Breaking Down What Makes the Top NHL Players so Effective

Tom Urtz Jr.Jun 8, 2018

The NHL has some of the world's greatest athletes, and the league's top players like Steven Stamkos, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin all have certain skills and strengths that make them effective.

For Stamkos, his amazing shot gives him an edge, Crosby has his vision and Malkin has a little of both.

Whenever you have to pick a select group of top players, there is no way to please everyone, and some players are left just on the outside looking in.

The criteria for selecting players will include players with trademark strengths, players who have been consistently good and players that are bona-fide superstars.

Statistics from this season only play a small role, and this list will contain a mixture of forwards, defensemen and goaltenders.

Steven Stamkos

1 of 26

Biggest Strength: Slap Shot

Steven Stamkos's shot, more importantly his slap shot, is what makes him one of the NHL's top players. Stamkos is the league's top sniper, and he is coming off an impressive 60-goal season.

Throughout his career to date, Stamkos has gradually evolved into an elite player, and his lightning quick (no pun intended) shot is a big reason why he is one of the NHL's most dangerous scorers.

Erik Karlsson

2 of 26

Biggest Strength: Speed

Erik Karlsson is the reigning Norris Trophy winner, and he is regarded as one of the league's top offensive-defenders.

A big part of Karlsson's game is his amazing speed because it allows him to join the rush and create scoring chances for him and his teammates.

Karlsson is out for the remainder of the season after having his ACL sliced during a play along the boards, so hopefully when he returns his speed will not be impacted.

Pavel Datsyuk

3 of 26

Biggest Strength: Puckhandling

Pavel Datsyuk is the NHL's top puck-handler, and he is a player who is a wizard with the puck.

He has amazing hands, and he is able to control the puck while skating through traffic, and he uses that ability to deke his way to a goal of maneuver the puck to a nearby teammate.

Datsyuk's two-way game is also a huge strength, but his dekes, dangles and puck-handling makes him one of the best in the game.

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Shea Weber

4 of 26

Biggest Strength: Point Shot

Shea Weber is an elite all-around defenseman who is regarded as one of the NHL's best, and he is the captain of the Nashville Predators.

Weber is a very talented defender who uses his size, strength and skill set to his advantage. If you were to pinpoint one thing that gave Weber an edge, it would be his howitzer of a slap shot that he can release from the point with ease.

Jonathan Toews

5 of 26

Biggest Strength: Two-way play

Jonathan Toews is one of of the NHL's top two-way centers, and he is an amazing shutdown defender and lethal scorer.

Toews is a great passer and has a solid shot, and he also is a skilled penalty-killer who is responsible on the defensive side of the puck.

Captain Serious is also known for his leadership abilities, and his ability to lead helps him to be one of the game's most effective players.

Jimmy Howard

6 of 26

Biggest Strength: Athleticism

Jimmy Howard is the Detroit Red Wings' starting netminder, and a goalie who has a lot of potential.

In addition to being one of the NHL's most acrobatic goaltenders, Howard has been a consistent 30-game or more winner for the Wings during the past three seasons.

This consistency has allowed the Red Wings to be a playoff contender. In the shortened season, Howard's 30-game win streak will be snapped, but he should still be a rock for the Wings in the future.

Alex Pietrangelo

7 of 26

Greatest Strength: Offensive Skills

Alex Pietrangelo is one of the NHL's top defenders, and he is a player who should collect a few Norris Trophies before his career is over.

Pietrangelo is a solid two-way defender who is strong positionally and physically, but his offensive skills like his point shot and passing abilities on the power play makes the St. Louis Blues skater a top offensive-defenseman.

Henrik Lundqvist

8 of 26

Biggest Strength: Consistency

Henrik Lundqvist is the NHL's top netminder, and a goaltender who is known for making amazing saves with ease and playing in game after game each year.

Lundqvist is a goaltender who does a good job covering up a big part of the net, and his consistent compete level enables the reigning Vezina winner to go on hot streaks.

Sidney Crosby

9 of 26

Biggest Strength: Vision/Hockey Sense

Sidney Crosby is regarded as the NHL's top superstar, and there are many things that make Crosby an elite player.

Crosby is a great passer and scorer, but what enables him to capitalize in scoring situations is his vision and hockey sense. The Cole Harbor native has the ability to read plays before they happen, and he uses this to attack in the right areas.

If not for concussions, Crosby could have been on pace to be in a position to challenge for a number of Wayne Gretzky's records.

Zdeno Chara

10 of 26

Biggest Strength: Size

Zdeno Chara is a massive defenseman who uses his size to his advantage in many areas. With Chara's size, he has incredible reach, a booming howitzer of a slap shot and a hulking frame to lay out opponents with body checks.

Chara is widely considered to be one of the NHL's elite defenders, and his size really is a huge part of his overall game.

Evgeni Malkin

11 of 26

Biggest Strength: Passing

Evgeni Malkin was the NHL's top forward in 2011-12 as he captured the Hart Trophy and the Art Ross Trophy for his efforts.

Malkin is a sizable forward who is very strong on the puck, and he is able to hold on to it for a long time while driving through traffic.

Although Malkin is always a threat to score, he is one of the game's best passers, and he is a terrific playmaker.

