Performance Skating Playbook: NHL Movement Analysis - February 2020

PHI vs. DET (2-3-20) - Kevin Hayes (Philadelphia Flyers)

With the Detroit Red Wings on the powerplay, Kevin Hayes of the Philadelphia Flyers picks off a pass and initiates a breakaway from the defensive zone blue line. Hayes displays an excellent ability to generate acceleration from a stand still by employing optimal coordination between his upper and lower body.

Hayes produces rapid hip flexion to recover his strides and uses a dynamic rotation of the shoulders to create power in the transverse plane of movement. Hayes' long hockey stick length and one-handed puck carry also allow him to accelerate puck positioning so that both the puck and his body accelerate in a coordinated manner.

Hayes finishes the sequence with a single evasive puck handle before shooting glove-side to put the puck in the back of the net for the Philadelphia Flyers.

SJS vs. EDM (2-6-20) - Connor McDavid (Edmonton Oilers)

The play begins with the Edmonton Oilers intercepting a broken neutral zone play by the San Jose Sharks. Darnell Nurse immediately makes the pass up to Connor McDavid who begins the counter-attack at the red line.

As McDavid begins to accelerate, he utilizes an evasive weight shift toward the center of the ice that catches defenseman Mario Ferraro off-guard. McDavid counters using his trademark lateral crossover maneuver to gain speed to the outside as he crosses the blue line. McDavid cuts back in toward the middle of the ice and shoots short-side top shelf for another highlight-worthy goal.

SJS vs. EDM (2-6-20) - Maxim Letunov (San Jose Sharks)

Dylan Gambrell leaves a drop pass for Marcus Sorensen who leads the attack for the San Jose Sharks. As Sorensen crosses the Edmonton Oilers blue line, he utilizes a fake slap shot to evade Adam Larsson, creating time and space in order to drive wide and gain control of the offensive zone.

Gambrell makes the centering pass to the third trailer into the zone, Erik Karlsson, who connects with Gambrell and puts the puck on the net. With Maxim Letunov positioned in front of the net, he collects the rebound, executes a spin maneuver to protect the puck and puts the puck in the back of the net for his first goal in the NHL.

MIN vs. VAN (2-19-20) - Jay Beagle (Vancouver Canucks)

Quinn Hughes leads a 2-on-1 play for the Vancouver Canucks with Jay Beagle on his wing. As Hughes glides into the Minnesota Wild zone, he utilizes a precise outside edge shave maneuver to accurately time his cross-ice pass to Beagle. This incredible display of athleticism demonstrates the significant amount of coordination required to navigate the pass through the opposing defender in order to make a crisp tape-to-tape connection.

FLA vs. LAK (2-20-20) | Aleksander Barkov (Florida Panthers)

Ottawa, Ontario native and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar with The Florida Panthers utilizes his deceleration skills in the neutral zone to create time and space which sets up a sequence of events that allows Aleksander Barkov to trail into the LA Kings zone uncovered, which results in a spectacular bar-down goal from the high slot.