastest skater in the NHL. He is a Canadian professional ice hockey player and captain of the Colorado Avalanche of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was drafted first overall by the Avalanche in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft.
2017-18 Season
MacKinnon led the NHL in goals scored at even strength with 26 and was second in the League with 30 goals when all strengths were considered. He also ranked seventh among NHL forwards with 1:46 of average ice time per game on the power play and was sixth among League forwards who averaged 2:03 of shorthanded ice time per contest.
2016-17 Season
Nathan MacKinnon is coming off an impressive 2016-17 season in which he tallied 99 points, good for fourth in the NHL. The 22-year-old winger is also one of the league’s most dynamic players, boasting elite speed and skill.
MacKinnon’s speed was on full display at the 2017 NHL All-Star Game, where he won the Fastest Skater competition with a time of 13.386 seconds. That mark was just shy of Mike Gartner’s record time of 13.386 seconds, set back in 1996.
So, who is the fastest skater in the NHL? It’s hard to say for sure, but Nathan MacKinnon is certainly in the conversation.