Top 5 Hockey TJ’s in the NHL

By: Ian McFarland

The NHL is made up of the best players from around the globe. Each of those players have their own play styles, strength’s and weaknesses, and even Tape Jobs. Yes, I said Tape Jobs.

The Tape Job of each NHL Player is different. Some believe it to be a ritual and have been doing it the same way since they were just a kid, while other players change it up every game. No matter which way an NHL Player does it, each Tape Job is unique. In the NHL, there are a few TJ’s that standout from others. In this article, I have narrowed down the Top 5 Tape Jobs in the NHL.

1st Place: Alexander Ovechkin - LW- Washington Capitals 

When we’re talking about the best TJ’s in the NHL, how could you leave out the “flashiest” player in the league? Whether you hate him, or you love him, Ovechkin has the best twig taping in the business. Ovie rocks a simple covered toe to mid blade set-up with white tape, complemented with a rubbing of a puck to dirty it up a bit. Allowing Ovechkin to rocket the one-timers as well as sniping like no other, his TJ is the best it can get.

2nd Place: Gabriel Landeskog - LW - Colorado Avalanche 

Coming in second place for the best TJ in the NHL, is Gabriel Landeskog of the Colorado Avalanche. Not only is Landeskog the youngest captain of any NHL team, but he also rocks one of the cleanest stick set-ups. Similar to Ovechkin, Landeskog uses the covered toe method, but instead brings it all the way down to the heel. It’s an incredibly simple and clean TJ, and how could you go wrong with that?

3rd Place: TJ Oshie - RW/C - St. Louis Blues 

You may remember him as the hero in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics - I’m talking about the one and only TJ Oshie. TJ himself rocks the third best tape job in the league with an old childhood favorite - “The Candy Cane”. Oshie wraps a little string of tape down the middle of his stick to add some grip for his dominant hand. I think we can all say we’ve done that old trick before. On the blade, Oshie sports the classic heel to toe tape job with a nice layer of wax to add grip.

4th Place: Jamie Benn - D - Dallas Stars 

Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars comes in 4th with his simple TJ. Benn utilizes the least amount of tape humanly possible, with a nice simple mid blade wrap with some white cloth. This style is sometimes referred to as “The Grinder.” It’s an incredibly clean and funny look, which puts Benn on the list of one of the best TJ’s in the NHL.

5th Place: Phil Kessel - RW - Toronto Maple Leafs 

Last, but certainly not least. Coming in 5th place for the best TJ in the NHL is Phil Kessel if the Toronto Maple Leafs. Kessel rocks the old childhood favorite “The Candy Cane” just like Oshie, but with even more flare. Kessel wraps the tape all the way down the shaft of his stick just to make sure he always has the maximum grip… I think? It’s definitely one of the more “Why on earth?” styles in the league, which puts him on the Top 5 list.