About a week ago, Los Angeles Kings goalie Jonathan Quick gave hockey fans a unique insight when he partnered with The Players Tribune for an article scouting some of the best snipers in the game from a goalie’s perspective.
By popular demand, that series returned this morning with Quick taking on another group of the league’s best to explain why goalies pay more attention every time they’re on the ice.
The first four scouting reports in the article – on Steven Stamkos, Anze Kopitar, John Tavares, and Max Pacioretty, respectively – are all definitely worth a read, but it’s the fifth and final section that is of particular interest to Dallas Stars fans as Quick takes on what makes Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin so good.
You really should read the whole thing, but I’ll pull a couple paragraphs to whet your appetite. First, regarding Benn:
One thing that Jamie does better than anyone is using the defenseman as a screen in 1-on-1 situations. He uses his long reach and unbelievable hands to shoot the puck through the defenseman’s legs. What makes this difficult for a goalie is that it’s hard to pick up the release. You’re watching the puck on the outside of your defenseman’s legs, but then Benn will pull the puck into his feet and shoot it inside the leg. That millisecond that you lose sight of the puck behind your defenseman’s skate makes all the difference in the world.
And then with regards to Benn’s best hockey friend forever, Seguin:
Seguin is better than anyone at doing the unexpected. He takes off-angle shots that keep you on your toes for 60 minutes. I’ll say it again — stopping shots is 90 percent mental. Benn and Seguin have incredibly quick releases, but the most dangerous thing about them is that they’re unpredictable. Almost mischievous.
Check out the GIF of the Seguin shot he has embedded. It’s ridiculous for several reasons, not the least of which is the body control Seguin has to have to get that windup (which is almost all upper body until he drops to a knee during the weight transfer) and keep everything going toward the net. That’s a shot a ton of players put about four feet over and three feet wide with a follow-through like that, but Seguin keeps it in control.
Also, try to track the puck off his stick and into the net. It’s nearly impossible.
It’s always very interesting to read good scouting reports from different angles, and this is no exception. It’s well worth your time this morning not just to learn a little more about Benn and Seguin but about the other top scorers in the game.