Notable slow players (Post-2004)

[Chips]

Who are the slowest (or otherwise poor skaters) players still very useful to their teams? Everyone talks about the fastest skaters, and that speed is the name of the game these days, but I know there’s been a relatively slow players in the NHL now and recently who’ve found some success.

Think post-2004

Who are those players? How do they adjust their game? Or do you think they have loads of talent but are held back by their poor skating? Can be any skating position.

Biggest I can think of in Caps history is Mike Ribeiro. Super slow player, yet still found much success as a playmaking center, and was a decent goal scorer getting almost 30 goals one season, and at or a couple below 20 in seven seasons. Great stickhandler (one of the best?), he couldn’t play fast but he could make everyone else play slow. Precision passing as well. Drew players towards himself and passed through them.

Mike Knuble is another guy. Several seasons at 20-30 goals, and at least as a Capital I remember him being one of the run and gun team’s slowest players. Made his living in front of the opponents net.

Backstrom isn’t the slowest guy out there, but he’s not zooming around the ice, he just knows where to skate

Jeff Schultz had a good season.

Who else? Current?

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[Bjornar Moxnes]

Pavelski?

 

[Damisoph]

Jason Allison with the Leafs 2005-06. Youtube him.

/thread

 

[Teemu]

Andrew Brunette

 

[These Are The Days]

f***ing All Star Dany Heatley

 

[Gumbercules]

Oli Maatta is a really slow skater. Still an effective player though, which is a testament to how smart a player he is. His skating will keep him from being anything more than a second pairing guy though.

 

[FVM]

****ing All Star Dany Heatley

Came here to say this. Has to be one of the best slow players in the post-2004 era.

 

[Chips]

How do people feel about Tavares’ skating? I haven’t admittedly seen him in a while I remember years ago thinking he was fairly slow

 

[CartographerNo611]

Heatley was very slow especially after he cracked 30

Perry has always been slow

D. Hatcher insanely slow post lock out

Holmstrom took a half period to get to the opposing goaltender and never left. Myths say is still at Joe Louis Arena in front of the net.

 

[Tap on the Ankle]

Jason Allison with the Leafs 2005-06. Youtube him.

/thread

Came here to post this. I couldn't believe he was still in the NHL like that, he looked like my grandpa on skates out there. Really impressive that he still managed 60pts in 66 games despite the knee issues.

 

[rt]

Derek Stepan is pretty slow for a fairly successful center.

 

[PittsburghPens8771]

Oli Maatta is a really slow skater. Still an effective player though, which is a testament to how smart a player he is. His skating will keep him from being anything more than a second pairing guy though.

Maata. SLOWEST PLAYER. EVER.

 

[swiftwin]

Mark Stone

 

[Terry Yake]

perry has always been slow

getzlaf's never been known for his speed either

 

[Garbage Goal]

The one that sticks out to me most as a Flyers fan is Mike Knuble. That’s only because he made his living as a net front on the PP where speed isn’t all that huge. Even termed the phrase Knubled.

I’m really struggling to think of many other examples of good slow players on the Flyers since then. Hartnell wasn’t slow per se, he just had awful balance.

Chris Pronger was pretty slow when he was with us but he was in his late 30’s at the time. He was the best D I’ve seen in my young time as a Flyers fan even at that age. Got away with the foot speed because he was smart, skilled, and had a gigantic wing span.

 

[aemoreira1981]

Derek Stepan is pretty slow for a fairly successful center.

I was wondering if someone would mention him. His major skill was and is still high hockey IQ. In 7 seasons with the Rangers, he was +109.

 

[olli]

I was wondering if someone would mention him. His major skill was and is still high hockey IQ. In 7 seasons with the Rangers, he was +109.

How does that demonstrate a high hockey iq?

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Chris Pronger
Laine
Danny Girardi

 

[Equinsu Ocha]

Griffin Reinhart

 

[M88K]

Spezza, Thornton, Benn are all pretty slow skaters

 

[Nsjohnson]

All Star Heater. Amazing bomber and other shots, slow as a mule. Wasn't good to begin with and then had many knee injuries.

 

[CanadienShark]

Pavelski. Thornton and Couture aren't good.

One example of a fast player that can play as slow as anyone, and humiliate opposition, is Patty Kane.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Jumbo Joe is not only slow himself, he somehow slows down his team along with the other team and still manages to be a really effective player. Kopitar, Getlzaf, and Tavares aren't necessarily "slow" but are all forced to be very efficient with their stride.

Weber and Suter for blue liners. Brooks Orpik while not really being the most notable player, had a notable performance in this year's playoffs as a player who remained effective while sometimes looking like a geriatric on skates.

 

[MinimaMoralia]

Looch's days are numbered due to his skating. Doesn't seem to matter if he bulks up, or slims down, or gets all the skill coaches available. He was never a great skater and he looked glacier slow the last half season.
The unfortunate thing is, unlike most powerforwards his age, his body isn't breaking down, he's durable as ever. It's his skating that'll do him in.

 

[Painful Quandary]

If we are talking post-2004, I immediately think of Douglas Murray when I think of slow skaters. Great hitter though.