Not surprised - Tim had a hell of a shot for back then and was a strong skater. He sort of "galloped", I believe because of a leg injury earlier in his career that he may never have fully recovered from but was still considered fast.
... yeah, March 12, 1955.... Horton on the rush carrying the puck & like Lindros.... head down.... Bill Gadsby, one of the Greatest Checkers & IMO Defencemen to have played stepped into him, clean open ice hit.... and hit him in just the right spot breaking his nose & right leg, Horton unconscious before he even hit the ice.... blood running from his ears, nose.... shocking, frightening moment, especially for Bill Gadsby who was absolutely mortified as you can imagine. Had it been a dirty hit whole other matter however, he was cleared of it by NHL Head of Officiating Bill Chadwick.
Didnt stop Conn Smythe from tracking Gadsby down post game, threatening to have him "banned for life" etc.... Gadsby telling him to "go **** yourself", which when I read about elevated Bill to even greater heights in my already high estimation of the guy... Hardest check up to that point ever delivered in the NHL, every bit as hard as a Potvin, Stevens or whomever that followed. Horton was actually a Rushing Defenceman & who knows how much more he couldve done, what impact contemporaneously to Kelly, Harvey & Pilote and pre-Orr had that not happened which yes, unfortunately did inhibit his play, loss of lateral skating speed & agility. Still fast, but just north-south as you correctly point out.