Ilya Kovalchuk

12 of 26

Biggest Strength: Slap Shot

Ilya Kovalchuk is an elite sniper, who also is a solid PPG player who doesn't always get the recognition he deserves. Kovy has been a talented player throughout his career, and he had the league's most lethal one-timer until Stamkos entered the league.

In New Jersey Kovalchuk has been an offensive catalyst, and his slap shot is one of the reasons he is a top goal scorer at the NHL level.

Zach Parise

13 of 26

Biggest Strength: Two-way Play

Zach Parise is one of the NHL's skilled two-way players, and he was a great acquisition by the Minnesota Wild.

Not only is Parise a skilled offensive forward when it comes to shooting and scoring, he is a great passer, a tenacious fore checker and a player who is a born leader.

Kris Letang

14 of 26

Biggest Strength: Offensive Skills

Kris Letang is the Pittsburgh Penguins' best defenseman, and he is a player who helps make the Pittsburgh Penguins an offensive powerhouse.

Letang is a great skater, passer and his shot is a key part of the Penguins' power play. When Letang is on the ice, opponents take notice because he can beat you many ways.

Letang covers a ton of space on the ice with ease, so he can easily transition from offense to defense.

Jonathan Quick

15 of 26

Biggest Strength: Athleticism

Jonathan Quick is an athletic netminder who is off to a rough start, but he is still one of the league's best.

Quick is one of the most athletic netminders in the NHL, and he makes many sprawling and acrobatic saves night after night.

The best from Quick is still on the horizon, and his athleticism should allow him to enjoy a lengthy career.

Patrick Kane

16 of 26

Biggest Strength: Offensive Versatility

Patrick Kane has reemerged in a big way for the Chicago Blackhawks, and he is reminding the NHL why he is one of the game's top offensive players.

Kane is a versatile forward who is a lethal goal scorer, talented passer and a skilled puck carrier.

Kane uses his agile hands to protect the puck, and then he uses his skill and experience to decide whether or not he should shoot or pass to an open teammate.

Claude Giroux

17 of 26

Biggest Strength: Playmaking

The Philadelphia Flyers captain took the league by storm in 2011-12 when he exploded with offense.

Giroux was one of the league's top scorers, and he has a lot of different skills that make him a great player, but his passing skills are his most distinguishable trait.

When Giroux is on the ice, he is a two-way threat, and he often makes a defensive play to set up an opponent with a nice pass. Although he is a stealthy goal scorer, Giroux will usually beat you with his playmaking.

John Tavares

18 of 26

Biggest Strength: Hockey Sense

John Tavares is a young center who is the league's quietest superstar. He is a very talented offensive center, and his hockey sense and intelligence makes him one of the league's best offensive-minded players.

He is great at reading defenses while on the ice, and as a two-way threat, he can beat opponents with a pass or shot time after time.

Pekka Rinne

19 of 26

Biggest Strength: Flexibility

Pekka Rinne is the backbone in goal for the Nashville Predators, and he is an elite goaltender. Rinne is coming off an amazing season with the Predators, in which he won 43 games.

A big reason why Rinne is so successful is his flexibility and his ability to make a save from almost anywhere around the net. Just when opponents think they have Rinne beat, he comes up big with an amazing jaw-dropping save.

Overall, Rinne is one of the Western Conference's top netminders, and a goalie who has a Vezina Trophy in his future.

Daniel Sedin

20 of 26

Biggest Strength: Versatility

Daniel Sedin is a player who is very skilled and perhaps more skilled than his twin brother. While Henrik is an amazing passer, Daniel is a player who often uses versatility while on the ice. He is a skilled skater, passer and goal scorer.

While Henrik relies on his playmaking ability, Daniel can skate with the puck in traffic en route to a goal, or he can dish it off at the last second for an assist.

While both Sedins have talent, Daniel uses versatility to make himself one of the league's top players.

Corey Perry

21 of 26

Biggest Strength: Goal Scoring

Corey Perry is an elite winger who has a nice balance of grit, size, playmaking and scoring ability.

Perry uses his frame to shield the puck, and he often does this to put himself in a position to score. He is also a gritty player who will fight along the boards, and he will drop the gloves if he feels the need to.

Overall, Perry is a skilled scoring winger, and a player who is one of the league's best.

Martin St. Louis

22 of 26

Biggest Strength: Playmaking

Martin St. Louis is a forward with the Tampa Bay Lightning who seems to get better each and every year. St. Louis is a forward who can shoot and score, but his passing abilities make him a skilled playmaker.

The duo St. Louis has formed with Stamkos is one of the best in the league, and St. Louis shows no sign of stopping despite his increasing age.

Teemu Selanne

23 of 26

Biggest Strength: Experience

Teemu Selanne is a long-tenured NHL forward who is seemingly ageless. The Finnish Flash is a PPG player who is off to another amazing start, and his experience gives him an advantage over other players in the league.

At age 42, Selanne is still a skilled scorer and playmaker, and a player who has a lot left in the tank.

Henrik Zetterberg

24 of 26

Biggest Strength: Two-way Play

Henrik Zetterberg is an excellent two-way center who was named captain of the Detroit Red Wings this season. In addition to being a strong defensive center, Zetterberg is also a skilled playmaker and scorer.

Zetterberg has been a vital member of the Red Wings for sometime now, and he is getting the recognition he deserves this season.