Who is the Best Sniper in NHL History?

BlueBull

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Oct 11, 2017
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Who is your pick?
I could pick a guy like Young Gretzky, Young Lemieux, Bossy, Richard, Hull (Both of them)... But my pick is Alexander Ovechkin. Ovechkin has scored 607 goals (661 counting playoff goals) in his NHL career in a low scoring era, Long story short.
 
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ck26

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Is "sniper" synonymous with "goal scorer?" Or are you being more specific about a certain type of player?

If you just mean "goal scorer" then it's Gretzky or Bobby Hull. If you're saying "sniper" to compare hockey players to the small teams of stealthy soldiers who sneak around taking shots against high value targets and avoiding pitched battles, Brett Hull or Alex Ovechkin.
 
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BlueBull

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Oct 11, 2017
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Is "sniper" synonymous with "goal scorer?" Or are you being more specific about a certain type of player?

If you just mean "goal scorer" then it's Gretzky or Bobby Hull. If you're saying "sniper" to compare hockey players to the small teams of stealthy soldiers who sneak around taking shots against high value targets and avoiding pitched battles, Brett Hull or Alex Ovechkin.
the latter. Yeah, Gretzky and Lemieux would not really be "snipers" in that case, I Guess.
 

Bluesguru

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What Ovechkin has done in this era is amazing. To still have Gretzky's all time goals record still within site is amazing. It has to be Ovechkin.
 

The Panther

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Probably some order of Bossy, Hull Jr., Ovechkin. (I can't comment on players prior to the mid-80s.)

Those are the kind of guys I think of as "snipers", although Bossy was more well-rounded than the other two. These are the guys who could have the puck on their stick for 0.2 seconds or less in almost any spot inside the blue-line and -- Bang! -- it's in the net.
 

Plural

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Is "sniper" synonymous with "goal scorer?" Or are you being more specific about a certain type of player?

If you just mean "goal scorer" then it's Gretzky or Bobby Hull. If you're saying "sniper" to compare hockey players to the small teams of stealthy soldiers who sneak around taking shots against high value targets and avoiding pitched battles, Brett Hull or Alex Ovechkin.

I have to disagree with Ovechkin falling to "sniper" category in that sense. He's more of a volume shooter than a sniper. His shot is so great that he has an abundance of great snipes, but he doesn't really pick his spots all that carefully. He's probably the best ever at getting a dangerous shot off from any position and he uses that ability a lot.

When I think about "sniper" in hockey I see a player who picks his spots carefully and scores majority of his goals picking the corners and goalie weak spots. A modern day example would be Patrik Laine, previous generation example could be Mike Bossy.

Brett Hull was a sniper, IMO. Bossy was also a sniper. I'd argue Kurri was a sniper. Stamkos too. If Ovechkin does count, I'd say it's him. But I think sniper is not the best word describing Ovechkin.
 

Spirit of 67

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For me, this is either Bossy or Hull.
Laine will be in there but just needs to prove he can do it year in and year out. (there's been nothing to suggest he won't)
 
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ck26

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I have to disagree with Ovechkin falling to "sniper" category in that sense. He's more of a volume shooter than a sniper. His shot is so great that he has an abundance of great snipes, but he doesn't really pick his spots all that carefully. He's probably the best ever at getting a dangerous shot off from any position and he uses that ability a lot.

When I think about "sniper" in hockey I see a player who picks his spots carefully and scores majority of his goals picking the corners and goalie weak spots. A modern day example would be Patrik Laine, previous generation example could be Mike Bossy.

Brett Hull was a sniper, IMO. Bossy was also a sniper. I'd argue Kurri was a sniper. Stamkos too. If Ovechkin does count, I'd say it's him. But I think sniper is not the best word describing Ovechkin.
It's about play style, not shooting percentage. Ovechkin isn't a playmaker who creates for others, he doesn't play center and he often unplugs his controller on defense (someone find that gif). But he scores 50 goals a year quite often.

Call him a "world war 1 artillery barrage" maybe, not a sniper. Shoots 1,000,000 shells trying to clear the field of Germans before they attack Tannenberg.

Kurri was a phenomenal 2-way player and creator, not just a sniper on offense.
 

Plural

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It's about play style, not shooting percentage. Ovechkin isn't a playmaker who creates for others, he doesn't play center and he often unplugs his controller on defense (someone find that gif). But he scores 50 goals a year quite often.

Call him a "world war 1 artillery barrage" maybe, not a sniper. Shoots 1,000,000 shells trying to clear the field of Germans before they attack Tannenberg.

Kurri was a phenomenal 2-way player and creator, not just a sniper on offense.

Fair enough. I guess it's just a matter of personal definition of the word. Yours is as good as mine.
 
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Alexander the Gr8

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Wayne Gretzky,MarioLemieux,Mike Bossy,Maurice Richard,Yvan Cournoyer, etc.players who maintained a 20% S% while scoring 40 or more goals. Laine is close.

Ovechkin and Laine, are simply shooters with low S% numbers and with over 40% of TSAs being blocked or missing the net.

Ovechkin:

Alex Ovechkin Stats | Hockey-Reference.com

Laine:

Patrik Laine Stats | Hockey-Reference.com

To Ovechkin and Laine's defense, they live in an era where there is a strong emphasis on shot blocking.
 

