How Fast Do Hockey Players Skate? | Who is the NHL Fastest Skater?

What are the most basic capabilities that an ice hockey player must possess? Being able to skate fast was the top one on this list. If you can’t skate fast, you can’t make ice hockey a career because the fast skaters will trounce you. Hockey is a high-speed game. So, how fast do hockey players skate?

The fastest hockey players at their fastest can skate upward or reach 40 km/h or 25 mp/h. These flying skaters can complete a loop around the ice in nearly 13 or 14 seconds. Only the fastest skaters can touch this speed. During the gameplay, most professional skaters can skate in the range of 20 to 25 mp/h or 30 to 40 km/h. Recreational best skaters are below the speed of professional skaters.

Let’s break down how fast hockey players skate and who is the NHL’s fastest skater in 2022.

Winners of the Fastest Skater at All-Star Skills Competition

The NHL has a competition to determine the fastest skater. In this All-Star Skills Competition, the players must skate around the ice for a whole lap. The fastest player will take less time than the others and complete the task before them. So, the one to take the least time becomes the winner.

The maximum speed the players have reached in this competition is 25mp/h or 40 km/h. The table below shows the winners from the last five years.

Year	Player	Time in Seconds
2022	Jordan Kyrou	13.55
2020	Mathew Barzal	13.175
2019	Connor McDavid	13.378
2018	Connor McDavid	13.454
2017	Connor McDavid	13.31
2016	Dylan Larkin	13.172

In the 2022 NHL All-Star Skill Test, Jordan Kyrou won the fastest skater competition. (source)

Who is the Fastest Skater in the NHL?

Connor McDavid won the all-star skills competition three times, so most people consider him the fastest skater in the world, but according to recent results, Jordan Kyrou is the fastest skater in the year 2022. Here are the results of the 2022 all-star skills competition:

Rank	Player Name	Team	Time in Seconds
1	Jordan Kyrou	St. Louis Blues	13.550
2	Adrian Kempe	Los Angeles Kings	13.585
3	Chris Kreider	New York Rangers	13.664
4	Connor McDavid	Edmonton Oilers	13.690
5	Cale Makar	Colorado Avalanche	13.834
6	Kyle Connor	Winnipeg Jets	13.851
7	Dylan Larkin	Detroit Red Wings	14.116
8	Evgeny Kuznetsov	Washington Capitals	14.559

Who is the Fastest Player ever in the NHL?

In the history of the NHL, Bobby Hull is the fastest player, with a speed of 29.7 mph or 47.8 km. His name is there in the Hockey Hall of Fame. This is a considerable number, a breakneck speed!

There is also a team in his name, the Winnipeg Jets. Bobby Hull was also called the Golden Jet because of his blonde hair, which would race through the wind while skating.

Factors impacting skating speed

Many factors are involved in skating speed. Let’s have a quick peek at them.

• Skate Blade: Players use shorter blades as they can skate faster than those who use long blades. It’s because shorter blades provide less resistance to ice, helping players to glide more swiftly.
• Ice Type: Ice nature also affects skating speed. Harder ice offers fast skating than softer ice.
• Body Weight: Lightweight skaters skates faster than heavy-weight skaters as heavy-weight skaters have more mass to skate against the ice, which makes them slow.
• Skating technique: Skaters who apply good skating technique skate swiftly and effortlessly over the ice as compared to those who do not have good skating technique.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

In conclusion, NHL fastest players, at their absolute fastest, can reach to or upwards of 40 km/h, equal to a car covering 40 km/h at moderate speed. Hockey players are becoming faster with the improving skills, training, effort, equipment, and practice. However, only a few hockey players can reach this milestone. Being a faster player is a part of hockey; however, it helps in the line change, taking the puck, and avoiding checks.

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