Here’s a little fan fact, the best shootout team in NHL history is the Colorado Avalanche. We’re talking all-time here, surprised? If you are then shame on you, and pay more attention! The Avs have been a consistent threat since the shootout was introduced in 2005.
They have always(for the most part) had at least two or three players who were terrific goal scorers, especially when it came to shootout time, a big reason they hold the record for being the best.
Here’s a table in an article from 2014 showing the complete standings in NHL shootout win%. The Avalanche were second best at the time to the Pittsburgh Penguins, but with the last year and a half added to the math, Colorado comes up on top for the NHL’s best shootout team.
The goalies have helped also, with Semyon Varlamov as one of the league masters when it comes to the shootout. He had a perfect season in 2011-12, going 8-0 for the Avalanche. Varly stopped all but two of the 24 shots he faced that year.
Colorado has been blessed with talent over their relatively short life as an organization, so Avalanche fans should definitely take a moment to appreciate that.
From current players like Matt Duchene, Nathan MacKinnon and Varlamov, to Avalanche legends such as Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg, there is plenty of video to go through when it comes to Colorado’s shootout history, sadly not are all available, but I picked my favorite ones that are. I hope you enjoy them.
Matt Duchene
Duchene Puts the Avs into the Playoffs against Roberto Luongo and the Vancouver Canucks:
Another beauty by Duchene, this one, he decides 5-hole is the way to go.
Here’s another slick one by “Matty Ice”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FwhHxHfHW-E
Joe Sakic
What can I say about Sakic? This guy has a legendary wrist shot, so much so, his beautiful backhand is hardly ever mentioned. Super Joe would love to deke the goalie and finish it off with a backhander in the shootouts.
Wojtek Wolski
Wolski was a wizard with the puck and was one of the Avs most dangerous weapons of all time in the shootouts.
Nathan MacKinnon
In such a small sample size of young MacKinnon’s work, we still have plenty of shootout beauties to gaze upon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6yuBQDxvVc
MacKinnon already has a signature move, and he pulls it off with perfection against Henrik Lundqvuist, and Petr Mrazek, amongst others.
Milan Hejduk
Hejduk has gone down as one of the best in shootout history. The accuracy combined with his soft hands, meant he could beat you a number of ways.
“The Duke” makes it look so easy out there!
Peter Forsberg
While there isn’t much footage available of Forsberg in the shootout(mostly because of all his injuries after the shootout was introduced), here is one everyone should see and know about. It started the whole “Forsberg Move” sensation that still is extremely prevalent with today’s players, and won Sweden the Olympic Gold in 1994 over Canada. Sweden even made a stamp in his honor after this shot!
There you have it folks, some of the best shootout goals form the NHL’s best shootout team. Perhaps a part 2 is in order, as there are still some nice videos out there.