The Skates Behind Your Favorite NHL Players (MacKinnon, Makar...)

When you're watching the NHL's best hockey players fly around the ice, their skates are a big part of what makes it possible. From Connor McDavid's explosive acceleration to Cale Makar's effortless edge work and Nathan MacKinnon's powerful strides, every player relies on equipment that complements their skating style.

But what skates are the NHL's biggest stars actually wearing? And what were they using before their current pairs?

We've put together a closer look at the hockey skates worn by 10 of the NHL's most exciting players, including the technologies behind their current models and the equipment changes they've made throughout their careers.

What NHL Players Are Wearing

Nathan MacKinnon – CCM Vizion

Nathan MacKinnon is known for his powerful skating stride, incredible acceleration and ability to drive through defenders. His latest skate choice is the CCM Vizion, one of CCM's newest elite-level hockey skates.

The Vizion features CCM's CORE Boot technology, designed to create a close-to-the-foot fit and maximize energy transfer through its one-piece boot construction. Its lightweight composite structure helps reduce unnecessary weight, while the tri-density, gel-infused ankle pads provide comfort and responsiveness.

Another standout feature is the oversized PRO Spec holder, which increases blade contact with the ice to improve stability, glide and power. The skate also comes equipped with STEP BlackSteel runners.

MacKinnon made the switch to the Vizion on December 23, 2025, after previously wearing the CCM Ribcor 100K Pro.

Previous skates: CCM Ribcor 100K Pro.

Shop the skate: CCM Vizion Hockey Skates

Cale Makar – Bauer Supreme Shadow

Cale Makar makes skating look effortless. Whether he's escaping pressure in his own zone, joining the rush or creating scoring opportunities offensively, his edge work and agility make him one of the most difficult defencemen to defend.

Makar currently wears the Bauer Supreme Shadow, a skate designed for players who prioritize powerful strides, acceleration and stability.

One of its biggest features is the Carbon CONNECT outsole, which is 40% stiffer than the previous Supreme Mach outsole. This increased stiffness helps transfer more energy into the ice during acceleration and push-offs.

The Supreme Shadow also features Bauer's POWERFLY holder, which combines a stiff front post for energy transfer with a flexible rear post to support quicker side-to-side movements. Its AMP FLEX facing encourages forward ankle movement, while the POWERCOIL tongue helps store and release energy throughout each stride.

Makar made the transition from the Supreme Mach to the Supreme Shadow in December 2024.

Previous skates: Bauer Supreme Mach.

Shop the skate: Bauer Supreme Shadow Hockey Skates

Connor McDavid – CCM JetSpeed FT8 Pro

There's no better place to start than the fastest player in hockey. Connor McDavid's skating ability is one of the biggest reasons he's considered one of the greatest players in the world, and his equipment is built to complement his explosive speed and acceleration.

McDavid wears the CCM JetSpeed FT8 Pro, an elite-level skate designed around speed, agility and energy transfer. Its one-piece FORS composite boot creates a responsive connection between the foot and blade, while its increased forward pitch encourages a more aggressive skating position. The ADPT Comfort Tongue and STEP BlackSteel runners add comfort, stability and long-lasting edge performance.

McDavid has moved between different versions of CCM's JetSpeed skate throughout his career, including the FT6 Pro and FT8 Pro.

Previous skates: CCM JetSpeed FT6 Pro and other JetSpeed configurations.

Shop the skate: CCM JetSpeed FT8 Pro Hockey Skates

Quinn Hughes – Bauer Vapor FlyLite

Quinn Hughes is one of the NHL's most elusive defencemen. His quick feet, incredible edge work and ability to change direction in tight spaces make him a nightmare for opposing forecheckers.

His current choice is the Bauer Vapor FlyLite, an elite skate designed for players who rely on quickness, agility and explosive movements.

The FlyLite features five strategically positioned FUSION FLEX notches in its facing. These allow the skate to flex forward like a spring, storing and releasing energy to help generate acceleration. Its FUSION CURV quarter package and FUSION FLEX outsole are designed to work together to improve energy return during acceleration, transitions and stops.

The skate also includes a LOCKFIT PRO liner to keep the foot securely positioned, an AEROLITE 3.0 tongue for lightweight comfort and Bauer's POWERFLY holder.

Hughes made the switch from the Vapor HyperLite 2 to the Vapor FlyLite in October 2025.

Previous skates: Bauer Vapor HyperLite 2.

Shop the skate: Bauer Vapor FlyLite Hockey Skates

Jack Hughes – Bauer Vapor FlyLite

Like his brother Quinn, Jack Hughes is known for his exceptional skating ability. His game revolves around quick acceleration, tight turns and the ability to create space with his feet before making a play.

It's fitting that he also wears the Bauer Vapor FlyLite. The skate's flexible construction is designed to support the type of quick, unpredictable movements that make Hughes so dangerous offensively.

The five FUSION FLEX notches help players load energy through forward flex, while the FUSION CURV materials and flexible outsole are designed to provide energy return when accelerating and changing direction. Its lightweight construction also helps maintain a responsive feel without sacrificing the support needed for high-level competition.

Jack made the transition to the Vapor FlyLite in September 2025, moving on from the Vapor HyperLite 2.

Previous skates: Bauer Vapor HyperLite 2.

Shop the skate: Bauer Vapor FlyLite Hockey Skates

Logan Cooley – CCM JetSpeed FT8 Pro

Logan Cooley has quickly established himself as one of the NHL's most exciting young forwards. His skating is a major part of his game, allowing him to generate speed through the neutral zone, attack defenders and create offensive opportunities.

