Shea Weber has emerged as the player with the most-feared shot in the NHL, taking the mantle from Zdeno Chara in recent years. Chara held the official title for five straight events from the 2007 NHL Skills Competition to 2012 (with a lockout and Olympic year scrubbing the annual showcase in two years during that span). With tonight’s win, Weber ran his streak to three.
After hitting 108 miles per hour in each of the last few years, clocking it at just under Chara’s record of 108.8 set in 2012, he won the 2017 event with a slap shot traveling at 102.8 mph.
Weber clocks in at 102.8 MPH pic.twitter.com/iMhPwFFZK8
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) January 29, 2017
It’s easy to see how he’s been able to put up such lofty goal totals in his career. He currently sits second in the NHL in goals by a defenceman, while leading that category on the power play where he has the most time and space to get his slap shot off.
It’s also been a weapon in cases it hasn’t gotten through to the net, as Brendan Gallagher, who is currently sidelined with a broken hand, can attest. As can a substantial number of NHL players.
The Predators subreddit tracks how many players have fallen to the Weber bomb. The list is long. pic.twitter.com/7ylHdeY2RJ
— Marc Dumont (@MarcPDumont) January 5, 2017