Michael Farkas

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So, to be clear (and this is to the group), a sniper has to be a more selective shooter...he can't be a shooter that shoots a ton AND can still make sniper shots...like Ovechkin?

Also, C1958, I think that's a touch unfair to young Laine...I think he's very much a sniper. As a teenager, he had the ability to beat NHL goalies from 30 feet with a wrist shot...that's just not something that happens today.
 

Plural

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Also, C1958, I think that's a touch unfair to young Laine...I think he's very much a sniper. As a teenager, he had the ability to beat NHL goalies from 30 feet with a wrist shot...that's just not something that happens today.

I agree. He's 7th in the NHL in shooting percentage over the past two seasons and everyone ahead of him is significantly older and don't have the track record to shoot over 18% consistently. He also has the more goals than anyone ahead of him. Anders Lee is the only one who's close with 74 to Laine's 80.

As far as modern day snipers come, I'd consider Laine as the model. He needs to keep doing what he did the past two season though. But so far it's looking like he'll be the defining sniper of this days hockey.
 

Canadiens1958

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So, to be clear (and this is to the group), a sniper has to be a more selective shooter...he can't be a shooter that shoots a ton AND can still make sniper shots...like Ovechkin?

Also, C1958, I think that's a touch unfair to young Laine...I think he's very much a sniper. As a teenager, he had the ability to beat NHL goalies from 30 feet with a wrist shot...that's just not something that happens today.

Conversely goalies have not seen him that often.Let's see sustainability and improvement over time.
 

Killion

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And Michelin men goalies

They dont have the same time & space of earlier generations either, so yes, handicapped somewhat. Ceases to amaze me in watching todays game how few players actually look at what their shooting at, just one time it with their head down, havent even telegraphed where it is their putting it on the net. So certainly, kudo's to Ovi & others. In the purest sense of "Sniper", old school, I would rate Mike Bossy as probably the purest Ive ever seen in that regard, others mentioning Gretzky & Lemieux, Kurri, Brett & Bobby Hull etc & yes, all great examples as well.

But to me, Mike Bossy the one guy who really epitomized that particular label. Someone who could absolutely thread a needle, amazingly fast release, really picked his goals, hard to read if your facing him as a Goalie as he'd vary the speed of shots. Had quite the full shot portfolio while at the same time as likely to pass it off if you did have a bead on him & he had nothing to shoot at. So both patient & unselfish. Deadly combination.... Beyond the "Michelin Man" goaltenders, less time & space, constant passing & cycle game, the one-timers, stick technology is also a factor.
 
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Canadiens1958

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They dont have the same time & space of earlier generations either, so yes, handicapped somewhat. Ceases to amaze me in watching todays game how few players actually look at what their shooting at, just one time it with their head down, havent even telegraphed where it is their putting it on the net. So certainly, kudo's to Ovi & others. In the purest sense of "Sniper", old school, I would rate Mike Bossy as probably the purest Ive ever seen in that regard, others mentioning Gretzky & Lemieux, Kurri, Brett & Bobby Hull etc & yes, all great examples as well.

But to me, Mike Bossy the one guy who really epitomized that particular label. Someone who could absolutely thread a needle, amazingly fast release, really picked his goals, hard to read if your facing him as a Goalie as he'd vary the speed of shots. Had quite the full shot portfolio while at the same time as likely to pass it off if you did have a bead on him & he had nothing to shoot at. So both patient & unselfish. Deadly combination.... Beyond the "Michelin Man" goaltenders, less time & space, constant passing & cycle game, the one-timers, stick technology is also a factor.

Overlooked so far Steve Shutt.

Repetition has always been the key.Maurice Richard and Bossy had the scoring areas in the offensive zone memorized. Shoot pucks at every opportunity.
 

vadim sharifijanov

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man, time flies. we now think of ovechkin rattling off one timers from the hash marks instead of barreling down the wing with a full head of steam.
 
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JackSlater

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I would also go with Bossy, assuming that I understand what is meant in the thread. Oveckin and Bobby Hull types are more likely to overpower goaltenders than to to score with a well placed snipe. Lemieux (Gretzky too really) also fits the bill of sniper given how accurate his shot was, to the point that had goal scoring been his primary focus I assume that he would be the best example of this player archetype.
 

Canadiens1958

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To Ovechkin and Laine's defense, they live in an era where there is a strong emphasis on shot blocking.

Three points.

Shot blocking has replaced shot prevention to a degree because too many forwards are predictable from where they shoot especially on the PP.

Shot blocking may be avoided by passing. Past season Ovechkin and Laine combined had 64 assists. A total which included a fair number of rebound assists.

Mike Bossy had a career high of 83 assists in 1981-82.

Mike Bossy Stats | Hockey-Reference.com

Finally let's not assume that the blocked shots were all going on goal. This puts the block and total shots numbers out of perspective.
 

brachyrynchos

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Peter Bondra was pretty good, not the best though.
Bossy just always had a knack for hitting the back of the net consistently thru his career.
Another consistent guy was Mike Gartner. Fast skater who used his shot more than his hands.
 

Datsyukian Deke

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This guy...

tumblr_mdsnxlwl171qelb7ro1_r1_500.gif
 

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