So, I found myself watching some clips of Andreas Athanasiou the other day. You know the ones, where he just hits the gas pedal and suddenly he’s all alone. That speed is just nuts.
It got me thinking, not just “wow he’s fast”, but trying to really wrap my head around what that speed looks like when you focus on it. Decided to spend a bit of time just watching him skate, specifically during rushes.
Trying to Track His Movement
So, what I did was basically pull up a bunch of game highlights. I wasn’t trying to do anything fancy, no special software or anything. Just watching video after video. I focused on plays where he carried the puck through the neutral zone or got a breakaway chance.
My goal was simple: just observe. Forget the puck sometimes, just watch his feet, his stride, how he pulls away from defenders. I tried to follow his path from one blue line to the other, or from the neutral zone dots into the offensive zone.
It’s actually pretty interesting when you zero in like that.
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You notice how quick his acceleration is, like 0 to 60 in just a couple of strides.
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Sometimes defenders look like they have the angle, and then boom, he’s past them.
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Even when he doesn’t score, just seeing that separation speed is impressive.
I spent maybe an hour just doing this, skipping through different games, different plays. Didn’t take notes or time anything officially, just watched and re-watched bits to appreciate the movement itself.
What I Took Away
Honestly, doing this little exercise didn’t make me an expert or anything. But it did give me a better appreciation for what that kind of NHL speed really involves. It’s not just skating fast in a straight line; it’s the quick bursts, the edge work, the way he can maintain speed while handling the puck.
You see highlights all the time, but taking a moment to consciously focus on how a player like Athanasiou achieves that speed was a cool little practice. Makes watching the games a bit more interesting when you have that visual burned into your mind. Just pure, raw speed on display.
