The title of fastest National Hockey League skater is coveted, with players constantly working to improve their speed and quickness on the ice. This coveted title is often determined by the results of the NHL All-Star Skills Competition’s Fastest Skater event, which sees players race around the rink to clock the fastest time.
Achieving top speed on the ice requires a combination of strength, endurance, and technique, and the players who consistently come out on top have mastered all of these aspects of skating.
Whether rushing down the ice to make a play or simply trying to outmaneuver their opponents, the NHL’s fastest skaters are a thrill to watch and an integral part of their team’s success. Their speed and quickness make them a formidable force on the ice, and they are always a threat to score whenever they are on the ice.
8. Evgeny Kuznetsov
Speed Time: 14.559 seconds
Birthday: May 19, 1992
Birthplace: Chelyabinsk, Russia
Pro Career Started: 2014
Team: Washington Capitals
photo source: i0.wp.com
Evgeny Kuznetsov is one of the NHL’s most dynamic offensive players, as evidenced by his performance in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The native from Chelyabinsk, Russia, scored one of the most important goals in Capitals history in overtime of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Second Round to eliminate the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins and advance the Capitals to the conference finals for the first time since 1998.
He then had 10 points (four goals, six assists) in seven games against the Tampa Bay Lightning and four assists in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Vegas Golden Knights.
Did You Know:
Before joining the NHL, Evgeny Kuznetsov was a decorated international junior player for Russia, winning a silver medal at the 2009 Under-18 World Championship and gold (2011) and silver (2012) at the IIHF World Junior Championship.
7. Dylan Larkin
Speed Time: 14.116 seconds Birthday: July 30, 1996 Birthplace: Michigan, United States Pro Career Started: 2014 Team: Detroit Red Wings
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Dylan Larkin, selected in the first round (15th overall) of the 2014 NHL Draft, became the first teenager (19 years old) to play on opening night since Mike Sillinger in 1990-91. He made the NHL after just one season at the University of Michigan, where he led the Big Ten rookies with 47 points (15 goals, 32 assists) and finished second in the NCAA among freshmen.
Larkin began his pro career with Grand Rapids in time for the American Hockey League playoffs, despite foregoing his final three years of college eligibility and signing a three-year entry-level contract.
Did You Know:
Dylan Larkin, who received an invitation to compete in the 2016 Honda NHL All-Star Game, took part in the Fastest Skater competition during All-Star Weekend and set a new record with a time of 13.172 seconds. Mike Gartner had previously held the record with a time of 13.386, set in 1996, six months before Larkin was born.
6. Kyle Connor
Speed Time: 13.851 seconds Birthday: December 9, 1996 Birthplace: Michigan, United States Pro Career Started: 2016 Team: Winnipeg Jets
photo source: bamgrid.com
Kyle Connor played one season at the University of Michigan before making his NHL debut, where he was named Big Ten Player of the Year as a freshman after finishing with 71 points (35 goals, 36 assists) in 38 games and finished second to Jimmy Vesey (Harvard) for the Hobey Baker Award, which is given to the top player in NCAA hockey.
On April 11, 2016, Connor signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Jets. He spent most of the 2016-17 season with Manitoba of the American Hockey League, but he played 20 games with the Jets and scored his first NHL goal on October 27, 2016, in a 4-1 win over the Dallas Stars.
Did You Know:
Kyle Connor became the first Jets/Atlanta Thrashers player to win the Lady Byng Trophy in 2021-22, given annually to the NHL player who best combines sportsmanship, gentlemanly conduct, and ability.
5. Cale Makar
Speed Time: 13.834 seconds Birthday: October 30, 1998 Birthplace: Calgary, Canada Pro Career Started: 2015 Team: Colorado Avalanche
photo source: usatoday.com
In 2015, the Calgary native, Cale Makar, committed to play for the University of Massachusetts, two years before the Avalanche selected him fourth overall in the 2017 NHL Draft.
He stayed true to his commitment to the University of Massachusetts for the 2017–18 campaign, quickly making a name for himself as one of the top NCAA defensemen and contributing to Canada’s victory at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship. He finished the season with 21 points (five goals, 16 assists), a plus–9 rating, and 34 games played.
Makar returned for his sophomore season in 2018-19 and was even better, finishing with 49 points (16 goals, 33 assists) in 41 games and leading Massachusetts to the Frozen Four for the first time, though the Minutemen were defeated 3-0 in the title game by Minnesota Duluth.
