Top 10 of the best hockey skaters ever

scott clam

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Sep 12, 2018
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Orr seems like the most obvious #1, just because he was so ahead of his time.

Besides him though my eyes tell me the "best all around skater" has gotta be Fedorov. Bure and Coffey were just as fast but Fedorov was so smart positionally he looked almost perfect. Like so perfect it's scary.
 

whatname

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Jan 29, 2012
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Russ Courtnall was blazing fast going north - south. Berezin was very quick with the puck going north-south.

I never watched much of him, but I heard (or read?) Paul Ranheim was very fast in Calgary, but like I said, I have no memories of him being extraordinary fast.

These guys aren't top 10 but should be recognized as decent skaters.

Lemieux was a good skater, but having him top 10 all-time seems very high. Big men like Iafrate and Lindros were also fast, probably not the best technique wise, but fast.

Just a quick edit: Anyone remember Brian Holzinger? He was flying all over the place during the '99 post-season
 
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JianYang

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Sep 29, 2017
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Not that I got to watch him play live, but I assume that you have to be exceptionally fast to get the name "road runner". So does cornyouer make the list?
 

Filthy Dangles

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Oct 23, 2014
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Crosby isn’t the fastest or most elegant or prettiest skater but his agility and balance/edgework/strength is all-time. One of my favorite skaters to watch for sure. I think he’s a good pick for top10

Just to add to this....I've always marvelled at Sid's ability to just turn the corner on guys and get around them with brute strength instead of blazing speed.

Here's him doing it to a beer leaguer and then a future Selke Trophy winner



 
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BehindTheTimes

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Jun 24, 2018
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I'd say for me, it's Paul Coffey at number 1, the guy just was so smooth and effortless. I remember Russ Courtnall being a dynamic skater, so fast his hands couldn't keep up half the time. I remember Bob Errey being exceptionally fast too. A guy like Paul Byron is pretty damn quick too.
 

Kshahdoo

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Mar 23, 2008
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I'd say for me, it's Paul Coffey at number 1, the guy just was so smooth and effortless. I remember Russ Courtnall being a dynamic skater, so fast his hands couldn't keep up half the time. I remember Bob Errey being exceptionally fast too. A guy like Paul Byron is pretty damn quick too.

For defensemen backward skating is almost as important as forward one. I used to read about Fetisov, that he was almost as fast backward as forward. Not sure about, how good Coffey was in this.
 

BehindTheTimes

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Jun 24, 2018
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Just to add to this....I've always marvelled at Sid's ability to just turn the corner on guys and get around them with brute strength instead of blazing speed.

Here's him doing it to a beer leaguer and then a future Selke Trophy winner




Jagr and Lemieux did the same thing. Pitts been fortunate to have 3 of the best forwards ever.
 
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Dennis Bonvie

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Dec 29, 2007
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Russ Courtnall was blazing fast going north - south. Berezin was very quick with the puck going north-south.

I never watched much of him, but I heard (or read?) Paul Ranheim was very fast in Calgary, but like I said, I have no memories of him being extraordinary fast.

These guys aren't top 10 but should be recognized as decent skaters.

Lemieux was a good skater, but having him top 10 all-time seems very high. Big men like Iafrate and Lindros were also fast, probably not the best technique wise, but fast.

Just a quick edit: Anyone remember Brian Holzinger? He was flying all over the place during the '99 post-season

Anyone remember Gene Carr?
 
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Neutrinos

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Sep 23, 2016
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Getting back to McDavid's age disqualifying him from being higher on the list

What if a rookie came into the league this year that could skate 100 miles per hour? Would you say he wasn't the best ever just because he's only a teenager?
 

Primary Assist

The taste of honey is worse than none at all
Jul 7, 2010
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Pre Achilles injury Karlsson might actually be a top 10 skater of all time - not only could he absolutely fly north-south, he was so mobile and his transition game was the best in the league at the time. Duncan Keith from around the time period when the Hawks won in 2010 might also be knocking on the door - not the prettiest stride but his mobility and speed made him the best player on the ice every game that post-season.

