Who is the NHL version of Ohtani?

[Kojo]

There's no comparable, even in other sports. He just plays very well. He can do an home run or strike you out. What's not to like?

 

[jetsforever]

A version of that??

I think the closest thing is something like Byfuglien
Played 1st line right wing
Played 2nd line right wing
Played Top pairing defense
can hit
was able to shoot the puck 100+

He'd also probably be a good candidate for the 3rd string goaltender if it came to that at 260ibs. He wouldn't give much to shoot at.

IIRC he was actually 1st-line LW on a Cup-winning team (Hawks), as well as a 1D on a Conference Finals team (Jets).

 

[Patrik Barkov]

Laine was a goalie until he was like 14. Most likely not even european league level goalie, but that's the closest one I can think of.

Yeah quick fact check here. He was in the goalie rotation and skated as a goalie once a week until he was 12. He was still mainly a forward. And "european league level goalie" is as broad as it gets.

 

[agent082]

Putin maybe if he wants to play goalie. Don't think anyone would dare to score.

 

[Voight]

Ilya Bryzgalov was both a goalie and astronomer.

 

[IceManCat]

Ilya Bryzgalov was both a goalie and astronomer.

 

[cowboy82nd]

Ohtani in baseball is playing 2 extremely niche positions, pitcher and position player (batter). Has there ever been an NHL version of that? A player who can play skater (position player) AND goalie. And who were the best hockey players with that skillset?

Batter (as you call it), is not a niche position. Almost everyone bats (save for some pitchers in the AL).

 

[Crease]

Maybe Sergei Fedorov? One of the best forwards of all time but played whole games on defense.

 

[Sweetpotato]

Didn't Grant Fuhr play a game as a skater?

Would've loved to see Brodeur with his mits play a game haha

 

[SepticFish]

but he doesn’t play OF when he’s pitching. He pitches.

Several times this season, instead of taking him out of the game when he's done pitching, they'll move him to the OF for an inning or two so he can get an extra at bat.

 

[Confused Turnip]

David Ayres, goalie and Zamboni driver is pretty niche.

I'd like to see him in against an NHL team before I give him this one.

 

[HanSolo]

The problem with this question is the only other of the major North American sports where this could be feasible by the nature of the sport is football. Basketball it's not even possible and hockey, well if you train to be good enough to be an NHL quality goalie, you probably didn't train enough to be an NHL quality skater and vice versa.

Examples like Burns and Byfuglien switching from forward to defenseman are problematic because the functional difference between the positions isn't that vast. Both types of players are still expected to do the same things on the ice, it's just a forward has more responsibility to generate scoring chances while a defenseman has more responsibility to prevent them. In the case of someone like Burns it's not like he neglected the defensive responsibility but he wasn't very good in his own zone at anything but zone exits. In a way, it was like he was still a forward playing on the point position and getting more minutes.

Being a pitcher and a hitter are very different dynamics. Ohtani isn't unique because he pitches and hits. Lots of pitchers are put in the batting lineup, the difference is Ohtani excels at hitting and is relied on for offensive production in a way pitchers virtually never are.

No one in this league can make that switch between periods from skater to goalie. And I think the examples we've seen of skaters switching positions are too negligible in scope to really come close.

 

[Confused Turnip]

There's no comparable, even in other sports. He just plays very well. He can do an home run or strike you out. What's not to like?

The NFL equivalent would be a player that goes both ways, which is or at least was a thing.

 

[DrMartinVanNostrand]

The NFL equivalent would be a player that goes both ways, which is or at least was a thing.

And the only time you see that now is when a DL (or occasionally a LB instead) is brought in as an extra blocker or as a fullback in goal line or short yardage running play situations (or for deking out a team and having a pass play designed for them instead).

Otherwise, even the old thing about sometimes bringing in a dynamic cornerback with great ball skills and speed to play as a WR (like Deion Sanders was used as for a short period of time) has pretty much gone extinct. Can't think of any other possible comparable situations beyond that. And, before anyone thinks of them, special teams plays are something else entirely and aren't a tool for comparison.

