Skating Speed or Agility: What Is More Important in the Modern NHL?

[Kshahdoo]

Speed or agility - what do you think?

 

[OilerTyler]

Speed. You don't even need agility if you can skate fast in a straight line. Ask Grabner or Byron.

 

[ESH]

Speed. You don't even need agility if you can skate fast in a straight line. Ask Grabner or Byron.

At the same time though, someone like Johnny Gaudreau isn't especially fast, he's just extremely agile.

 

[lomiller1]

Explosiveness/acceleration > Agility > Speed

 

[kingsholygrail]

Why not both?

 

[LordNeverLose]

Speed. You don't even need agility if you can skate fast in a straight line. Ask Grabner or Byron.

Both of whom are like 4th liners, right? Doesn't that kind of prove the opposite?

 

[CBJx614]

Why not both?

exactly, you need the right combination of both. Thats what makes Mcdavid so damn special. He can blow by you make a full speed and break your ankles. But without the agility you cant make the cuts you need to weave through players.

 

[Hivemind]

Speed or agility - what do you think?

Yes.

 

[93LEAFS]

Really depends on your style of play and what position/role you play. I'd say agility/strength on the puck aka balance is probably the most important as so much offense comes off the cycle, you need to create separation in tight spaces to open up passing or shooting lanes. The key is having a skill that can buy you time on the puck that will allow you to utilize your hockey-iq. Now, for guys who are just there to play a bottom 6 role and PK, outright speed to play chip and chase is probably more important. But, for the elite players in this league, being able to create separation off the cycle is more important. This is generally better achieved with a combo of agility and hands such is the case with guys like Marner and Gaudreau.

 

[StatisticsAddict99]

Agility for Defensemen but neither for Forwards, Acceleration(but in saying that the player still needs speed to work with it).

 

[ProspectsFanatic]

1 Acceleration/Explosiveness
_
2/3/4 Whatever.

The rink is too small for top speed to really matter. Agility is a plus, but you can compensate with puck skill or being strong in puck protection, otherwise without the puck it isn't game-breaker as acceleration can be. There are numerous short races for the puck in a hockey game, being one or two step ahead can be the difference between being on a 1 on 1 vs being in a breakaway.

 

[93gilmour93]

Speed or agility - what do you think?

If your less agile that's one thing but if you can't skate you won't be playing in the NHL in almost all cases. Even the goon type players have to be able to skate because the game is faster then it's ever been.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Inside the bluelines quickness and shiftiness are more important than full stride speed. In between the bluelines full stride speed is more important.

 

[Paperbagofglory]

I disagree. I think whats more important is the talented skill of punching someone in the face when the ref is not looking. Sure you can out skate someone, but get under their skin and show them who's boss and you win.

 

[ChiefWiggum]

Agility. Everybody skates at relatively the same speed nowadays. Using simple speed to the outside is no longer a consistent strategy of beating a player.

Here are some plays from the best players. Do they scream agility or speed?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2EoEMHi4zo&t=2s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHyz-UchprQ&t=10s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtigFmeNSAw

 

[jw2]

Speed alone can get you an NHL spot.
Agility alone, can't.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Tanner Glass skates faster than Derek Stepan. Speed is important but there are many other important factors especially once inside the bluelines.

 

[euhchepas]

Both of whom are like 4th liners, right? Doesn't that kind of prove the opposite?

Both scored more than 20 goals this season how are they 4th liners?

to be a NHLer = speed
to be a good NHLer = speed and acceleration
to be a great NHLer = speed, acceleration and agility

most important is speed, if you don't have it you won't have a long career

 

[lawrence]

Sedins have been the Canucks slowest skaters since 2001 btw.

 

[Eisen]

Koltsov was a rocket and he got nowhere.