PLAYERS GET TO PICK BEST SKILLS
Mcdavid's speed, Matthews' shot are NHL'S most admired attributes
Would you rather skate like Connor Mcdavid or shoot the puck like Auston Matthews?
How about if you could handle the puck like Patrick Kane? Or have Leon Draisaitl's vision? Or the octopus-like flexibility of Andrei Vasilevskiy?
We asked more than 30 players at the NHL player media tour in Las Vegas if there was a skill or characteristic from another player that they wished they had in their arsenal. Predictably, most either chose Mcdavid's speed or Matthews' shot.
“Everyone wants to skate like Connor, right?” said Vegas's Jack Eichel. “That's probably a common answer.
“Matthews' shot is unreal,” said New Jersey's Jack Hughes. “I'm probably not the only one saying that. It makes the game easier.”
Some, of course wanted both — or more.
“I would probably take either Mcdavid's speed or Auston's shot,” said Toronto's Morgan Rielly.
“I feel like you'd take the agility of Mcdavid or (Nathan) Mackinnon and the hands of Patrick Kane and then add Matthews' shot and it would be the allaround player,” said Colorado's Cale Makar.
Here's a look at the most coveted skills:
MCDAVID'S SPEED
From forwards Clayton Keller and Nick Suzuki to defencemen such as Roman Josi and Zach Werenski, pretty much every player would love to skate as fast as Mcdavid — even if it was just for one game.
“Speed kills,” said Philadelphia's Cam Atkinson.
“It would be fun to be that fast,” said Ottawa's Brady Tkachuk.
“I think speed kind of rules the game right now,” said Nashville's Josi, “and if you have that speed it's a huge advantage in today's game.”
Indeed, Mcdavid's wheels are a big reason why he scored 123 points and is considered the best player in the game. But it's not just his top-end speed, which would garner a ticket in a school zone, that separates the Oilers captain from the rest of the NHL.
It is that he is also able to manoeuvre in traffic and stop on a dime, making him nearly impossible to defend.
“Just his ability to get on his edges and attack people and his escapability, it's pretty incredible to watch,” said Eichel.
Of course, Mcdavid isn't the only player who can fly around the ice these days. Nor was he the only player whose speed and agility is coveted.
“Mcdavid's skating obviously jumps out, but so does Mackinnon's explosiveness,” said Matthews. “He just kind of bullies his way and attacks the net. He's always kind of putting the D on their heels. I think those two guys are two of the best players in the league.”
“I like the edge work of Makar,” said L.A.'S Philip Danault.
“I would take Makar or Mcdavid's speed,” said San Jose's Tomas Hertl. “I've been always thinking my whole life what it would be like to be fast like that. It would probably be easier and cool to be able to skate like Mcdavid. But honestly, if I want anybody on my team right now, I'd love to play with Cale Makar. He can skate backwards almost the same speed as a forward, so it's impossible to get by him.”
MATTHEWS' SHOT
Five or 10 years ago, if you had asked anyone in the NHL whose shot they wished they had, all of them would have said Alex Ovechkin. And with 50 goals last season, he can clearly still hammer the puck. But there's a new sniper on the scene these days.
Since entering the league in 2016, no one has scored more goals than Matthews. More importantly, the two-time Rocket Richard Trophy winner, who had 60 goals last season, has done most of his damage with a heavy and hard-to-read wrist shot rather than a one-timed slapper.
“Just the way it looks, it's so nice,” said Colorado's Mackinnon. “The technique he has, the power, it's just so pretty to look at. The rhythm of it, everything. He's definitely shot a million pucks as a kid. You definitely try to emulate it, you work on it, but I'll never have that.”
“Auston scores his goals all different ways, but his wrist shot, his release, is incredible,” said Florida's Matthew Tkachuk, who would also love to have Ovechkin's patented one-timer in his arsenal. “I don't think I've ever scored a slapshot goal and I've seen Ovie score 40 a year there posting up from that spot. That's a pretty cool feeling knowing if you get a puck there, it's going in.”
DRAISAITL'S VISION
Despite racking up 60 more assists than any other player since entering the league, Mcdavid said he still wishes he could pass the puck like his Oilers teammate Draisaitl.
He's not necessarily being biased.
Draisaitl led the league with 67 assists in 2019-20 and joined the 50-50 club last season after scoring 55 goals and 55 assists. It's that unique blend of passing and shooting that has impressed Mcdavid.
“I think the media would want me to say Auston's shot. I think everybody wants me to say that,” said Mcdavid. “But I think for me, just being to see the game and pass the puck like Leo, I think that is just such a unique skill. You don't see it that often.
“The way he plays the game and goes about the game is very different than how you see a lot of other guys. He slows the game down so well and makes these plays that are just ridiculous. I think a lot of them go unnoticed, because they've kind of come to expect that from him.”
KANE'S HANDS
Trevor Zegras can scoop up the puck like a lacrosse ball and score goals in ways that we never thought was possible outside of a Playstation 5. But even the Anaheim forward marvels at what Chicago's Kane can do with the puck on his stick — specifically with his backhand.
“I just feel like he's just so in control with both sides of his stick,” said Zegras. “The way he can find guys on his backhand, it's like he has two forehands pretty much. So many times he scores in tight on the short side on the backhand. That would be a nice addition.”
VASILEVSKIY'S ATHLETICISM
Having won consecutive Stanley Cups and reached the final in three straight years, it's commonly accepted that Tampa Bay's Andrei Vasilevskiy has replaced Carey Price as the best goalie in the world. Most of his success has come from an ability to contort his 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame into movements that only circus performers should be able to achieve.
“I'll watch him and he's in positions that kind of grosses me out,” said Dallas goalie Jake Oettinger. “I don't know what would happen to my body if I tried that. He's a freak athlete and the best goalie in the world.”
“He can get into the splits. And he's so big,” said Washington goalie Darcy Kuemper. “A lot of guys who get into that position are just stuck there, but he can kind of keep moving around, it's impressive. And just his clutch ability is next world. If I could have that, it would be great.”
The way he plays the game and goes about the game is very different than how you see a lot of other guys. He slows the game down so well.
MIKE SMITH'S PUCK-HANDLING
It's not the most necessary skill. But ask any goalie for their bucket list item and nearly all of them will say scoring a goal.
“A hole-in-one and a goal,” said Boston's Jeremy Swayman. “That's all I need and I'll be happy.”
No wonder that Swayman and others chose puck-handling as a skill they wished they were better at — though the examples of who they wanted to emulate differed greatly.
“I think Mike Smith's puck-handling would be nice to have in my arsenal,” said Swayman. “It's something I've definitely been working on and really trying to improve my game. You can tell how important it is in today's game to be that third defenceman behind the net.”
“I want to play the puck like Ben Bishop,” Vasilevskiy said of his former teammate. “He was the third defenceman on the ice, for sure. I was fortunate enough to watch him play and I had the best view on the bench. He played with the puck like a player.”
As for which goalie had the best chances of scoring a goal this year, Oettinger had this to say about New York Rangers' Igor Shesterkin: “He could shoot it off the roof if he wanted to.”