Cooley wears the CCM JetSpeed FT8 Pro, sharing his current skate model with Connor McDavid.

The FT8 Pro is built around CCM's FORS composite one-piece boot, which delivers a combination of stiffness, lightweight construction and responsiveness. Its forward pitch encourages a more aggressive skating stance, helping players stay on their toes and generate explosive strides.

Other features include an ADPT Comfort Tongue, ADPT Memory Foam ankle padding and a lightweight composite midsole. The STEP BlackSteel runners feature a diamond-like carbon coating designed to improve glide and edge durability.

Cooley upgraded from the CCM JetSpeed FT6 Pro to the FT8 Pro in April 2026.

Previous skates: CCM JetSpeed FT6 Pro.

Shop the skate: CCM JetSpeed FT8 Pro Hockey Skates

Brayden Point – TRUE SVH Custom

Brayden Point is one of the NHL's most dangerous offensive players, combining exceptional acceleration with quick changes of direction and an ability to find open ice in tight spaces.

Unlike most players on this list, Point wears a custom-built skate rather than a standard retail model. His choice is the TRUE SVH Custom, part of TRUE's custom skate offering designed around an individual player's foot shape and performance requirements.

The SVH name stands for Skate Vertical Hold, TRUE's custom-fitting approach. Rather than simply choosing a standard size and fit, custom skates are built to provide a highly personalized fit around the player's foot. This allows for a more secure connection between the foot and skate, helping maximize comfort, support and energy transfer.

Point has been associated with TRUE skates throughout his NHL career, alternating between the TRUE TF Pro and SVH Custom. He made his latest switch to the SVH Custom in February 2024.

Previous skates: TRUE TF Pro.

Availability: The TRUE SVH Custom is a custom professional skate rather than a standard retail model.

Tim Stützle – Bauer Vapor FlyLite

Ottawa Senators forward Tim Stützle is another player whose skating ability separates him from the competition. His speed, agility and ability to make quick movements with the puck make him one of the most entertaining players to watch.

Stützle wears the Bauer Vapor FlyLite, a skate that complements his dynamic playing style. Its flexible construction and energy-return technologies are designed to help players accelerate quickly, transition between movements and maintain control on their edges.

The FUSION FLEX facing allows for increased forward flex, while the FUSION CURV materials and FUSION FLEX outsole work together to create a responsive skating platform. The POWERFLY holder adds another performance advantage, combining stiffness and flexibility to support both powerful strides and quick movements.

Stützle previously wore the Bauer Vapor HyperLite 2 before making the transition to the FlyLite in March 2025.

Previous skates: Bauer Vapor HyperLite 2.

Shop the skate: Bauer Vapor FlyLite Hockey Skates

Martin Nečas – Bauer Supreme Fuse

Martin Nečas has become known for his combination of speed, power and offensive creativity. His skating allows him to attack defenders with pace, accelerate into open ice and create scoring chances off the rush.

His current skates are the Bauer Supreme Fuse, part of Bauer's power-focused Supreme family.

The Supreme Fuse is engineered to harness energy through the skating stride and release it for explosive acceleration. Its 12K CURV composite quarter provides lightweight support, while the AMP FLEX 3.0 facing compresses as the player bends their knees, helping store energy for each stride.

The POWERCOIL tongue is another important component, using an injected insert that returns to its original position after flexing. Combined with the one-piece forged carbon outsole, this helps create an efficient and responsive skating platform.

The FUSE X toe cap improves torsional stiffness and energy transfer, while the POWERFLY holder combines a stiff front post and flexible rear post for power and agility.

Nečas made the switch from the Supreme Shadow to the Supreme Fuse in September 2026.

Previous skates: Bauer Supreme Shadow.

Shop the skate: Bauer Supreme Fuse Hockey Skates

Lane Hutson – Bauer Vapor FlyLite

Montreal Canadiens defenceman Lane Hutson has quickly become one of the NHL's most exciting young talents. His skating is a major part of his success, allowing him to escape pressure, maneuver around opposing players and create offensive opportunities from the blue line.

Hutson wears the Bauer Vapor FlyLite, sharing the same skate model as Quinn Hughes, Jack Hughes and Tim Stützle.

The FlyLite is particularly suited to players who rely on agility and quick reactions. Its five FUSION FLEX notches help generate forward flex and energy return, while its flexible FUSION CURV materials and FUSION FLEX outsole support quick transitions and changes in direction.

The LOCKFIT PRO liner helps secure the foot inside the boot, and the AEROLITE 3.0 tongue provides lightweight protection and flexibility.

Hutson made the switch from the Vapor HyperLite 2 to the Vapor FlyLite in September 2025.

Previous skates: Bauer Vapor HyperLite 2.

Shop the skate: Bauer Vapor FlyLite Hockey Skates

NHL Player Skate Comparison

Find Your Next Pair of Hockey Skates

One thing becomes clear when looking at the skates worn by these NHL stars: there's no single skate that every elite player uses. Some prefer the quickness and flexibility of Bauer's Vapor line, while others rely on the power and energy transfer of the Supreme family. CCM's JetSpeed and Vizion models also offer different approaches to speed, responsiveness and performance.

The most important thing is finding a pair that complements your own skating style. Whether you're looking for explosive acceleration, better edge control, improved stability or a more comfortable fit, choosing the right hockey skates can make a significant difference in your game.

Check out the full selection of hockey skates at Sports Excellence and find the pair that helps you take your skating to the next level.