Lowest hockey IQ players in the NHL

[Paperbagofglory]

Andre Burakovsky anyone? Magnus Paajarvi?

Isn't Paajarvi actually competent defensively?

 

[Team Cozens]

It's pretty amazing that Kasperi Kapanen manages to be an effective NHL player with his hockey IQ.

Effective at what? Elite skater and it ends there.

5 games played and has 1 assist along with a MINUS 6. Yikes.

 

[StoneHands]

Isn't Paajarvi actually competent defensively?

I haven't followed him in years but I would assume he's got to at least be decent defensively or he would have fizzled out by now. His zone starts and qualcomp indicate that he's been used as a defensive forward. It's certainly not his offense keeping him in league.

 

[StoneHands]

Effective at what? Elite skater and it ends there.

5 games played and has 1 assist along with a MINUS 6. Yikes.

He did have 44 points in his first full season last year. Are you really using a 5 game sample instead of that? He's not a great player and he was definitely overvalued this offseason but he's an effective NHL player.

 

[Team Cozens]

He did have 44 points in his first full season last year. Are you really using a 5 game sample instead of that? He's not a great player and he was definitely overvalued this offseason but he's an effective NHL player.

Look who he played with last year. Any of us would have 44 points in the Leafs top 6. LOL

 

[Kamiccolo]

Agreed 100%. Guy has a highlight reel against him every game.

Rielly
Laine
Hall
Hagg
Letang
Burns
Gusev
Hughes ( I don't expect this to be a norm)
Risto

Really? I think I've counted 6 different Leafs in this thread. Apparently they are the dumbest team in the league. Rielly had a bad game, we get it. Highlight reel a game if hyperbole of the highest level.

 

[orby]

There is just absolutely no way Letang can be the dumbest player in the league with his stats.

He's not the dumbest, I was exaggerating. But he has made a ton of boneheaded plays in big games throughout his career (especially taking bad penalties) that have earned him the reputation of a poor decision-maker. He is, however, phenomenally talented and physically gifted, which enables him to make big plays that most other d-men can't. That pretty much makes up for it.

 

[StoneHands]

Look who he played with last year. Any of us would have 44 points in the Leafs top 6. LOL

He played with Matthews and Marleau or Kadri (when Matthews was out) and Marleau for most of the season. Sure, playing with Matthews is nice but 39 year old Marleau and his 37 points and Kadri and his 44 points didn't exactly inflate Kapanen's numbers. He also rarely ever played on the PP so almost all of his points were ES. I don't think he's all that great but I do think he's an decent middle 6 forward and I just thought it was a little disingenuous for you to only point out his numbers during the first week of the season and ignore everything else.

 

[kylbaz]

After watching him in Winnipeg, Evander Kane is up there. I'd say his selfishness plays a part of that as well. Has the tools to be an elite player.

 

[BruinsBtn]

Benoit Pouliot is out of the NHL but he's the perfect example. That guy had it all: shot, skating, speed, hands, athleticism, size. Absolutely zero hockey sense.

 

[K1984]

Nurse isn't the dumbest in the league, but it's frustrating how much his below average hockey IQ limits him.

If he had above average passing and hockey IQ combined with his physical talents he would be a force of a #1 defenceman. Instead he's a 2/3 tweener at best with some limitations.

 

[paragon]

Who are some players who have low hockey IQ?

Jack Johnson.

 

[the paisanos guy]

"Who's the dumbest player in the NHL?"

HFBoard forum posters: *rattles off names of various NHL All-Stars unironically*

 

[Captain Bowie]

Virtanen would definitely be the nominee from the Canucks.

 

[Jumptheshark]

one thing I have learned about hockey IQ is that unless you know what the coach has told him to do or strategy that is in place--you will not have the complete picture of what is going on

a few years ago I sat with a guy who worked as an NHL scout and he filled me in on some of the different things he looks for when watching a play. If he knows the coaching style of the coach--he can see if a player is or isnt buying into his system. One reason why you will often see an increase of scouts at a game after a coach has been fired--may not be because the team is looking for a trade but scouts are looking to see if the players are using the new coaches system and how quickly the adapt to it

 

[Choralone]

Have to agree with other Kings posters that it's the guy in my avatar. If only hockey IQ correlated with flow, then Kempe would be unstoppable.

 

[Fixxer]

Honorable mention to the current Montreal Canadiens GM, Marc Bergevin. Once of the St. Louis Blues

 

[Paperbagofglory]

Honorable mention to the current Montreal Canadiens GM, Marc Bergevin. Once of the St. Louis Blues

This guy became a GM. Wow.

 

[ColdSteel2]

Honorable mention to the current Montreal Canadiens GM, Marc Bergevin. Once of the St. Louis Blues

Lol. Lowest hockey IQ play of all time for sure.

 

[Wandering Cynic]

Jake Virtanen is up there.

 

[threeVo]

Risto and Scandella both have negative IQ numbers. Risto incapable of seeing across the ice or taking an easy pass, and Scandella for always winding up a clapper from anywhere

 

[Machinehead]

A lot of people bringing up Brendan Smith, and they're not wrong, but it's funny because he's not our dumbest defenseman.

 

[garyturner3]

If Yakupov was still active he'd be my vote. The best description I ever read about him was he plays hockey like he's being chased by a swarm of bees.

 

[shaner8989]

Needs to be way more Jake Gardiner

Absolute moron with and without the puck

Guys clueless

Great skater though

 

[666]

The answer would have been Phaneuf but he might have retired.