Filthy dangles

While the NHL is teeming with flashy players, none do it better than the rookies. Whether it's the novelty of being a fresh face or possessing more developed skills, freshmen in the NHL know how to charm a crowd.

Sophomore forward Tomas Hertl missed most of his rookie season (Dec. 19- Apr. 11) due to a knee injury he suffered in December 2013 and still managed to finish with 37 goals. Hertl contributed nearly half the goals in his second career NHL game as the Sharks routed the Rangers 9-2 last October. He tied a franchise record for goals in a game and became the second youngest player to score four goals in a game, but that's not why fans left with mouths agape. Hertl demonstrated just how filthy his mitts are. Let's break down the barrage of offense courtesy of our Czech superhero.

SJS vs. NYR 10/08/2013

4-1 SJS - Hertl buries a shot from the top of the crease off a feed from Desjardins
6-1 SJS - Hertl goes five-hole on Biron after a breakaway pass from Thornton at the blue line.
7-2 SJS - Hertl completes the hatty on a power play goal from the slot, redirecting a Demers pass.
8-2 SJS - Hertl turns a cross-ice pass into a breakaway and scores top shelf with his stick between his legs.

Wait, what? Between the legs AND top shelf?! This kid is not from Earth. No words can do it justice, either. My eyes get bigger and my jaw drops lower with each viewing.

Goal number four is the cherry on top, icing on the cake, and having your cake and eating it, too. It's hard to avoid cliches when describing inhuman displays of athleticism. Had his fourth goal been his only goal, the hockey world would've reacted less. By itself, that move is enough to leave players and fans everywhere speechless. Precede the dangle with a hat trick, and you have an unforgettable performance.

Seth Griffith, a rookie on the Boston Bruins this season, scored his first NHL goal in a win against the Sharks on October 21. The forward from Ontario sees a decent amount of ice time, averaging 14 to 15 minutes per game. During a game in which he spent the least time on the ice, Griffith scored the game winner in style. Some might say it was luck, but I'm going with style. It's one of those goals that I picture the player smirking after as if to say "Deal with it." The kid is smooth.

After blocking a shot in his own end, Griffith picked up the puck and split the defenders. With quicker feet, he would've easily beat both guys. Unfortunately, Griffith got caught up with the weak side defenseman just inside the Devils blue line before coasting in a tangled mess towards the net where he made something out of nothing. Next to breakaway dangles, scoring backwards between the legs while a defenseman breathes down your neck is quite breathtaking.

The future of hockey is promising. Rookies continue to hypnotize crowds with their saucy mitts and habit of going top shelf where mama hides the cookies. (Thank you, John Buccigross, for the fun hockey lingo.) Crowd-pleasing goals like Hertl's and Griffith's build hockey's reputation as being fun to watch; it doesn't matter if you understand hockey because it's easy to recognize a sick goal.