Ice hockey has never been as fast as it is today. This means that, in order to be successful, players have to constantly work on their speed. The era of big and strong hockey players is slowly ending. Whoever wants to break through in the best hockey league in the world has to be fast. So here is the question: Who is the fastest skater in the NHL?
The speed of hockey has increased over the past few years. The trend is clearly set, and the speed of the game will be even higher. Every player needs to be fast, which helps smaller and lighter hockey players, while in the past, height and weight played a more significant role.
It's important to say that it's not always the case that the fastest players are part of the All-Star Game. Therefore, this event cannot be taken as the main indicator of speed in the NHL. Continue reading to find out why.
Who is the fastest hockey player according to the EDGE technology?
The NHL works with a new generation of statistics called the EDGE. With NHL EDGE, it is possible to see various player metrics such as shooting accuracy, ice time, power play efficiency, or velocity. In the chart below, you will see the fastest NHL players from the season 2023–2024. These are the players who are truly the fastest ones in the current season.
| Rank | Name | Team |
Speed (kph) |
Speed (mph) |
| 1 | Owen Tippett | Philadelphia Flyers | 38.97 | 24.21 |
| 2 | Luke Hughes | New Jersey Devils | 38.93 | 24.19 |
| 3 | Brayden Point | Tampa Bay Lightning | 38.86 | 24.15 |
| 4 | Nathan MacKinnon | Colorado Avalanche | 38.70 | 24.05 |
| 5 | Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers | 38.70 | 24.05 |
| 6 | Valeri Nichushkin | Colorado Avalanche | 38.56 | 23.96 |
| 7 | Rasmus Kupari | Winnipeg Jets | 38.54 | 23.95 |
| 8 | Miles Wood | Colorado Avalanche | 38.39 | 23.88 |
| 9 | Ryan McLeod | Edmonton Oilers | 38.34 | 23.82 |
| 10 | Brandon Tanev | Seattle Kraken | 38.31 | 23.80 |
SOURCE: NHL EDGE
The fastest skaters in today's NHL
During the 2024 NHL All-Star Weekend, traditionally, the competition for the fastest skater in the best hockey league in the world took place. Connor McDavid from the Edmonton Oilers took first place and proved that he is not just incredibly skilled but extremely quick too. Among the fastest skaters competing were also Matthew Barzal, Quinn Hughes, William Nylander, and Cale Makar.
| Rank | Name | Team | Speed (Time) |
| 1 | Connnor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers | 13.408 seconds |
| 2 | Mathew Barzal | New York Islanders | 13.519 seconds |
| 3 | Quinn Hughes | Vancouver Canucks | 14.088 seconds |
| 4. | Cale Makar | Colorado Avalanche | 14.089 seconds |
| 5 | William Nylander | Toronto Maple Leafs | 14.164 seconds |
SOURCE: NHL.COM
The fastest players in the NHL history
There were many fast players in NHL history, but it is difficult to measure which one was the fastest because different eras worked with various data. You will find in the chart below 15 of the fastest players in the history of the NHL. All of them are true legends of the game; for example, Maurice "The Rocket" Richard, Paul Coffey, Sergei Fedorov, or Peter Bondra.
| Name | Team(s) | Proof of velocity (VIDEO) |
| Maurice Richard | MTL | How fast was Richard? |
| Bobby Orr | BOS, CHI | How fast was Orr? |
| Scott Niedermayer | ANA, NJD | How fast was Niedermayer? |
| Connor McDavid | EDM | How fast is McDavid? |
| Sami Kapanen | HAR, CAR, PHI | How fast was Kapanen? |
| Bobby Hull | CHI, WIN, HAR | How fast was Hull? |
| Mike Gartner | WSH, MIN, NYR, TML, PHX | How fast was Gartner? |
| Sergei Fedorov | DET, ANA, CBJ, WSH | How fast was Fedorov? |
| Yvan Cournoyer | MTL | How fast was Cournoyer? |
| Paul Coffey | EDM, PIT, LAK, DET, HAR, PHI, CAR, CHI, BOS | How fast was Coffey? |
| Pavel Bure | VAN, FLA, NYR | How fast was Bure? |
| Peter Bondra | WSH, OTT, ATL, CHI | How fast was Bondra? |
| Dylan Larkin | DET | How fast is Larkin? |
| Marián Gáborík | MIN, NYR, CBJ, LAK, OTT | How fast was Gáborík? |
| Erik Karlsson | OTT, SJS, PITT | How fast is Karlsson? |
SOURCE: THEHOCKEYWRITERS.COM
Speed on the ice and how is it connected to ice hockey skates?
A player's speed is influenced by the choice of his skates. In the chart below, you will see the most popular types and brands of ice hockey skates used by some of the fastest skaters in the National Hockey League. It is interesting that Dylan Larkin, Owen Tippett, William Nylander, Quinn Hughes and Luke Hughes all use Bauer Vapor HyperLite 2.
| Rank | Name | Team | Skates |
| 1 | Connor McDavid | Edmonton Oilers | CCM JetSpeed |
| 2 | Dylan Larkin | Detroit Red Wings | Bauer Vapor HyperLite 2 |
| 3 | Owen Tippett | Philadelphia Flyers | Bauer Vapor HyperLite 2 |
| 4 | Mathew Barzal | New York Islanders | CCM Super Tacks AS3 Pro |
| 5 | Cale Makar | Colorado Avalanche | Bauer Supreme Mach |
| 6 | William Nylander | Toronto Maple Leafs | Bauer Vapor HyperLite 2 |
| 7 | Luke Hughes | New Jersey Devils | Bauer Vapor HyperLite 2 |
| 8 | Quinn Hughes | Vancouver Canucks | Bauer Vapor HyperLite 2 |
| 9 | Rasmus Kupari | Winnipeg Jets | Bauer Supreme Mach |
| 10 | Brandon Tanev | Seattle Kraken | Bauer Supreme Mach |
SOURCE: GEAR GEEK
Skate sharpening and how does it influence speed?
When it comes to hockey equipment, players often invest heavily in sticks, gloves, and protective gear. Even smaller accessories like blade grips (e.g. Rezztek®) or stick grips get their fair share of attention. However, one crucial aspect that is frequently overlooked is hockey skate sharpening and profiling. This seemingly minor adjustment can have a significant impact on a player's performance, making it a game-changer in the world of hockey. Read our blog on sharpening and skate profiling.
*Stats validity: March 7, 2024
Featured Image Credits: Detroit Free Press, NSCA, AP, Broad Street Hockey
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