Jeff Skinner is a former figure skater, if were talking about best skating ability hes probably the most talented. Crosby is the strongest on his edges, and protecting the puck. Kane is best at quick lateral movements. McDavids transition speed is amazing.

Speed : Mcdavid Agility : Kane Balance : Crosby

Skinner is so underrated it's not even a joke eh

Jeff Skinner has more control on one outside edge than most guys would on kiddy skates

Skinner is definitely an incredible skater. the way he turns his feet to change which edge is his strong edge is amazing. Sid does that well too but skinner's footwork really stands out

Where's John Scott?

If we're talking pure speed, Paul Byron is right up there, despite the lack of recognition. Hear me out. I'm not saying he's elite with hands, body, etc etc etc, but good god can this guy move his legs. He CREATES breakaways. I've watched him blow past Karlsson, Letang, etc. Overall skating isn't Byron. But speed? Quite possibly Byron. It's ridiculous what he can create based solely on being able to blow past defenders like they aren't there.

Crosby is by far the best skater in the NHL. His stride is so strong and controlled, it's a skating skill way ahead of our time. The way he's able to smoothly transition his body in any split second situation makes it look like he saw it coming from 5 steps back. There is no competition.

Johnny Gaudreau, Patrick Kane and Crosby

No respect for defensemen. Karlsson? Josi? Dmen have to be the best skaters on the team.

Dylan Larkin or Darren Helm. Helm has wheels like no other.

Anthanasiou and Zucker are two really good skaters.

MICHAEL FRICKIN GRABNER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There is a Swedish player in the highest league in Sweden who just returned from NHL who played with McDavid, his name is Joakim Nygård, he's extremely fast and good on his skates, too bad no one drafting him when he was young and when he still were hungry for NHL because he is pure speed demon on the ice, such wasted potential on a player who could have become something extraordinary.

Jeff Skinner is more elusive and speedy than most people would think

Skinny finally getting recognized

Mitch Marner

McDavid or Kane. They are unbelievable, 2 of my favorite players in the league...

Mcdavid is best when it comes to speed personally I try to model myself after him. Crosby has great form just a little slower. Brandon Saad and Chris Krieder should be in there.

Hands down John Scott.

Who's Jakub Zobril lol ? i only know Jakub Zboril ..

John Scott?

Sid using his skating ability in the corners with edges and balance is second to none

How didn't anyone say Michael Grabner? Sure he isn't as skilled as the other players mentioned in the video, but skating? He is easily the fastest skater in the NHL, probably the best skater too. If he was better at putting the puck in the net, he would be one of the best goalscorers in the league just because of how many breakaways he get!

LARKIN baby

Here's an underrated one for you. Hossa. He might not be the "fastest" or the quickest back and forth, but he has a thoroughbreds stride. He covers distance like few I've ever seen.

what about nail yakupov and dylan larkin?

This is probably biased as a leafs fan, but I have never seen a smoother stride than William Nylander. He is pretty quick, but his fluidity, edges, and ability to move in small spaces is something i can't not notice.

Erik karlsson is the best skater in the NHL

Guess they’ve never seen Mat Barzal fly past them at unprecedented speeds, he has great skating ability, almost on par with the greats

Erik Karlsson

I remember watching Mike Sullivan skate. You could not hear his cuts with the boards micd.

Speed : Eichel/Mcdavid Agility : Skinner/Kane Balance :Crosby Dynamic: Skinner again/Karlsson

Don't know who the best ACTIVE skater is, but the best skater in the history of the league (Orr and Savard are the closest) is Sergei Federov... no question.

Depends on how you define 'best'... speed? accelration? agility? balance? Because someone will be better than the other but only in some categories. I prefer someone who can combine speed with weight and strength or someone who have great balance and puck protection.

Matt Duchene anyone?

Top 5 5. Cogliano 4. Grabner 3. Larkin 2. Haglien 1. Crosby/Kane

Erik Karlsson? Noticed not one defenceman is mentioned. These forwards, would look out of place if they had to skate backwards if they got their own dose of speed/shiftiness going forward.

Larkin and Athanasiou are the fastest in the league.

I'm biased but I'd say Erik Haula. Fast as hell and can turn on a dime. Silky smooth on the ice

Michael Grabner is an underdog in this category

Jake vorcheck on the flyers he is so smooth

Back in the days Bure was my favorite player. He could skate too, to say the least!

Where's Paul Byron

Anyone else like Oliver Ekman-Larsson's stride? So smooth and effortless

sid has amazing edge work however some of the young guns now a days such as marner geudrau and nyquivst have Raw speed and not to mention larkin

dylan larkin

there's so many ways to describe "best skater". You have top end fast, and then you have expolosive quickness, fast with the puck vs fast WITHOUT the puck, lateral movement, transition, strength on feet, etc.

hagelin for pure speed, mcdavid for agility/overall ability (he's also extremely fast though), william nylander in terms of smoothness and fluidity for sure. overall it has to be davo.

