What allows McDavid to skate so much faster than his peers?

[Gubbhornet]

I don't think it's a very interesting question, McDavid isn't 50% or 100% faster than everyone else. What makes him so special isn't how fast he skates, but how fast he plays hockey. I would much rather read opinions on how he developed that talent of his.

Agreed. I don't know if he really is that much faster than the other speedsters in the league, but he is the only one that can played controlled hockey at that pace. Maybe someone like Kane or Crosby would be able to do it too if they were equally fast, but the combo of his talent and his speed is quite remarkable.

 

[CycloneSweep]

Agreed. I don't know if he really is that much faster than the other speedsters in the league, but he is the only one that can played controlled hockey at that pace. Maybe someone like Kane or Crosby would be able to do it too if they were equally fast, but the combo of his talent and his speed is quite remarkable.

There are a few guys who might be faster straight line skaters but it’s 100% his ability to think at that speed and control the puck at that speed that has him above the rest.

 

[Fatass]

There are a few guys who might be faster straight line skaters but it’s 100% his ability to think at that speed and control the puck at that speed that has him above the rest.

Exactly. Lots of fast guys. Connor is fast with the puck on stick. Connor is quick too.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

I don't think it's a very interesting question, McDavid isn't 50% or 100% faster than everyone else. What makes him so special isn't how fast he skates, but how fast he plays hockey. I would much rather read opinions on how he developed that talent of his.

Posts like this are underrating the insane skating abiltiy he has.

But you were right when you said that it isn't necessarily how 'fast he skates' it's 'how well he skates'.

 

[LeifUK]

Fast-twitch muscle fiber, CNS recruitment of those fibers (time and percentage at once), and coordination.

AKA genetics. Training and technique on top.

I was going to mention fast twitch muscle fibres. Seb Coe who won gold in 4 Olympics long distance running events used to train by running up hills. His father developed his drills and dietary regime. As you say, genetics, training regime, hard work, hard work and hard work. And a top notch brain.

 

[Outl4w]

Natural ability, high-energy, lots of heart to provide oxygen and blood flow to his muscles, and probably doing lots of explosive workouts and skating drills. Some people are just naturally fast.

 

[the_fan]

He's nuts.

Is it his technique? Leg strength? Leverage? Diet?

Yes

 

[Luigi Lemieux]

I think there are other players as fast as him in straightaway speed. What sets him apart is his speed with the puck and ability to change direction without losing speed. Have never seen anything like it.

 

[Fatass]

I think there are other players as fast as him in straightaway speed. What sets him apart is his speed with the puck and ability to change direction without losing speed. Have never seen anything like it.

Reminds me of Perrault.

 

[Alexander the Gr8]

I don’t think he is necessarily physically stronger or faster at top speed than his super fast peers. I think it’s his acceleration that sets him apart. I believe it’s mostly related to his technique.

A lot of people who learn how to skate will seem slow, because they aren’t able to efficiently transfer their leg’s energy into their blades to produce forward momentum.

McDavid’s crossover technique makes the most of use of his energy, and I notice he can take more strides per second than other people. It’s like watching a cheetah accelerate to full speed, he can go 0-60 faster than others. Once he reaches top speed after 2 seconds, everybody is left in the dust.

 

[Three On Zero]

I think there are other players as fast as him in straightaway speed. What sets him apart is his speed with the puck and ability to change direction without losing speed. Have never seen anything like it.

This.

McDavid isn't "faster" than everyone in the league, his edge work and ability to control the puck consistently is what sets him above the rest

 

[Filthy Dangles]

 

[Tryblot]

Adjusting this to driving speed is just insane. These guys are skating the speed limit in a school zone.

 

[Craig Ludwig]

McDavid was born with it, it's that simple. You cannot teach that speed. Yes he trains a lot, but can guarantee there are 10,000 hockey players in the world right now who have trained just as much as he has, many even more. There are thousands right now who have dedicated more Power Skating time than he. He is a diamond in the rough, but it is NOT because of all the training he has done. Michael Phelps (strength, Serena (strength), Wayne Gretzky (vision), Mario Lemieux (hands), Michael Jordan (skill), all born gifted. Many others practiced and trained many more hours, but were not born with the diamond in the rough gift.