 

[Sniper99]

There's no comparable, even in other sports. He just plays very well. He can do an home run or strike you out. What's not to like?

JJ Watt has caught Offensive TD passes before and he normally plays Defensive End

 

[Rapsfan]

The problem with this question is the only other of the major North American sports where this could be feasible by the nature of the sport is football. Basketball it's not even possible and hockey, well if you train to be good enough to be an NHL quality goalie, you probably didn't train enough to be an NHL quality skater and vice versa.

Examples like Burns and Byfuglien switching from forward to defenseman are problematic because the functional difference between the positions isn't that vast. Both types of players are still expected to do the same things on the ice, it's just a forward has more responsibility to generate scoring chances while a defenseman has more responsibility to prevent them. In the case of someone like Burns it's not like he neglected the defensive responsibility but he wasn't very good in his own zone at anything but zone exits. In a way, it was like he was still a forward playing on the point position and getting more minutes.

Being a pitcher and a hitter are very different dynamics. Ohtani isn't unique because he pitches and hits. Lots of pitchers are put in the batting lineup, the difference is Ohtani excels at hitting and is relied on for offensive production in a way pitchers virtually never are.

No one in this league can make that switch between periods from skater to goalie. And I think the examples we've seen of skaters switching positions are too negligible in scope to really come close.

I mean from what I heard, Ohtani did train himself to do both at a competent level and also excel. Why do you think it wouldn't be possible for a hockey "prodigy" to have that skillset and training? Is it because playing goalie is insanely hard in comparison to pitcher and thus they have no time to train for skating roles?

 

[kaiser matias]

Some guys have switched between D and F, but a skater hasn't played in goal or vice versa since the 1920s when Lester Patrick did it while serving as coach, and even him and the other instances were on an emergency fill basis. The closest thing to a 'do everything' player that exists in NHL history might be the since eliminated rover position.

It was actually a lot more recent than that. The last skater to serve as goalie was Jerry Toppazzini in 1960 with the Bruins. The league mandated every team have two goalies starting the next season.

 

[Confused Turnip]

It was actually a lot more recent than that. The last skater to serve as goalie was Jerry Toppazzini in 1960 with the Bruins. The league mandated every team have two goalies starting the next season.

Well damn, I was unaware of that. That's kind of incredible that it was so relatively recent, even if it was just 30 seconds. Not sure why I had it in my head that Lester Patrick was the last one, maybe just the most famous then..

 

[613Leafer]

Burns and Byfuglien come to mind as fairly big name players at the NHL level over the past ~10 years who played significant time both up front and on D.

 

[GeeoffBrown]

I could see Mike Smith being a decent d-man

 

[BondraTime]

View attachment 444864

He’s a goalie in high level Ball hockey, or use to be.

 

[HanSolo]

I mean from what I heard, Ohtani did train himself to do both at a competent level and also excel. Why do you think it wouldn't be possible for a hockey "prodigy" to have that skillset and training? Is it because playing goalie is insanely hard in comparison to pitcher and thus they have no time to train for skating roles?

It requires different equipment, different techniques, different training focus. Baseball players are already trained to throw the ball as hard and fast as they can to play effective defense. It's just that pitchers take it a step further to maximize their technique and velocity. And even keeping that in mind, Ohtani is a prodigious special case.

There just wouldn't be enough time in the day to get good enough as a skater and goalie at an NHL level. At best you can have someone good enough to play emergency goal. And putting that aside, no player with the intention of being an NHL capable forward or defenseman is going to want to get good enough at goalie to switch positions.

 

[Hockeyholic]

Fedorov played defense in one game.

 

[Hockeyholic]

I think Tom Wilson would be a good #6 D-man.

Maybe Hedman at left wing?

 

[Rapsfan]

Hmm so based on the responses in this thread, it's not just goalies and skaters that have separate niche roles. Even forwards and D have that. Why is that the case? Why is it still rare to have players with F and D capabilities? In the NBA, you see Guards and Forwards interchange based on matchup. Is there much of a difference in playing forward and guard in the NHL?