The 50 Fastest Skaters in NHL History

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The definition of electrify is to excite intensely or suddenly. 

That is exactly what these players have done for NHL fans over the course of their careers. The minute they touch the puck, they kick it into another gear and rip down the ice.

These speed demons have been the envy of their peers and the downfall of defenders. Whenever the puck is on their stick, the crowd lets in a collective gasp as they brace themselves for something spectacular.

Here are the 50 fastest skaters in NHL history.

50. Ron Ellis

Yet another great Leafs skater was Ron Ellis. He played his entire NHL career with the Leafs and was one of the league's fastest skaters nearly every season.

49. John Anderson

Not only did he have a great mustache, John Anderson could also skate. He always drove hard to the net.

48. Rick Middleton

Rick Middleton would do whatever he had to in order to win, but his favorite way to beat his opponents was by blowing by them.

47. Greg Polis

Greg Polis was one of the great Penguin players before Pittsburgh was a real hockey market. Because of that fact, Polis and his speed never really got the accolades they should.

46. Johnny McKenzie

Johnny McKenzie skated his way to two Stanley Cups with the Boston Bruins. The fans loved to watch him play and affectionately called him "Pie" and "Bronco."

45. Murray Wilson

Although he had a short NHL career, Murray Wilson made the best of it. Wilson could keep up with anyone in the league, no matter how far into the game it was.

44. Mark Napier

Mark Napier continues the great lineage of Canadien skaters with his quick feet. It's now wonder the franchise won so many Stanley Cups.

43. Bob Gainey

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Although he doesn't look like it nowadays, Bob Gainey could really skate back in his playing days. He was one of the most difficult players to keep up with. 

42. Dave Keon

Dave Keon is one of the great Toronto Maple Leafs. He also knew how to beat defenders when he was driving to the net and was seldom stopped.

41. Mike Walton

Mike "Shakey" Walton was a fan favorite during his days. Much of this was because he was so much fun to watch on the ice, which was facilitated with his skating ability. 

40. Dick Duff

Dick Duff was certainly Mr. Canada. He won two Stanley Cups with the Toronto Maple Leafs and four more with the Montreal Canadiens.

He accomplished this largely with his speed.

39. Billy Hicke

Billy Hicke was a small player, but made up for his lack of size with his speed. Hicke could skate by almost anybody.

38. Paul Henderson

Paul Henderson had one of the quickest sets of feet in the NHL. However, he is best known for scoring the winning goals against the USSR in the Summit Series.

37. Ralph Backstrom

The Montreal Canadiens were fortunate enough to have several speedsters in their franchise's history. 

Ralph Backstrom was one of the best skaters of the 1960s.

36. Kenny Wharram

Kenny Wharram played with some great players in Chicago, but he could hold his own.

Wharram always made the best of his opportunities when he was in open space.

35. Bill Guerin

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Bill Guerin is one of the great American players. Although he wasn't always first known for his skating ability, Guerin was deceptively fast. 

34. Butch Goring

Maybe it was the helmet that made him fast, but Butch Goring seemed uncatchable in his day. It was easier said than done, but he needed to be kept off of the puck.

33. Glenn Anderson

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One of Messier's teammates was Glenn Anderson. Anderson certainly wasn't slowing anyone down as he was equally as fast.

32. Mark Messier

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Mark Messier was one of the fastest skaters in the 1980s. Today, he's still grinding away by participating in marathons. The racer just can't be taken out of him.

31. Freddie Stanfield

Freddie Stanfield bounced around a bit in his career, but he was his team's best skater no matter whom he played for.

30. Sami Kapanen

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Sami Kapanen's speed certainly dropped off a lot toward the end of his career. However, in his prime, few could skate with Kapanen.

29. Michael Grabner

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Michael Grabner is the lone Austrian to crack this list, but is very deserving of the honor. Grabner practically came out of nowhere after being waived by the Florida Panthers, mainly because of his speed.

28. Scott Niedermayer

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Scott Niedermayer was a great all-around player. Not only was he one of the toughest defensemen, he could also skate.

As a matter of fact, he twice won the fastest skater competition. 

27. Henri Richard

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Next comes Maurice's brother, the Pocket Rocket. Henri skated his way to a North American-sports record 11 championships. 

