Filip Hronek fires the hardest slapshot ever recorded by the NHL tracking technology

Filip Hronek of the Vancouver Canucks is enjoying a great start to the 2023-24 season. With 16 assists throughout the first 15 games, he even broke the point streak record for a Vancouver Canucks defenseman. But for Hronek, a 6’0, 190lb Czech native, born in Hradec Kralove, one thing was missing. Well known for his great shot from the point, and especially for his rocket of a one-timer, he was looking for the first goal of the season.

And it came with a bang. Filip Hronek unleashed a cannon of a shot, blasting a one-timer of a feed from Quinn Hughes, that beat Islanders’ goalie Sorokin cleanly. The Vancouver Canucks later revealed that the NHL shot tracking technology measured the shot at a whopping 107.9 mph, making it the fastest shot ever recorded by the NHL tracking technology since its inception 3 years ago.

How does the shot rank among the hardest shots ever recorded in the history of the NHL? Zdeno Chara holds the record for the fastest shot ever recorded with a 108.8 mph slapper in the 2012 all-star game. Shea Weber came close with a 108.1 mph effort in 2015. Hronek’s shot would rank 3rd hardest shot ever in NHL’s history. However, all the historic shots were measured during the all-star hardest shot competition. The players are allowed to take a few strides, shoot a puck that is laying still on the ice, perfectly teed up for max-speed shot. They also have a few tries and only the hardest shot is then taken into consideration.

Hronek’s effort was completely different. He fired the 107.9 mph slapshot, not only during a regular game, on a powerplay, in a close game, but he did it with a one-timer, shooting the puck directly from his teammates pass. Why is it different? The player’s body when shooting a one-timer is not in a forward motion, his energy not aimed directly towards the net, not allowing him to practically lean into the shot like during all – star hardest shot competition. That makes the one-time shot trickier to pull off and usually quite a bit slower then a regular slapshot. This was obviously not Hronek’s case, as he timed it perfectly, allowed his CCM FT6 PRO stick to fully flex and unleashed the heaviest slapshot ever recorded with NHL’s tracking technology.

Season	Team	GP	G	A
2018-2019	Red Wings	46	5	18
2019-2020	Red Wings	65	9	22
2020-2021	Red Wings	56	2	24
2021-2022	Red Wings	78	5	33
2022-2023	Red Wings	60	9	29
	Canucks	4	0	1
2023-2024	Canucks	17	1	16

Source: Filip Hronek on NHL

Before moving to the Canucks, Hronek played for the Detroit Red Wings, quickly rising to become the go-to guy on Red Wings’ defense, known especially for his great offensive play and heavy shots. During his time in Detroit, Filip stopped using hockey tape on the blade of his hockey stick and switched to Rezztek®. Rezztek® is a lighter, and thinner alternative to hockey tape, that allows players to shoot harder and with better accuracy, thanks to a specifically designed surface with more grip than traditional hockey tape. Filip is using a customized version of Rezztek® that carries the Vancouver Canucks logo and his number (#17).

Meet the Player: Filip Hronek

We spoke with Filip Hronek about the shot:

Zdeno Chara’s NHL record stands at 108.8 mph, how would you feel to make the all-star game and have the chance to break it?

It would be amazing to have my shot officially measured at such a great event.

Martin Frk shot 109.2 mph at the AHL all-star game. Zdeno Chara holds the NHL record with a 108.8 mph and now you have the fastest shot ever recorded during an NHL game with 107.9 mph. Martin Frk is Czech, you are Czech and Zee’s father was Czech. Do Czechs have a secret recipe for shooting hard?

Haha, it might be a coincidence, but also Czech hockey school specifics. Hard to say 😊.

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Unlike tape, Rezztek® does not add friction to the bottom of the blade and is more grippy than traditional hockey tape. How does that help your shot?

I have been using Rezztek® since it was introduced to me few years ago and I feel really good when shooting with it. I do not think that it is a coincidence that Zee has chosen this technology as well – he is known to have measured everything and it definitely adds speed to your shot.