McNabb Takes Pride In Shot-Blocking

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Brayden McNabb ranks sixth in the NHL in blocked shots this season as of Jan. 11. In 49 games, he's got in the way of 96 shot attempts that otherwise would've challenged Vegas goalies Marc-Andre Fleury and Malcolm Subban.
McNabb's prowess in the defensive zone is something he's been working on throughout his career. Blocked shots aren't a glamorous stat and McNabb said that he's just fine with that.
"It's not flashy, but it helps get the job done," McNabb said. "The more pucks you can get in the way of and deflect out of harm's way, the better."
McNabb credits the time he spends killing penalties for his high numbers in blocked shots. The Golden Knights have the seventh most efficient penalty kill in the NHL at 83.8 percent. Contributing to that success are players like McNabb positioning themselves in areas that keep shots from reaching the Vegas net.

"Since I came here, I've been blocking shots a lot more," McNabb said. "I started playing a lot of penalty kill and I've grown into that role. A big part of being a defensive defenseman is getting in the way of shots."
Seeing a teammate sacrifice their body to block a shot gets players on the bench excited. Blocked shots are one of a few instances in game where a team bench jumps to its feet to celebrate the play. McNabb said that he doesn't block shots for glory, but rather because it's the right thing to do.
"You want to do everything you can to get in the way," said McNabb. "When you're on the bench and you see a guy get in front of a puck, it gets you pumped up. When I block a shot, I'm not looking for a reaction, but when I'm on the bench and someone gets a big block, it's exciting. It's not an easy thing to do when you put your body on the line."
Last season, McNabb posted a career-high five goals in 76 games for the Golden Knights in their inaugural season. Despite his offensive success in 2017-18, McNabb skated through the first half of the 2018-19 season without hitting the back of the net. But in game No. 45 of the season, McNabb finally broke through when he wired a wrist shot through traffic and into the net to tie the game against the New Jersey Devils on Jan. 6. The goal was a relief for McNabb, but it came with a dash of drama.
"My first reaction was 'ah, it's no goal,'" McNabb said in reference to an initial call of goalie interference. "It was nice when it got overturned. Scoring isn't my strong suit, but it always feels nice to get one."
The shot that McNabb took to score that goal was one that he takes frequently during games. As a defenseman, McNabb said that there aren't always opportunities to skate in and try to pick a corner. Often, the most efficient and effective play he can make with the puck is to get a wrist shot off as quickly as possible. He said that those shots are designed to get around opposing players looking to block it and draw a rebound for a Vegas forward to bang into the net.
"For me, when the guy is coming out at me, I try to get the shot around him and then the forwards take care of the rest," McNabb said. "That's my main goal and, lately, I've just been trying to get the puck off quicker."