Most unique NHL player?

[Scoutski]

I was thinking about this earlier today and what makes a player good in terms of their skill set, it seems like different strengths can still be effective (e.g. a small player can't play the way a big player does).

So that next thought was who is currently the most unique player, that when you see them on the ice, they do things no other player does/can do?

I think I'd probably have to throw Datsyuk out there, just crazy hands and you can tell when he's got the puck. This shouldn't be limited to shooters, e.g. a Hasek type goalie. Just wanted some other opinions?

[DatSOOKin]

Johnny Gaudreau

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Honestly, Tim Thomas. He's a spastic.

Some others:

- Chara. His size obviously, but his size makes his style and body movements unique.
- Ovechkin. No defense in this guy. Floats around. Terribly awkward skater. Can basically score at will.
- Byfuglien. An absolute monster that can play defense or forward. His size makes it so you can't miss him. Kind of a unique player, I'd say.

[neo45]

I think there is a difference between being unique and just being better than everybody else. When I think of unique I think of players that look weird out there but still get the job done:

Tim Thomas is definitely a throwback and is insanely aggressive out there

Phaneuf could be spotted from space for his weird skating style and the fact that he plays his off-side. He has become more generic over the years but when he broke in he was very unique

Karlsson in Ottawa almost plays a hybrid Dman's role and puts up numbers that no one else can, although his overall quality is definitely up for debate

[Locke]

Brodeur was always a different kind of goalie.

[TheDebaser]

Brent Burns.

A beast of a man who skates around barking at people, paying no attention to systems or anything like that, but can still put up 50 points.

[sketchyt]

Kipprusoff was incredibly unique. A true hybrid goaltender with a mind bottling number of save selection options. What was crazy to me was even his desperation saves weren't always just blind luck, they had thought and purpose behind them.

Also, mentally you just won't find another goalie who could shrug things off so easily yet play with that level of intensity. I always laughed when it was a tight game in the middle of the playoff race and there he is by the bench looking up watching the big chief bloopers during tv timeouts... Then non chalantaly puts on his mask and gets his shutout/win.

[Flash Walken]

Chara.

A defenseman THAT good, in a frame THAT big. A truly unique player in the NHL.

I would say Datsyuk is also a unique player in the NHL. I don't think there is a player in the league who 'thinks' about hockey the way Datsyuk appears to.

[Magnum PEI]

The Sedins. Past their prime now, but a few years ago they could hold the puck and cycle and pass better than anyone. Used to drive me nuts when we played them.

[Samiz]

I think Pavel Datsyuk is unique. I say that because some of the moves he makes are unlike anything I've seen before

[calumniate]

Jay Bouwmeester. Most interesting man in the world.

[flamesfever]

nm

[secol]

surprised kane (patrick) hasn't been mentioned yet....

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

Matt Kassian. Look at his Twitter account. Seriously.

[squiggs96]

There are no such things as degrees of uniqueness. It's either unique or it's not.

[N-E-B]

Paul Bissonnette for the simple fact that the only reason he plays is because he's marketable. I love Biz.

[19Yzerman19]

Originally Posted by secol

surprised kane (patrick) hasn't been mentioned yet....

There will always be guys compared to Kane, his skill set is elite but it's not totally unique. I'm going with Datsyuk, I've never seen a player like that ever and we probably won't again. Same is true of Chara but that's more because of his physical stature than his hockey skills (well, it's the combination of them really).

[secol]

Originally Posted by N-E-B

Paul Bissonnette for the simple fact that the only reason he plays is because he's marketable. I love Biz.

http://www.tsn.ca/blogs/scott_cullen/?id=448723

Among players with at least 100 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time this season, Bissonnette ranks seventh in points per 60 minutes

The Coyotes have made sure to put Bissonnette in situations where he can succeed, with offensive zone starts and relatively low quality of competition, but he's generated positive possession numbers over the past three seasons,

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Magnum PEI

The Sedins. Past their prime now, but a few years ago they could hold the puck and cycle and pass better than anyone. Used to drive me nuts when we played them.

Wait....what? I dont think you can classify someone who has another someone who is absolutely identical to him as 'unique.'

[snipetype]

LUCIC

the guy is arguably the best fighter in the league and he can score 60 points.