The Real Reason Connor McDavid Does His Signature Crossover to Skate Straight

The Real Reason Connor McDavid Does His Signature Crossover to Skate Straight

The real reason Connor McDavid does his signature crossover to skate straight isn't about flair. It's about pure, unadulterated deception and a deceptive burst of acceleration, creating space where there was none.

He’s not just showing off; he’s weaponizing a fundamental skating move to freeze defenders and gain an extra step without losing a millimeter of speed.

Every generation, someone pops up claiming a "new way" of skating, shooting, or stickhandling. Your coaches might even say, "That's the old way, this is the new way." Don't buy it. Hockey fundamentals are timeless. The instant something truly "new" seems to appear, look closer. Chances are, it's a slight adaptation of something that’s worked for decades, just being executed at an elite level.

The old way is boring, and boring doesn't sell. Gurus need to sell you something, so they create conflict, telling you you're missing a trick. They capitalize on that "new" angle because "different" sounds better. That's why Russian-style coaches, with their focus on chaos and fast-moving feet, often get so much hype. It *looks* different, so people assume it *is* better. Instead of teaching you how to master what's always worked, at whatever level you play, they sell you a shiny new package.

Hockey skills are typically similar throughout history. Yes, equipment evolves – wood sticks to one-piece composites – but the core movements and mechanics? Not so much.

Connor McDavid weaponizes the crossover to generate incredible forward momentum and deception without telegraphing a major turn. He uses it to burst ahead, create space, and freeze defenders. He's not just showing off; he’s driving power. This isn't a "new" skill; it’s been used in the NHL for years.

Explosive Drive: He gets massive pushes from both his inside and outside edges, firing himself forward.

Hip Extension: Power comes from his core, driving his hips through the movement.

Controlled Upper Body: His upper body stays calm, keeping his eyes up, preventing defenders from reading his intentions.

But here’s the critical part: *none of us are Connor McDavid*. He already possesses unparalleled edge control, balance, and explosive power.

When McDavid does his "straight line" crossover, he maintains perfect balance and edge pressure. When you or I try it, the risks are high:

Getting Caught: That lateral movement from the crossover, intended for forward propulsion, often gets us moving too far side-to-side. A smart defender will read it and cut you off. You'll lose speed and momentum.

Standing Up: It’s easy to rise up with each crossover, especially if you’re trying to generate power by "kicking" your leg high. When you stand up, you lose power, you lose your center of gravity, and you become slower and more vulnerable.

Losing the Puck: An upright posture and being off-balance mean you're exposed. A simple poke check or body contact will separate you from the puck. You don’t have your lower body protecting it.

Fatigue: Inefficient crossovers burn energy fast. You'll gas out quicker trying to maintain that burst without McDavid's precision and power.

I learned this the hard way myself. When I was 13, I got my first job at 15 working at Escapades Chalet as a rink worker. There was a guy named Steve. During the hockey-only skates, he’d go out there with these really high crossovers, a truly cool style. Because I looked up to him, I started adopting that high kick-over. It became a problem for my entire playing career.

Why? Because, like McDavid, I should have been keeping my skates closer to the ice. A powerful crossover means crossing *around* in front, not kicking *high over* the other leg. You need to keep that low, powerful stance. I’m still working on correcting that ingrained habit now. McDavid probably had a player he looked up to who did crossovers in a straight line too, but he adapted it for *his* body and *his* game. If you’re a regular player, trying those high, straight-line crossovers will get you caught, you may lose the puck, and you'll definitely get more fatigued.

Think about Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin, and other elite players who started dropping to a knee for one-timers. A pass comes across, they drop, and fire. This spread like wildfire through the NHL and down into amateur leagues. Players aren't consciously thinking, "I'm dropping to my knee to get more stick flex." It's an instinctive action; a smart hockey mind subconsciously understands how to maximize the flex and power of the stick.

I've argued with other coaches about this. My point? You lose momentum going down. You cannot follow your shot in. You're vulnerable to a cross-check. If there's a rebound, you're not getting it. These professional athletes are very young, and many weren't *taught* to do the things they do. They look to better players around them for inspiration and instinctively develop these elite tweaks. They make it work because they're already playing at an absurdly high level. Learning the distinction between something you can use and something that can cost you is extremely important.

Whether Connor McDavid uses crossovers to go straight or not, he's still going to score. He's an anomaly. For the rest of us, we need to understand the difference between Connor McDavid’s elite execution and what makes sense for *our* game.

You are learning from somebody, somewhere. And most of the time, it's some person telling you something they learned a long time ago. The true value isn't in blindly copying the latest "trick" from an elite player, but in understanding the fundamental principles that allow those players to innovate.

For most players, it makes more sense to skate straight ahead with powerful, efficient strides. Focus on maximizing your linear speed, maintaining a strong, low stance, and using your edges for controlled turns and powerful crossovers when you *actually* need to change direction, not just to look "cool."

Master powerful, efficient straight-line skating first, before you try to replicate the unique, high-risk maneuvers of the game's few exceptional talents.