The NHL literally has highest top speed data for the entire league for the 3rd season now. Larkin and Barzal haven’t made the top 10 once. The top 5 this year was Owen Tippett, Luke Hughes, Connor McDavid, Brayden Point, and Nathan MacKinnon.
As much as I like McDavid, I think a good case could be made for him being #1. If we're going by top speed achieved, Owen Tippett and Luke Hughes are #1 and #2, and then McDavid, Point, MacKinnon. When looking at the highest speed player's play at, MacKinnon is the leader by a long shot. He averaged 118 22mph+ bursts compared to McDavid's (#2) 66, and Necas' (#3) 49. When looking at 20mph+ bursts, MacKinnon had 717, McDavid (#2) had 457, and Point (#3) had 436.
Owen Tippet is the fastest skater in NHL history. Most of the NHL ratings are bogus. It's especially bad now that there are stats to track all this crap.
Barzel, Tippet, Larkin, Kyrou, Athanasiou... I could make a better list of guys not even listed. I'm taking it with a fat grain of salt though since its a game and they have to do some Mcmeatriding
When are people gonna realize there’s a difference between skills competitions and real games. Larkin, Barzal, and Kyrou beat McDavid once each in a single knockout. The NHL has tracked top speed for the entire league for 3 years now. Larkin, Barzal, and Kyrou haven’t made the top 10 in any of those seasons.
Another fact showing how meaningless skills comps are: Every time Draisaitl has been in the shot accuracy competition he’s struggled and finished at the bottom. Meanwhile every year he’s near the top of the league in shooting % during actual games.
