There’s a place on the ice where the NHL’s brightest stars like Alex Ovechkin and Sidney Crosby struggle to match the skill of Washington Capitals center David Steckel: The face-off circle.
The 2009-2010 season saw several Capitals dominate the league’s statistical charts and set personal bests, and Steckel was no exception. Along with posting the best plus/minus of his NHL career, Steckel finished second overall in the NHL this season in face-off percentage, a stat he’s improved upon every year since his first full season in the NHL — last season, Steckel ranked fifth overall, and the season before, he finished seventh.
Steckel doesn’t remember the first face-off he took, but he does remember that in his first NHL game, he took a draw against Peter Forsberg (according to the stats sheet, Steckel lost that face-off, but it’s clear he’s redeemed himself since). Steckel recently told DCist that he likes taking draws against players like Rod Brind’Amour, Robert Lang, and Bobby Holik — “guys that have been staples as being good face-off men for awhile.” Those three, combined with Crosby, are the top four Steckel says he now enjoys facing off against the most.
The 28-year-old also thinks Crosby is underrated in the face-off circle.
“Every time I step in the circle, obviously, I want to beat him,” Steckel said.
