Put a massive athlete on skates

[TheOtherOne]

First of all I just want to say that this thread is kinda dumb. But maybe it will be fun too.

I want to speculate- could you put an absolutely massive athlete in the NHL, and would it be effective, and how would it work?

I don't watch other sports so I'm bad at examples, but let's say Shaq at 7'1" 325. Or some big football player, I dunno.

Have him train his ass off at skating for a couple years and keep feeding him a truckload every day so he doesn't lose weight.

A couple discussion points:
- What position would he be best utilized at? A goalie could block a ton of the net but probably wouldn't be agile enough. A defender would be a rock, you wouldn't have any Holmstroms being effective, but you could probably skate around him (unless he gets good with a long ass stick a la Chara). A winger could just go around crushing people and keeping everyone scared to put their head down (but could also be easy to dodge). Or do you just park him in front of the net all day (but then you have to have an accurate shot to get it around him)?
- What actual hockey player (NHL or otherwise) is closest to this?
- How would you play against him?

And I guess just be creative and talk about whatever you want. I just found it amusing imagining this big sumo tank guy on the ice and wondering if it could work.

EDIT:
Just some numbers

Shaq: 7'1 325
Suh: 6'4 305 (I don't know anything about football but I've heard of that guy so I'm using him)
Byfuglien: 6'5 260
J J Watt: 6'5 290 (never heard of him but sure)
Chara: 6'9 250
John Krahn: 7'0 440 (googled "biggest football player", got a high school guy lol)
Domi: 5'8 213 pretty good example too considering he's a foot shorter than these other guys.
Hakuho: 6'4 344 (googled "best sumo wrestler- that one would be interesting to see!)

So yea. Chara isn't really what I was thinking because he's lighter relative to his height. Byfuglien is surprisingly close to the other big dudes listed. So I guess he is the thread. Also, it's interesting given my position discussion that he has played both forward and defense at the pro level.

Click to read more...

 

[Cloned]

So basically Lindros with more on-ice awareness of opposition defenders?

 

[ManofSteel55]

Chara?

 

[JT Kreider]

Draymond Green would wreck people

 

[Skip2myBordyloo]

Played against a 7'0 player before, guy kept tripping over his feet, for whatever reason (maybe moving the sheer mass) it's harder for very large men to skate. I mean Shaq was never the fastest guy by any means moving up and down the basketball court. Growing up the resident 6'4->6'7-6'8 stay at home defencemen were always the worst skaters on teams I've played against.

 

[Craz1bo1]

Throw a sumo wrestler in net and have him just stand there

 

[YoSoyLalo]

Throw a sumo wrestler in net and have him just stand there

Charles Wang; from owner to HFBoards poster.

 

[Filatov2Kovalev2Bonk]

Shaq on skates. Decent 3rd to 4th liner, nothing more. Need more than just size, need the agility and balance and practice. After a while could become elite.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

JJ Watt would end people's lives. 6'5. 290 pounds. And he can play.

 

[KingBran]

I think speed would be the biggest issue. So yeah a G or a stay at home D-man.

 

[puckIuck]

the NHL is a small speedy mans game now

 

[Seanaconda]

First of all I just want to say that this thread is kinda dumb. But maybe it will be fun too.

I want to speculate- could you put an absolutely massive athlete in the NHL, and would it be effective, and how would it work?

I don't watch other sports so I'm bad at examples, but let's say Shaq at 7'1" 325. Or some big football player, I dunno.

Have him train his ass off at skating for a couple years and keep feeding him a truckload every day so he doesn't lose weight.

A couple discussion points:
- What position would he be best utilized at? A goalie could block a ton of the net but probably wouldn't be agile enough. A defender would be a rock, you wouldn't have any Holmstroms being effective, but you could probably skate around him (unless he gets good with a long ass stick a la Chara). A winger could just go around crushing people and keeping everyone scared to put their head down (but could also be easy to dodge). Or do you just park him in front of the net all day (but then you have to have an accurate shot to get it around him)?
- What actual hockey player (NHL or otherwise) is closest to this?
- How would you play against him?

And I guess just be creative and talk about whatever you want. I just found it amusing imagining this big sumo tank guy on the ice and wondering if it could work.

Chara is okay.

But dman or goalie is better used for size long sticks are a pain for forwards. Long stick plus massive wingspan make up for skating problems as a dman

 

[justafan22]

Gronk?

