Jonathan Quick shares his thoughts on Elite Snipers in the NHL

Page 2 of 2 – Jonathan Quick breaks down Elite Snipers

Quick originally wrote that article in early 2015.  He just followed up with Part 2 and a look at additional snipers:

Steven Stamkos
Similar to Ovechkin, Stamkos makes you paranoid about your ability to see the puck no matter where he is on the ice. Both guys can shoot from anywhere in the offensive zone and it will be a scoring chance. But the thing that might be underrated about Stamkos is his ability as a playmaker. He’s not just a goalscorer. As a goalie, I have to respect his ability to make a tough pass instead of just selling out on the shot and moving up a half-step in the crease. And that creates a real problem, because his release is world-class.

Anze Kopitar
Kopi is, in my opinion, the best two-way center in the league. The first thing you notice with Kopitar is how incredibly smooth he is in all facets of the game. I’ve never seen a big guy be that effortless on skates. He makes it look easy, which is maybe why he’s underrated in a sense. You hear a lot about hustle and battle and speed when people talk about hockey, but NHL players will tell you, if they’re being honest, that you have to be smart about the moments when you go all-out.

John Tavares
Just like with Crosby, Tavares doesn’t kill you with one thing, he kills you with how insanely balanced his game is in all aspects. Tavares can deke you, or roof a shot, or make a great pass, or if nothing is there, he’ll do the smartest thing and chip it in deep to live another day. He’s similar to Crosby in another way, too. He’s one of the most tenacious guys I’ve ever played against. A lot of guys that skilled might choose to work the perimeter and wait for their linemates to open up space for them. Tavares gets right into the dirty areas and mucks it up. You’ll see him score just as many greasy goals as pretty ones.

Max Pacioretty
When I think of Max, I think of the most underrated player in the NHL. Only three players have scored more goals than him over the past three seasons — and these aren’t all pretty power play goals. Most of his goals come in 5-on-5 situations where space is tight, and I know he had 10 game-winners last season. Max is similar to Tavares in the way he works in dirty areas. It blows my mind that he’s not talked about more because he’s such a great scorer.

Jamie Benn / Tyler Seguin
In the spirit of tradition, I am going to cheat again with this duo. When Seguin was traded to the Stars a few years ago, every goalie in the Western Conference probably saw the news and said, “Aww, come on!” Jamie Benn is basically the ultimate hockey player. My teammate Drew Doughty is one of the best defensemen in the world, so I’ll take his word above anyone when it comes to players, and he’s always saying how tough it is to play against Benn. He can do everything at a high level, but I think he also buys a lot of space for himself on the ice because he’s tough as nails. Benn will hit you. He will fight you. He’s not afraid of anyone. Sometimes the game plan against star players is to rough them up and see if they can take it. With Benn, forget it.

Another great article.  Be sure to check out both of them.  Quick gives great examples and a lot more detail breaking down specific plays.