26. Yvan Cournoyer

Yvan Cournoyer maybe one of the most underrated skaters in NHL history. A shadow was cast over him from playing with so many greats, but he could really accelerate. 

25. Gordie Howe

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Gordie Howe could do it all. Not only was he tough and durable, he was also quick. Howe could beat opponents in a variety of ways.

24. Paul Coffey

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Paul Coffey was another highly skilled defenseman. He led many breakouts from the defensive zone in his career with his quick-skating ability. 

23. Theo Fleury

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Theo Fleury was one of the great burners of the 90s. Someone always had to defend him closely when he was on the wing.

22. Rod Gilbert

It seemed as soon as the puck touched Rod Gilbert's stick, he was already gone. He really knew how to blow by opponents.

21. Martin St. Louis

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Another player small in stature but not lacking nothing in speed is Martin St. Louis. Good luck trying to catch him if he gets by you.

20. Patrick Marleau

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Even as he begins to age, Patrick Marleau can still skate with the best of them. He's caused havoc for defensemen over the course of his entire career.

19. Tony Amonte

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Tony Amonte was one of the most exciting American players to ever play the game. He awed fans with his speed as he glided through the neutral zone.

18. Wayne Gretzky

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This list would be lacking if the Great One himself wasn't on it. He was simply just built to be a hockey player. He had all of the assets, including a great pair of feet. 

17. Andy McDonald

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Andy McDonald was quite the blazer earlier in his career. He had the ability to split defenders and go straight to the net.

16. Darren Helm

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Another player who is scary in open space is Darren Helm. Once he gets a hold of the puck, the defense is in trouble.

15. Bobby Orr

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Bobby Orr is one of the most gifted players to ever grace the NHL ice surface. In addition to all of his other attributes, Orr really knew how to skate whether he was defending or attacking.

14. Gilbert Perreault

The centerpiece to the French Connection was Gilbert Perreault. He was a great playmaker setting up his linemates Rene Robert and Rick Martin. 

13. Sergei Samsonov

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Another Russian to crack the list, Sergei Samsonov's NHL career appears to be over. However, while he was in the league, he could skate with the best of them, even later in his career.

12. Bobby Hull

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The Golden Jet was appropriately nicknamed. Bobby Hull is one of the most explosive players in NHL history.

He could seemingly create a scoring chance out of nothing simply by moving his feet.

11. Peter Bondra

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Peter Bondra had the privilege of playing with some great players throughout his career, but he was no slouch himself. His speed seemingly always created matchup problems for his opponents.

10. Guy Lafleur

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Surprise, surprise, another Canadien on the list. One of the most iconic Canadiens is Guy Lafleur. He finished off many great plays with his skating ability. 

9. Marcel Dionne

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Marcel Dionne was a fantastic pure skater. When he moved, it looked like poetry in motion as he seemingly moved effortlessly.

8. Marian Gaborik

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Marian Gaborik is a fantastic playmaker, and it all starts with him moving his feet to create opportunities. Gaborik always needs to be marked up when on the ice.

7. Andrew Cogliano

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Andrew Cogliano won the 2009 fastest skater competition in 14.31 seconds. Cogliano has also shown he's very fast during live game action, both with and without the puck.

6. Alexander Mogilny

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There have been a number of speedsters coming from Russia, and Alexander Mogilny laid down the foundation for many of these guys after being one of the first successful Russians to compete in the NHL. 

Like his countrymen, he was also a blazer.

5. Maxim Afinogenov

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Sometimes Maxim Afinogenov seemed too fast for his own good. He moved faster than his mind could process at times.

However, once he was in open space, no one could catch him.

4. Maurice Richard

Maurice Richard was the original Rocket. He revolutionized the game with his offensive prowess and skating ability. 

3. Sergei Fedorov

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One of the fan favorites from the 90s was Sergei Fedorov.

Fedorov played fast both on offense and defense. Although he was known for his offensive skills, he was also a great defender, winning the Selke Trophy.

2. Pavel Bure

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We start off this list with the Russian Rocket himself. Pavel Bure was undoubtedly one of the fastest players of his generation. Bure was also one of the most exciting players ever to watch because of his speed.

1. Mike Gartner

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Mike Gartner was twice the fastest skater during the NHL All-Star Skills Competition. He holds the record for completing the lap in 13.386 seconds.