The most aesthetically pleasing player?

[Terry Yake]

lemiuex, fedorov, niedermayer, mcdavid

 

[crobro]

Gilbert Perrault
Pat Lafontaine
Theo Fleury
Denis Savard
Rick Middleton
Sergei Makarov

 

[whcanuck]

Fedorov or Coffey. Brian Leetch is up there. Fedorov had the most technically perfect skating stride I’d ever seen. Coffey would glide faster than anyone else skating full speed. Leetch’s balance and directional changes were so effortless and smooth

 

[The Pale King]

Ziggy Palffy was excellent on breakaways, and goalies often seemed to play him too aggressively, which led to a lot of "fun" looking goals. Deceptively speedy. He also had a wide "wingspan" for a guy who was 5'10-ish, scored lots of strange angle goals with quick shots. One of my faves for sure.

 

[JianYang]

Kovalev, and Datsyuk were artists. They were so smooth, and deked people out effortlessly on a regular basis with unique moves.

Coffey looked like he was skating on air.

Niedermayer's stride looked incredibly effortless.

I didn't see Beliveau live, but he looked so graceful in the highlights.

I'm also going to add Gomez as a darkhorse. The way he would bring the puck up from his own zone. He didn't lose the puck, and while is stick looks busy, I think he was barely touching the puck.

 

[Laphroaig]

Gilbert Perrault
Pat Lafontaine
Theo Fleury
Denis Savard
Rick Middleton
Sergei Makarov

Love this list. I was going to mention Middleton as well. I'd have him in the HHOF based on aesthetics alone.

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

Paul Coffey for me. If I were a few years older I might say Orr. As an Oilers fan, I love McDavid’s game and he’s exciting as anyone I’ve seen but Coffeys movement was artistry on skates.

 

[Staniowski]

I think there are multiple answers to this.

I always thought Mogilny had the most beautiful body movements of any hockey player I've ever seen. When he was young he was an extraordinarily beautiful skater, with deft movements. And his arsenal of shots were unmatched in beauty, in my opinion.

But on a broader scale, there were others who were nicer to watch. One of them is Bobby Orr. His skating was unrivaled and extremely beautiful.

 

[Trap Jesus]

To me Niedermayer made it look the most effortless moving around, just so smooth.

I think if you're talking strictly hands, I'd go with Kovalev. Datsyuk to me had the best hands but his style was a bit unorthodox. Kovalev was just a pure dangler.

I think Bure was probably the most aesthetically pleasing in terms of speed + hands.

 

[sdf]

I have a question about Paul Coffey... is he loved a coffee?

 

[David Bruce Banner]

I'll echo a lot of the other posters here...

Gilbert Perreault
Mario Lemieux
Sergei Federov
Connor McDavid
Paul Coffey
Bobby Orr
Pavel Datsyuk

 

[Cursed Lemon]

Gilbert Perreault.

This guy right here. Everything you watch of him is sooooo smooth.

 

[scott clam]

For contemporary players I'd have to say Patrick Kane( and McDavid of course).

 

[Sentinel]

In addition to the previously mentioned ones (Feds, Dats, Makarov, Harlamov, Lemieux, Coffey) I have to say Niklas Lidstrom. He was just a pleasure to watch.

 

[Troubadour]

I think Almo and his slightly contemptuous and restrained elegance deserve more praise, although it received at least some. My guy would be Mikael Nylander. Soft hands, tight turns. He was floating like a butterfly and not stinging like a bee at all.

Kariya was a pleasant one too. Very graceful and elegant in every movement.

 

[HisNoodliness]

I want to throw another vote in the Fedorov camp. The way he skated just looked right.

 

[crobro]

Somehow forgot Kent Nillson

 

[habsrule4eva3089]

There was a anarchy expressed in the movements by Curtis Joseph which I enjoy. A simple save could have sufficed, but many a times he transformed a simple scene with a blinding stroke of genius which turned his career into a gallery of art.

Who in your opinions had the most aesthetically beautiful glove saves?

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

There was a anarchy expressed in the movements by Curtis Joseph which I enjoy. A simple save could have sufficed, but many a times he transformed a simple scene with a blinding stroke of genius which turned his career into a gallery of art.

Who in your opinions had the most aesthetically beautiful glove saves?

Rogie Vachon

 

[crobro]

Most fun goalie to watch was Mike Palmateer

 

[Trap Jesus]

Most fun goalie to watch was Mike Palmateer

I think fundamentals for aesthetically pleasing for goalies rather than unorthodox but entertaining styles like Hasek or Thomas, or chippy goalies like Hextall or Smith. I'd be inclined to say someone like Price. Big, athletic, but still sound on fundamentals.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Daniel Carcillo.

nah but there are so many good answers for this. From my lifetime- Eichel can be fun, Dahlin is gettin there, but overall- well, Datsyuk was sick. Niedermayer sick. Prime Pronger aesthetically pleasing if that’s your thing. Lotta people have given good answers, Afinogenov had some amazing moves- obviously not the overall game, but just that ability to deke a dude outta his jock just with his speed and quick change of direction- brb gonna go look up highlights.

Oh man, I’d forgotten the jersey tuck. Dude was aesthetic af.

 

[sdf]

Frank Banham was phenomenal

 

[sdf]

I would also mention Steve Lemieux, the guy was just shadow Mario. I even thought at first it was his little brother

 

[Dennis Bonvie]

Hobey Baker.