Did You Know:
After coming in second place to Adam Fox of the New York Rangers in 2020–21, Cale Makar was awarded the Norris Trophy, given to the best defenseman in the NHL.
4. Connor McDavid
Speed Time: 13.690 seconds Birthday: January 13, 1997 Birthplace: Richmond Hill, Canada Pro Career Started: 2015 Team: Edmonton Oilers
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In 2014–15, his final season with Erie, Connor McDavid was named OHL and Canadian Hockey League Player of the Year after tallying 44 goals, 120 points, and an OHL-best plus–60 rating.
The OHL’s top scholastic player, he also won the Bobby Smith Trophy for the second time in a rIn addition, he. He won the William Hanley Trophy as the League’s most sportsmanlike rookie in the OHL in 2013–14.
McDavid’s extraordinary acceleration, high-end speed, uncanny on-ice vision, and seemingly limitless repertoire of moves astounded scouts. As a result, Edmonton would take him first overall in the 2015 NHL Draft, which had won the lottery to determine the draft order.
Did You Know:
In addition to winning the Ted Lindsay Award for the third time, McDavid became only the second player in history to win the Hart Trophy with all 100 first-place votes from PHLWA members.
3. Chris Kreider
Speed Time: 13.664 seconds Birthday: April 30, 1991 Birthplace: Massachusetts, United States Pro Career Started: 2012 Team: NY Rangers
photo source: bostonglobe.com
In his three seasons at Boston College, Chris Kreider rose to become one of the best players in the country. In his rookie season of 2009–10, Kreider had 15 goals and assisted the Eagles in winning the national championship by scoring a goal against Wisconsin in the championship game.
He also played for the United States at the 2010 World Championship, scoring one goal in six games. He also contributed to the country’s victory at the 2010 World Junior Championship, finishing with six goals and seven points in seven games.
Did You Know:
On February 24, 2020, Chris Kreider agreed to a seven-year contract with the Rangers. He joined Vic Hadfield, Jaromir Jagr, Adam Graves, and Jaromir Jagr as the fourth Rangers player to score 50 goals, scoring an NHL career-high 52 goals in 2021–22. (50 in 1971-72).
2. Adrian Kempe
Speed Time: 13.585 seconds Birthday: September 13, 1996 Birthplace: Kramfors, Sweden Pro Career Started: 2017 Team: Los Angeles Kings
photo source: nhl.bamgrid.com
Adrian Kempe, a Kramfors, Sweden native, spent two seasons with Swedish Hockey League team Modo before committing to a three-year deal with the Kings on April 15, 2015. He was transferred to Manchester of the American Hockey League, where he contributed nine points (eight goals, one assist) in 17 postseason games to the Monarchs’ Calder Cup victory.
Kempe debuted in the NHL on February 16, 2017. On March 11, the Kings defeated the Washington Capitals 4-2 at Staples Center, and he scored his first goal in the NHL. Kempe’s first full season in the League in 2017–18 saw him finish with 37 points (16 goals, 21 assists) while posting a plus–11 rating in 81 games.
Did You Know:
On July 10, 2022, Adrian Kempe agreed to a four-year, $22 million contract with the Kings following NHL career-highs of 35 goals and 54 points. In seven Stanley Cup Playoff games, he led Los Angeles with six points (two goals, four assists).
1. Jordan Kyrou
Speed Time: 13.550 seconds Birthday: May 5, 1998 Birthplace: Toronto, Canada Pro Career Started: 2016 Team: St. Louis Blues
photo source: media.ksdk.com
Jordan Kyrou is the fastest skater currently in the NHL, with a speed time of 13.550 seconds. After his second season with OHL team Sarnia, the Blues selected Toronto native Kyrou in the second round (at pick No. 35) of the 2016 NHL Draft.
Kyrou went back to Sarnia, where he developed offensively, finishing with 109 points (39 goals, 70 assists) in 2017–18, the year in which he helped Canada win the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship, and 94 points (34 goals, 60 assists) in 2016–17.
He made an impression on the Blues during training camp in the autumn of 2018 and was a member of the lineup on opening night when they fell to the Winnipeg Jets 5-1 on October 4.
Did You Know:
On September 13, 2022, Kyrou agreed to an eight-year, $65 million deal with the Blues, starting in the 2023–24 season. At age 23, he achieved NHL career highs in goals (27), assists (48), and points (75) and tied for third on St. Louis with 19 power-play points. He earned an average annual value.