Kilger Has Hardest Shot Ever

[charlio lemieux]

Kilger has hardest shot ever
December 03, 2006

Sportsnet.ca NewsLeafs' Kilger has hardest shot ever


TORONTO (CP) -- Chad Kilger set a new hockey record Sunday for the hardest shot at the Leafs skills contest. His time of 106.6 MPH bested a minor league time by Shawn Heins (106.0 MPH) and the NHL-record of 105.2 MPH by Al Iafrate.

Kilger was also the fastest skater, while Pavel Kubina won the shooting accuracy contest and Alexei Ponikarovsky was a shootout standout during the annual Toronto Maple Leafs skills contests Sunday.

Kilger has always been known as a talented but unproductive NHL forward. Toronto is the sixth NHL franchise for which he's played. The 11-year pro's career best for a single season is 14 goals, and he has scored only four in 28 games this season.

He posted the fastest lap of the Air Canada Centre ice, 14.233 seconds, during the skills competitions. In the shooting exhibition, which he won for the second year in a row, he let go a drive of 106.6 miles an hour that smashed Al Iafrate's club record.

Kubina, the free-agent pickup who has had an injury-riddled first season with the Leafs, hit four targets on four shots to win the shooting accuracy contest.

Ponikarovsky edged Mike Peca and Alex Steen in the final round of the individual shootout drills.

More than $117,000 in proceeds from the event will benefit the Leafs Fund and the NHLPA Goals and Dreams Fund. Since its inception, the Leafs skills event has raised almost $2.5 million for the two charities.


The hardest shot ever, and the fastest skater on the team, yet his carreer high is only 18 goals. :shrug:

[Man.Utd]

106 MPH is insane! Even more suprising for me is Kilger winning the fastest skater event. I at least knew he could shoot, albeit 106 MPH was out of the range I expected. But you think there'd be quite a few faster skaters on the Toronto roster. I guess it really goes to show you how fast Kilger can move.

He sounds similar to Schubert right now. Possibly the best tools on the team but a far cry from being a star. I'm a big Christoph Schubert fan though.

Any word on who won the puck control event? Or was there none? I didn't think Kubina would win the accuracy event going 4 for 4, but now that I think about it he has an alright shot and Toronto's group of forwards isn't going to score most of their goals by picking corners.

[Newfie John]

Kilger played well for us last year, and he's playing well this year. He can only do so much with like 8 minutes a game.

[Iced Tea]

It's those darn Ontario Provincial Police radar guns. It's how the cops give out so many speeding tickets, the radar says you're doing 106.6 mph but you're really only doing 75 mph in the school zone. Or so I've heard. :D :laughing:

[THE HACK]

Kilger played well for us last year, and he's playing well this year. He can only do so much with like 8 minutes a game.

I'm with you NJ! Its a crime Kilger doesn't get more playing time as he's our most consistent player game in game out.I'd like to see him with playing alongside Sundin.

Cheers

[Newfie John]

Kilger had 19 minutes of icetime against Tampa, and scored 2 goals. Hmm..