It’s funny when I started in Anaheim, Tim Army was our assistant coach, and he was a huge Wayne Gretzky and Bobby Orr fan. Paul Kariya: With the puck, I don’t think anyone has skated faster than Connor McDavid. As he’s gotten stronger, he’s gotten faster as well. I’ve watched him develop and work out with Gary Roberts he has a facility in one of our hockey arenas. I’ve watched him as a young guy growing up. Connor’s about the fastest guy I’ve seen, though. I played with Mark Messier in New York and with Team Canada. I’ve played with Paul Coffey and against Paul for years. Mike Gartner: I’ve seen some great skaters.

For those two guys, you can tell there’s no slowdown once the puck gets on their stick. But you throw the puck in the mix, and they come down a couple gears. A lot of guys are great skaters, and they can move up and down. What sets MacKinnon and McDavid apart is that they don’t slow down when they get the puck. Even (Sergei) Fedorov could get a little separation. Back in our day, (Pavel) Bure was that guy who had that straightaway speed.

Mike Modano: At this point, Connor may be one of them.

Paul Coffey: With or without the puck? There are a lot of guys that can go 90 (miles per hour) without getting the puck on their stick. Who is the fastest skater you’ve ever seen? The Athletic enlisted the help of five Hockey Hall of Fame players - five of the fastest and smoothest striders to ever lace them up - to dish on what makes No. “It’s quite a spectacle (what) Connor’s doing out there,” NHL legend Mike Gartner said.Īnd though McDavid has taken his overall game to new heights during the playoffs with his defensive and physical play, his blazing speed is still his calling card. McDavid is having an unreal postseason, co-leading the scoring race with teammate Leon Draisaitl with 26 points in 12 games.

Download connor mcdavid skate