To get an idea of how fast Austin Wagner skates, just listen to the Kings defensemen who have to track him in practice every day.
“It’s impossible to chase him down,” Oscar Fantenberg said. “Keep him in front of you. That’s the key. You have to control his lane a little bit more than some of the other guys. If he gets a chance [going] down the ice, he’s gone.”
Paul LaDue said he just turns around and skates forward when Wagner gets a head of steam. Dion Phaneuf, a 14-year veteran, said, “I look at his speed, and it’s world-class speed.