 

[tarheelhockey]

Given that he'd have a VERY high center of gravity, it would be hard for him to play in a checking league. He'd have to maintain an incredibly deep knee bend at all times to keep from being knocked over, and that knee bend would be difficult for someone whose joints are already under extraordinary pressure. He's likely to have knee and ankle (maybe hip) trouble before too long.

The obvious position for him would be defense. Height isn't a particular advantage for a forward after a certain point. A shooting release would take longer with an extra-long stick, which is one thing for a slapshooting defenseman but another for a forward whose job is to have a fast and accurate release. There would be a lot of tipped shots, a lot of pucks stripped away because they're held so far out from his body. But the extra reach and weight could be helpful on defense, a la Chara or Gill. Bear in mind that the Bruins actually did play Chara in front of the net at times, as a Holmstrom like presence.

Goalie, no way. Too much strain on the joints if he plays butterfly, and his advantage is wasted if he's standing up.

 

[Leon Lucius Black]

I'd pay money to see big sexy Bartolo Colon try and skate.

 

[Seanaconda]

Given that he'd have a VERY high center of gravity, it would be hard for him to play in a checking league. He'd have to maintain an incredibly deep knee bend at all times to keep from being knocked over, and that knee bend would be difficult for someone whose joints are already under extraordinary pressure. He's likely to have knee and ankle (maybe hip) trouble before too long.

The obvious position for him would be defense. Height isn't a particular advantage for a forward after a certain point. A shooting release would take longer with an extra-long stick, which is one thing for a slapshooting defenseman but another for a forward whose job is to have a fast and accurate release. There would be a lot of tipped shots, a lot of pucks stripped away because they're held so far out from his body. But the extra reach and weight could be helpful on defense, a la Chara or Gill. Bear in mind that the Bruins actually did play Chara in front of the net at times, as a Holmstrom like presence.

Goalie, no way. Too much strain on the joints if he plays butterfly, and his advantage is wasted if he's standing up.

Lots of goalies are tall as heck just not many weigh very much other than lehner who I assume is just fueled by anger

 

[TheOtherOne]

When I say massive I mean massive. Not necessarily tall, although I did use Shaq as an example. What about a short/avg height guy who's built like a tank?

 

[Seanaconda]

When I say massive I mean massive. Not necessarily tall, although I did use Shaq as an example. What about a short/avg height guy who's built like a tank?

Byfugelin ? Or like domi or like jagr when he was 230 or Ovie in his prime ?

Most of the best players had alot of weight in their lower body . But big buff is the most tank like player I can think of . weighed 300 pounds

(Other than just pure fighters )

 

[tarheelhockey]

Lots of goalies are tall as heck just not many weigh very much other than lehner who I assume is just fueled by anger

Even at that, they max out at 6'7" with Ben Bishop who is extraordinarily athletic for a man his height. I don't see how someone over 7" could withstand the physical demands of playing goalie. Many times they can barely withstand the physics of playing basketball without getting hurt, and that doesn't require them to fall to their knees and then jump back up to their feet every 30 seconds.

 

[Seanaconda]

Even at that, they max out at 6'7" with Ben Bishop who is extraordinarily athletic for a man his height. I don't see how someone over 7" could withstand the physical demands of playing goalie. Many times they can barely withstand the physics of playing basketball without getting hurt, and that doesn't require them to fall to their knees and then jump back up to their feet every 30 seconds.

Still pretty tall for hockey when the average hight for goalies used to be around 6' and now there is just a handful of guys under.

Most of them aren't heavy tho

 

[Rygu]

JJ Watt would dwarf even Chara muscle/strength wise.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Height has diminishing returns at some point when the object is to handle a 3 inch puck at your feet.

 

[bring back the jets]

Mike Tyson would probably not have the discipline to play hockey but he was a freak of nature. He's not that tall but I bet he would have had an insane combo of explosive speed and strength

The Rock would just be an unstoppable force

To throw in a small guy as well, I bet Nadal would have been a beast at hockey

 

[Seanaconda]

Height has diminishing returns at some point when the object is to handle a 3 inch puck at your feet.

Heights not that big of a problem for dmen they obv won't be blowing past guys with their stickwork but they have the wingspan of a condor and can probably shoot the puck 100 mph

 

[Kranix]

I always wondered what it would be like if they put the Big Show on skates in the NHL.