*This archive was updated on Sep. 2024
In today's NHL, speed rules. Teams can no longer line up with slow, rolling defenders who can't stop their opponents from moving. But, if the player has speed again the size, they can kill.
Today, the average NHLer is just over 6-foot-1 and weighs 198 pounds. Compared to the average NHL player for the 1944-45 season – 5-foot-10, 174 pounds – it seems that NHL teams were giving their players Captain America Super-Soldier Serum.
Physically strong players like Auston Matthews and the Tkachuk brothers dominate the league. However, they are not great NHL players. Let's take a look at the seven biggest players in the NHL today based on body mass index (BMI), surprisingly excluding Jamie Oleksiak, the NHL's heaviest player.
Height: 6-feet-3
Weight: 235 pounds
Ever since joining the New York Islanders, Andres Lee has made a living as a net presence. Opposing defenders have trouble moving him, and goalkeepers have trouble seeing around him.
This is especially true in the power game. Lee creates screens up front, while Mathew Barzal, Noah Dobson, and Brock Nelson work their magic for the Islanders. The New York captain isn't much of a scoring threat these days, but he plays a big role in the team's success.
Juraj Slafkovsky (29.74)
Length: 6-feet-3
Weight: 238 kilograms
The first overall pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Juraj Slafkovsky is the sixth tallest NHL player based on BMI. And after a rough rookie season, he's assembling an impact forward for the Montreal Canadiens.
When Slafkovsky learns how to use his size effectively at the NHL level, the Canadiens will have a high power on their hands. Combined with two-man center Nick Suzuki and diminutive scorer Cole Caulfield, Montreal could have a top line that excels for years to come.
Alex Ovechkin (29.75)
Length: 6-feet-3
Weight: 238 kilograms
A true power forward, Alex Ovechkin has taken the NHL by storm since making his debut as a 20-year-old in 2005. With nine Maurice “Rocket” Richard trophies to his name, Ovechkin already has 800 goals and 1,500 points in his career. .
Today, Ovechkin is the seventh heaviest player in the game and technically qualifies as “obese” on the BMI scale. That being said, he is still a prolific goalscorer and may end up holding the record for most goals in his career.
Pat Maroon (29.75)
Height: 6-feet-3
Weight: 234 pounds
Known as “Big Rig” around the rink, Pat Maroon has long used his size to his advantage. After winning the Stanley Cup with his hometown St. Louis Blues, Maroon signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning for another shot at the Cup (and won it).
Now with the Chicago Blackhawks, Maroon will be tasked with protecting Connor Bedard and scoring timely goals as the Blackhawks look to emerge from a short rebuild.
Jack Johnson (29.95)
Length: 6-feet-1
Weight: 227 pounds
Entering his 19th NHL season, Jack Johnson ranks as the third highest player by BMI. The former third overall pick from the 2005 draft continues to defend the blue line well and will be counted on as a veteran leader on a young Blue Jackets team.
Johnson has one Stanley Cup to his name — the 2022 Colorado Avalanche that ended the Maroons' three-year championship streak.
Vladimir Tarasenko (30.08)
Height: 6-feet-1
Weight: 228 kilograms
A pound heavier than Johnson, Vladimir Tarasenko exceeds the 30 mark on the BMI scale. I wouldn't call him a power forward, per se, but he still has a killer release in his 30s.
As a Maroon, the 32-year-old won the 2019 Stanley Cup as a member of the St. Louis Blues. He added a second Stanley Cup ring in 2024 with the Florida Panthers.
David Savard (31.00)
Height: 6-feet-1
Weight: 235 pounds
Guarding the blue line of the Montreal Canadiens, David Savard is a stocky NHLer with a high BMI due to his above average weight and short stature. He often comes forward with his big frame and can be counted on himself.
Savard was a key deadline addition for the Tampa Bay Lightning for the 2020-21 season. His defensive prowess helped the Lightning win their second straight championship.
Data courtesy of Natural Stat Trick.
Source link
