NHL IHM Metrics Spotlight – Hardest Shots, Elite Speed Bursts and the Rise of a New Defensive Star
Date: November 17, 2025 – Author: IHM News
The 2025-26 regular season has entered its high-tempo rhythm, and the NHL Metrics tracking data is already exposing who drives play at the league’s most intense margins. From triple-digit shot speed artillery to next-generation skating bursts and a rookie defenceman rewriting early-career history, this season’s Metrics board is a showcase of raw power, precision and elite skating biomechanics. Below is a full breakdown of the current leaders and the storylines shaping the analytics landscape across the NHL.
🚀 Hardest Shot Attempt – 103.03 mph: Morgan Geekie (BOS)
Boston’s Morgan Geekie owns the fastest registered attempt of the season, unleashing a 103.03-mph blast against Toronto on Nov. 11. He remains the only NHL skater with multiple 100+ mph attempts this year, joining a rare group of shooters capable of generating elite-tier flex and rotational torque.
Notable triple-digit club members include New York’s Ryan Pulock (101.83 mph), Tampa Bay’s Victor Hedman (101.42 mph) and Florida’s Gustav Forsling (100.41 mph). Hedman continues to dominate the 90+ mph shot attempt category, leading the league even while missing recent games due to injury.
🔥 Hardest Shot Resulting in a Goal – 96.75 mph: Joel Edmundson (LAK)
Los Angeles defenceman Joel Edmundson delivered the most powerful goal of the season: a 96.75-mph strike against Montréal on Nov. 11. He overtook Seattle’s Brandon Montour (96.40 mph) and continues to rank high among heavy-release blueliners in the 90+ mph attempt category.
Last season’s pace-setter remains Tage Thompson, whose 103.70-mph goal stands as the fastest since puck-tracking began.
⚡ Top Skating Speed – 24.61 mph: Connor McDavid (EDM)
Every season offers reminders of McDavid’s unmatched speed, but this year he set a new Metrics-era personal best. His 24.61-mph burst against Calgary on opening night surpasses previous regular-season and playoff marks since 2021-22.
McDavid leads the NHL in 22+ mph bursts (36) and owns an outrageous 160 total bursts above 20 mph. He remains the league’s most efficient point producer per game and continues to redefine acceleration biomechanics in elite hockey.
🎯 High-Danger Goals Leaders – 9 (Tyler Bertuzzi, CHI & Kiefer Sherwood, VAN)
Bertuzzi’s scoring map is a coaching diagram in itself – all nine of his goals have come from high-danger pockets, echoing his reputation as a crease-area disruptor. Sherwood matches him shot-for-shot, leading Vancouver with lethal finishing and a remarkable 29.7% shooting clip.
Dallas forward Jason Robertson sits atop the high-danger attempt leaderboard with 34 SOG, while Toronto’s John Tavares and Matthew Knies trail closely. The Maple Leafs lead the league both in high-danger shots and high-danger goals, a testament to their low-slot creation volume.
🧱 High-Danger Save Percentage – .885: Dan Vladar (PHI)
Philadelphia’s Dan Vladar has quietly become one of the most effective high-danger goaltenders in the NHL. His .885 clip on 61 high-danger shots has stabilized the Flyers’ crease and lifted him into the upper tier of league-wide metrics.
Eight of his first eleven starts ended with two goals allowed or fewer, and he ranks top-10 in both SV% and GAA among qualified starters.
🏒 Offensive Zone Time Percentage – 49.5%: Andrei Svechnikov (CAR)
Svechnikov’s recent surge comes with elite territorial control. Among skaters averaging 12+ minutes per game, he leads the NHL in offensive-zone time percentage at nearly 50%. His past ten games (six goals, four assists) mirror Carolina’s dominant OZ profile, as the Hurricanes remain the league’s territorial kings for the fifth season in a row.
⭐ The Major Spotlight: Schaefer vs. Makar – A New Defensive Rivalry Begins
Matthew Schaefer is rapidly emerging as the most compelling rookie blueliner of the modern Metrics era. At just 18 years old, he leads all NHL defencemen in goals (7), paces rookies in points (15), and has already set multiple age-related league records – including becoming the youngest player ever to score an overtime winner.
Colorado superstar Cale Makar, already a two-time Norris winner and one of the most decorated defencemen of his generation, remains the premier benchmark. Yet Schaefer’s early metrics mirror Makar’s profile in ways few expected this soon.
1. Skating Speed Comparison
- Schaefer: 22.93 mph max speed (96th percentile), NHL-leading 65 bursts above 20 mph
- Makar: 23.86 mph max speed, 44 bursts above 20 mph
2. Shot Speed Profile
- Schaefer: Max shot 93.91 mph; strong in high-danger generation
- Makar: Max shot 93.71 mph; elite average shot speed and high-volume 80+ mph attempts
3. Shots by Location
- Schaefer: 7 HD SOG (99th percentile), 18 midrange SOG (99th), 20 long-range SOG (94th)
- Makar: 5 HD SOG, 15 midrange SOG, 24 long-range SOG
Schaefer’s early impact mirrors Makar’s arrival in 2019, and the analytics suggest that this rivalry could define the next decade of NHL defence play.
📊 Questions & Answers | IHM Performance Metrics
How does Morgan Geekie generate 103-mph shot power?
Geekie loads heavily from his inside edge, maximizing hip rotation and stick flex. His release mechanics allow full transfer from stride to shaft, producing rare triple-digit velocity.
What makes Connor McDavid’s skating metrics unmatched?
McDavid’s stride frequency and blade-angle efficiency allow him to accelerate while maintaining edge stability, enabling repeated bursts over 22 mph.
Why is Dan Vladar excelling in high-danger situations?
His compact stance and improved post integration reduce lateral exposure. He tracks low-slot releases early and limits second-chance rebounds.
Is Matthew Schaefer’s production sustainable?
Given his OZ-time metrics, shot-location profile, and heavy usage, his efficiency is supported by repeatable habits – not variance. His ceiling is legitimately elite.