NHL EDGE stats: Point, MacKinnon reach top skating speeds of season

NHL players are getting faster and faster as this season is progressing, with two of the League's elite talents setting new marks for top skating speed this past week.

Per NHL EDGE stats, forwards Brayden Point of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche now have the top two skating speeds of the season; Point reached 24.15 mph against the Florida Panthers on Dec. 27 in the third period after MacKinnon skated 24.05 mph against the Arizona Coyotes on Dec. 23 in the first period.

MacKinnon's mark eclipsed the previous maximum speed of this season by his Colorado teammate Valeri Nichushkin, who skated 23.96 mph against the Ottawa Senators on Dec. 21 in the first period. Last season, the NHL leader in top speed was forward Ryan Poehling (24.32) while playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct. 15, 2022, and Point was a close second (24.26) for the Lightning on Feb. 7, 2023. Forward Denis Gurianov had the top speed of the 2021-22 season (24.60) while playing for Dallas Stars on Oct. 16, 2021.

MacKinnon is currently on a 19-game point streak (36 points in span), the longest in the NHL this season, surpassing Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander's 17-game point streak from Oct. 11 to Nov. 19.

In terms of 20-plus mph speed bursts this season, MacKinnon (304) and Point (222) rank at the top of the NHL. MacKinnon led the League in that category last season (547) and was second in 2021-22 (479) behind Connor McDavid of the Edmonton Oilers (573).

MacKinnon has also skated the longest distance in the NHL this season (128.81 miles), slightly more than Buffalo Sabres defenseman Rasmus Dahlin (127.09). Last season, the longest total skating distance was held by McDavid (309.43 miles), who was also the League's leader in goals (64), assists (89) and points (153).