NHL Power Rankings: The 13 Worst Skaters in League History
When you decide to play hockey as a kid, the first traditional first step is learning how to skate.
If you're not a strong skater, you have no chance at succeeding at hockey right?
Wrong. Just ask some of these guys.
Whether they made an NHL living through fighting or scoring goals, the guys on this list somehow carved out a career without even being good skaters.
So with that, sit back and marvel at the 13 worst skaters in NHL history.
Dave Semenko
1 of 13
Wayne Gretzky's bodyguard during the 1980's, "Cementhead" was literally in the league for that sole purpose. He was responsible for giving guys like Gretzky, Jari Kurri and Mark Messier the room to succeed, leading to Stanley Cup victories.
Good thing Semenko was renowned for his fighting abilities (he even fought Muhammad Ali in an exhibition) because he certainly was not much of a skater.
Jason Allison
2 of 13
Coming out of the NHL lockout, Jason Allison was looking to regain the form that produced 95 points in 2000-01 for the Boston Bruins.
The Toronto Maple Leafs decided to give the 30-year-old a chance, and while he put up 60 points in 66 games, two thirds of these points came on the PP.
It was clear that the "New NHL" left players like Allison behind, and Leafs fans will forever remember him for his foot speed. Or lack thereof.
Derek Boogaard
3 of 13
Have you ever watched this guy skate? If the camera were to focus on Boogaard for an entire shift, you would think you were watching a kid in Pee Wee.
With only three goals since the NHL lockout in 2004-05, Boogaard clearly earns his pay through chucking his knuckles.
Oh, and that pay? Four years and $6.5 million. Not bad for a guy who can barely skate.
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Guillaume Latendresse
4 of 13
Habs fans will tell you that the day Latendresse was traded to Minnesota in 2009 was one of the better days of the year. For a French Canadian to be run out of town the way he was, he must have been doing something wrong.
Simply put, he couldn't skate.
Latendresse is listed at 6'2" and 240 pounds, so while he can throw his body around, that is about all he does for the Wild these days.
Jonathan Cheechoo
5 of 13
Cheechoo will be forever remembered for his 56-goal season in 2006-07 playing alongside Joe Thornton.
His goal total since 2007? Seventy-seven in 272 games. This begs the question, what happened to Cheechoo?
Fans who have watched him closely will tell you that the explanation lies in his poor skating ability.
If you don't know what I am talking about, watch this video from the Dallas Stars training camp earlier this season.
Derian Hatcher
6 of 13
The first American-born captain to win the Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars in 1999, Hatcher and his lead feet were casualties of the "New NHL."
While he played in two-and-a-half seasons for the Philadelphia Flyers following the lockout, he was never the same defenceman.
Hatcher was a big body that used the NHL's lenience on obstruction to his advantage. When he could no longer do that, guys like Evgeni Malkin made him look like this.
Joe DiPenta
7 of 13
Despite winning the Stanley Cup with the Anaheim Ducks in 2007, DiPenta is known by many as "Crazy Legs" due to his odd skating style.
Since winning the Cup, he has played in just 23 NHL games and now finds himself playing with the Portland Pirates (AHL).
No matter what anyone says about his skating style, he will always have that coveted ring.
Dennis Wideman
8 of 13Wideman has been a serviceable NHL defenceman, scoring a career-high 50 points with the Boston Bruins in 2008-09.
Unfortunately, he may be most remembered for the shootout blunder shown here.
Of course this is just one small example from his career, and he may be a great skater. But this video always makes me laugh, and he just had to be included in this list.
Peter Worrell
9 of 13
Standing at 6'7", Worrell was more known for his role as an enforcer than a player who filled the scoresheet. In fact, he racked up 1,554 PIMs in 391 career NHL games.
Worrell was also known as a very poor skater during his career with the Florida Panthers and Colorado Avalanche.
Nik Antropov
10 of 13
Drafted 10th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1998, Antropov frustrated fans from the very beginning. He never quite justified his draft position, and one of the main reasons was his poor skating abilities.
Much maligned by Leafs fans during his tenure, he went on to put up a career-high 67 points with the Thrashers in 2009-10.
He may have been a casualty of the increased scrutiny in Toronto, but there is no denying his poor skating.
Hal Gill
11 of 13
Anybody with nicknames that include "Hal 'No Skill' Gill" or "Stand Still Gill" can't be a very good skater.
While he has been able to use his size and other strengths to enjoy a rather successful career, he was one of Leafs fans' favorite whipping boys during his two seasons in Toronto.
Despite his poor skating, Gill is another player that will always have a Stanley Cup ring, winning with Pittsburgh in 2009.
Zack Stortini
12 of 13
Another player on this list who has made his living fighting in the NHL. Depending on who you ask, this guy is either loved or hated by Edmonton fans.
Both sides will agree, however, that Stortini's skating ability doesn't resemble that of an NHL player.
This former third-round pick in 2003 was placed on waivers earlier this season, and may now be relegated to minor league status for the duration of his career.
Brad Marsh
13 of 13
Marsh holds the dubious distinction for scoring the fewest goals of any player with at least 1,000 games played, with 23 goals.
He was well known for his lack of foot speed during his career, and was able to stay in the league as long as he did because of his fighting ability.
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