We also need to appreciate the all-time greats like Brodeur, Roy, and Belfour. Brodeur's mobility is the most obvious here in terms of his ability to get behind the net and completely neutralize the dump-and-chase and his acrobatics in the crease were underwritten completely on his strong edgework. He's one of the greatest goalies ever and he did so with minimal use of the butterfly - he needed to be extremely strong on his skates. Roy revolutionized a new style of goaltending with the butterfly and he showed that the use of the goal posts and leg pads are equally important as the actual skate blade when it comes to skating (plus he did a spin-o-rama on the Great One). Belfour may be one of the best lateral moving goalies in history and so much of his success was due to his ability to move into a shot instead of just relying on his glove or blocker to make the save. It's also no coincidence that all three of these goalies were masters at playing the puck too, which further exemplifies their great skating skill.
 

Big Phil

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Nov 2, 2003
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When I think "Great skaters" I think of guys who used it in the context of the game. I like the OP's list, it is unique, I will admit I was surprised to see Mario there but do agree with his assessment that he was big but smooth.

You could pick Rico Fata and he could make any sort of list just based on speed. But he didn't do it well within the context of the game. His head wasn't there, the puck got caught up in his feet a lot. If I am picking players I want their speed to be a big part of their game and what made them great. So..................

Bobby Orr - Need we say more?

Gilbert Perreault - Just elegant and beautiful, made you glad you watched hockey

Pavel Bure - Choppy skating stride but it didn't matter the way he blew by you

Connor McDavid - Like Bure when he had the puck I don't know if anyone can skate faster at full flight

Paul Coffey - Would glide backwards than others skated forwards and it didn't even look like he was trying

Sergei Fedorov - Think Coffey's style of skating but as a forward. Might be one on this list who I think could have utilized it just a bit better

Mike Gartner - Choppy, but man could he fly. Maybe it wasn't elegant like Perreault or smooth but you ever seen him in full flight down the right wing?

Guy Lafleur - Fast, smooth, a treat to watch, long mane of hair blowing behind him and effortless

Yvan Cournoyer - Watch his goal in Game 2 of the 1972 Canada/Russia series. It is the epitome of a player skating around a pylon

Bobby Hull - There is a reason they called him the Golden Jet

Honourable mention: I wish there was more footage we had of Syl Apps. He could easily be on here and I won't ignore Rocket Richard either on this sort of list.
 

Peter25

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Sep 20, 2003
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Sergei Kapustin also deserves a mention. He was faster than likes of Makarov and Krutov.

Another great skater from the early and mid 80s was Sergei Svetlov, who I feel is one of the most underrated Soviet forwards. His career was cut short by injuries, but he was really good in his prime. He was a big powerful skater who could beat elite defensemen one on one.

Here you see Svetlov beating Langway and Hatcher in one-on-two rush against the USA in the 1987 Canada Cup:


Canada lucked out that Svetlov didn't play in the finals because he was injured against Sweden.
 
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wetcoast

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Nov 20, 2018
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I'm pretty sure C1958 was alive and in his prime when these players were active.

Sure but he also thinks that Gretzky is only the 6th best player ever and had him really low in the top 40 playoff performers as well.

His lists have a bit of the Scotty Bowman's top 100 Canadian NHLer's list feel to them, ie Habcentric.

I'm sure a lot of viewers would have Bure and Fetisov as better skaters than Lafleur for instance.
 

psycat

Registered User
Oct 25, 2016
3,239
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In no order.

Coffey
Orr
Makarov
McDavid
Bure
Ovechkin
Gartner
Fedorov
Bobby Hull
Niedermayer

Now obviously most of those are very great players in pretty much all aspects of the game and you can probably find more niche players for pure skating ability. Heck there are probably a couple over here in Sweden, usually the ones who started as Bandy players that could give some of them a run for their money.
 

vadim sharifijanov

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Oct 10, 2007
28,585
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Pre Achilles injury Karlsson might actually be a top 10 skater of all time - not only could he absolutely fly north-south, he was so mobile and his transition game was the best in the league at the time. Duncan Keith from around the time period when the Hawks won in 2010 might also be knocking on the door - not the prettiest stride but his mobility and speed made him the best player on the ice every game that post-season.

agree. his edgework was gorgeous. his skating was just so nimble. wish i’d gotten to see pre-achilles karlsson in person.
 
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VanIslander

A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
Sep 4, 2004
35,134
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Let's not conflate stickhandling and hockey vision with skating ability.

Speed, change of direction and acceleration have nothing inherent to do with passing, shooting or puckhandling ability.

For example, Brett Hedican's awesome skating has been tv fodder multiple times, profiling how his figure skating mother taught him so well.
 

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