No matter what kind of ability a player has at shooting, passing or making plays, it doesn't matter if a hockey player can't skate well. In addition to skating ability, hockey players must have speed, toughness, vision and athletic ability to succeed.
Skating Ability
A hockey player must be an excellent skater. He needs the ability to skate with speed when he is at one end of the ice and the puck is at the other and he is in retrieval mode. He needs to turn quickly when the play changes direction. All players, but especially defensemen, must be able to skate backward effectively.
Toughness
The toughness needed to play hockey has nothing to do with the propensity some players have for dropping their gloves and fighting on the ice. Hockey is a contact sport and if you have the puck, one of the ways your opponent will try to get the puck is through body contact. This is called checking in hockey. To keep possession after you have absorbed a hit or to regain possession takes physical and mental toughness. You have to rebound from the hit and then continue to make positive plays for your team. You must focus on your job of advancing the puck and trying to create scoring plays rather than think about an opponent who is going to try to hit you.
Creativity
The best hockey players have the vision and creativity to see the game two or three seconds ahead. A hockey player must know where the openings in the defense will be so he can move to the proper area of the ice. When a hockey player has time and space with the puck, he can create an offensive play that has an excellent chance to turn into a scoring opportunity for his team.
Great Hockey Players
Wayne Gretzky is the No. 1 scorer in NHL history and is often regarded as the sport's best player. Gretzky was rangy and thin and did not appear to have the size and strength needed to survive in the league, let alone thrive in it. Yet his balance, quickness and deft shooting and passing skills allowed him to set records for goals scored and points. Bobby Orr is often ranked with Gretzky in terms of overall talent. Orr, a defenseman for the Boston Bruins, is credited with changing the way the game is played because he was a defenseman who attacked and scored often. He was among the best skaters who ever played. Hall of Famer Mark Messier was a dominant player along with Gretzky on the Edmonton Oilers and then moved to the New York Rangers. His toughness and leadership skills helped him take the Rangers to the 1994 Stanley Cup title, the franchise's first title in 54 years.
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