I would challenge just about any NHL player with a shot contest I know I shoot harder than 90% of the players and I would put anything on it,I would also give a lot of them a run for accuracy... Mind boggling how o watch so many players miss the net or not being able to hit a spot... I dont practice as much but I still take 500 shots a day at my shooting range,anyone in the ny/NJ area stop by.

Dylan Larkin?!!

I'd say Taylor Hall may not be the best skater but he deserves to be in the conversation. He has some crazy explosive acceleration in his stride.

the best - Skinner the fastest - Grabner

Phil "the subtweeter" Kessel

Grabner is insanely good on his skates

It was Marleau when he was in his prime.... now I'd say McDavid, Crosby, etc

i love how many people are like oh but so and so is faster. being the best skater means your fast, powerful, and footwork/edgework at diferrent speeds. overall def still goes to crosby. but once McDavid gets stronger he'll be the gold standard for skating

They´ve done competition on this. Hagelin won that competition followed by Erik Karlsson. William Nylander is probably 3rd fastest.

Depends on your definition: Surprised no one mentioned Johnny Gaudreau. His edgework and shiftiness are the best in the league imo, even Kane admitted that himself In terms of sheer speed: I'd probably say Connor Mcdavid, maybe Drouin, Larkin In terms of strength and balance on his skates: I'd say Crosby, it's impossible to just push him off the puck

Technique and footwork: Crosby. Speed: Maybe hagelin, McDavid, Athanasiou. Karlsson might be one too. In fact, I am surprised nobody mentioned him. He has blasted by Kane, for example.

Did anyone else notice that Pavel Zacha was saying "Jake Eichel" instead of "Jack Eichel"?

I am a little baffled no one who mentioned Crosby mention how he uses his skates when he isn't scoring goals or the general "he' so swift"

Goalies become the best skaters over their whole hockey career. The lateral movements they have to do, plus all that equipment make them the strongest, yet most agile skaters on the team. I would know, I was a goalie and could smoke any team mate once I threw on a pair of players skates. Wearing heavy pads my whole life made my legs powerhouses. Untouchable!

When I think of best skater, I think of creating space and distance from other players. For me there is no question the best right now is McDavid.

Thomas Chabot said Crosby doesn't fall a lot. I guess he wasn't counting diving

Crosby best but not fastest IMO Hagelin is fast AF and Nylander is great at small Spaces IMO top 5 on small places

How fast is Paul "Breakaway" Byron?

duncan keith gets my vote, hes so agile and fast both backwards and forwards

All thos eguys are great but here's a couple not mentioned: Erik Karlsson, Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin.

the best skater in the nhl is Toby enstrom, defenceman from winnipeg. not the fastest skater in the league but his transitions from direction to direction are out of this world. his perfect positional play and skating are what allows a guy who's only 5 foot 10 160 pounds to play defense in the nhl. aaaannnnd he's uses a stick that's the same length as his teamates, 6 foot 8 tyler myers. one of the most underrated defensemen in the league

McDavid or Erik Haula

Jeff Petry is amazing

I thought Jakub Zobril was Seguin for a second

McDavid is already a top 5 player in the world, if not the best. And fastest to me are McDavid, Larkin, Kane Hagelin and Haula.

Mcdavid imo

John Tavares, obviously :D

Why is eichel's number 41 when his number is 15

Almost everybody in NHL are good and fast skaters. This is hard. Its all in the matter opinion. Maybe there is someone that we dont know about in some other country or outsider on the teams that is good to.

Wow! Not a lot of people watching the Senators. Erik Karlsson is the best skater in the league by far.

1. Crosby 2. Eichel 3. Gaudreau 4. Tyler Johnson

Brian Campbell. No question. He just doesn't have other outstanding skills to make him stand out.

how did no one say Larkin, he is the fastest player by fact

I know he's a newbie, but what about Brayden Point?

Dylan Larkin

Ryan Spooner is a great skater. He's not a superstar or anything, but has amazing skating ability.

Where's that bender Tyler Kennedy

Marleau for sure! He's been one of the fastest skaters in the league for almost 20years now.

Bobby Orr is the best skater ever. Paul Coffey is highly under-rated.

I was thinking Johnny Gaudreau or Nathan Mackinnon

In terms of pure acceleration Karlsson is probably the best. His explosvity tests at the draft combine were of the charts.

Top speed, I think it's McDavid beyond any doubt. Footwork in general, I think McDavid's a little behind Crosby and (my most unpopular opinion) Subban.

Might be surprised but in a few years I won't be surprised if Connor sheary is up there

1. Mcdavid 2. Athenesayoo (the guy on Detroit) 3. Sid

All-Star 2016 1st Line (West) Kane-McDangles-Tarasenko (East) OV-Sid-Larkin

Andreas Athanisou. Watch his highlights.

people forgetting about Erik Karlsson

fastest is mcdavid, best edge work is crosby, kane has fast feet that go well with his hands and pk subban is a great backwards skater.

Where's Dillon larkon

Pavel Bure is the best of all time

im surprised nobody said Duchene