Top 10 goals of 2016 (Puck Daddy Year in Hockey)

(Puck Daddy presents its annual look back at the year in hockey. Check back every day through the New Year for our many lists and hot takes.)

Puck Daddy cast its net far and wide for the greatest hockey goals of 2016, and found more than a few outside the NHL.

Some things were clear from this year’s ranking: That there’s a ton of young talent in the hockey world scoring highlight-reel goals, and that many of them are property of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Here are the top 10 greatest goals of 2016:

10 – Kael Mouillierat, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (AHL)

We’re suckers for the Lacrosse Move, and Mouillierat scored a sneaky one against the rival Hershey Bears on March 20. As we noted at the time, it wasn’t the first time he went all Mike Legg on an opposing goalie.

9 – Brian Hawkinson, Tri City Storm (USHL)

Hey, if you liked the comfort food of the lacrosse goal, you’ll no doubt love a good old fashioned spin-o-rama in the slot by Hawkinson, 17, against Omaha in the USHL back in April. He’s currently playing for Miami University (Ohio). Wheeeee!

8 – Auston Matthews, Toronto Maple Leafs

Beginning our impressive (or depressing, depending on how you feel about the Leafs) run of Toronto’s young talent on this countdown, Matthews’s second NHL goal was a thing of beauty, as he controlled the puck in the neutral zone, beat Mike Hoffman and then skated through Erik Karlsson before finishing strong in his debut night of four goals.

It was a performance that got the Leafs on NBCSN that weekend, and probably ended Karlsson’s Norris chances with Toronto media.

7 – Anthony Duclair, Arizona Coyotes

The Duke failed to live up to the expectations of his rookie season in 2016-17, but in fairness, those expectations were quite lofty thanks to incredible moves like this one against the Nashville Predators back in January. That’s the “Forsberg” right there, an exclamation point on a 4-0 win.

6 – Nikita Korostelev, Sarnia Sting (OHL)

The Toronto Maple Leafs prospect dekes past two defenders and then slices the puck on a laser beam backhander into the net against the Kitchener Rangers in a game in October. Did they have to send the ice crew out to collect the jocks he just faked those defenseman out of on the ice? Wow …

5 – Cameron Hughes, Wisconsin Badgers (NCAA)

The Wisconsin junior converted a turnover by Boston College for a nasty between the legs sniped over a helpless netminder. It was the No. 1 play on SportsCenter that night, and getting hockey on ESPN is of course a feat in itself, so kudos.

4 – Jagger Williamson, Vernon Vipers (BCHL)

Let’s start with the obvious: Dude’s name is JAGGER WILLIAMSON, a.k.a. the hot guy in your school.

Williamson’s first goal of the season for the British Columbia Hockey League’s Vernon Vipers in September was a masterpiece: The 17-year-old forward stealing a puck, fighting off a check, miraculously staying onside after falling to one knee and then potting the goal. The only thing that wasn’t dazzling was the rather perfunctory finish.

In the end, we all probably wish we had the moves like … Williamson.

3 – Mitch Marner, London Knights (OHL)

The current Toronto Maple Leafs Good Ontarian Boy scored this incredible goal against the Niagara Ice Dogs in February: That dangle followed by him kicking the puck to his stick before tucking it home for a spectacular goal. What a calling card for the 2016 rookie.

2 – Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers

Every time McDavid touches the puck it seems like it can end up on this list, but this goal against the Columbus Blue Jackets on Feb. 2 was something special. Look at that acceleration through the neutral zone, that deke around the two defenders and that insane forehand-backhand-forehand finish.

All that in his first game back from missing 37 games with a broken clavicle.

But it’s not the goal of the year …

1 – John Quenneville, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)

So much sickness packed into one goal. You have that Hail Mary pass from defenseman Ivan Provorov through two sets of Rouyn-Noranda Huskies defenders. You have Quenneville receiving that pass at full speed and kicking the puck to his stick, staying onside. And then you have the leg-in-the-air deke before he finishes with a between the legs shot that, again, is at full speed.

Just a heaping Costco-sized box of nasty at the Memorial Cup, and our goal of the year for 2016.

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Greg Wyshynski is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter. His book, TAKE YOUR EYE OFF THE PUCK, is available on Amazon, and wherever books are sold.

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