THE QUESTION: Who has the best shot in the National Hockey League?

TERRY SAWCHUK
Detroit Red Wings
Goalie
Gordie Howe. I've watched him operate both as an opposing player and as a teammate. During my seasons in Boston, Gordie gave me the most trouble of any player. Even now I'm still amazed at Howe's shot—not just the speed of it but also the force. We refer to his kind of shot as "heavy."

MILT SCHMIDT
Boston Bruins
Coach
I've seen all the best shooters on ice, but a coach is really sticking his neck out when he tells you that a certain player has the best shot. Anyway, here goes. Bronco Horvath of the Bruins has the best shot in the NHL. That's because he gets it away faster than anyone else and his shot is accurate and low.

GUMP WORSLEY
New York Rangers
Goalie
Boom Boom Geoffrion doesn't have to apologize for his blazer and neither does Jean Beliveau, but when it comes to speed and accuracy, the old man, Rocket Richard, still is as tough as anybody. He can catch those corners blindfolded. I don't care how hard the shot is as long as I can see it.

JACQUES PLANTE
Montreal Canadiens
Goalie
That's almost impossible to answer. The best scorer on each team should be the one with the best shot. One player shoots the puck at 100 miles an hour and another at 110. What's the difference? Bobby Hull of the Chicago Black Hawks and Andy Bathgate of the New York Rangers are as good as any.

SID ABEL
Detroit Red Wings
Coach
Five or six players would get my nod. Boston's Bronco Horvath gets it away the quickest. Jean Beliveau has the hardest shot, with such cannonaders as our own Gordie Howe, Geoffrion of Montreal and Hull of Chicago not far behind. I'd say that Howe and Maurice Richard have the most accurate shots in the game.

HARRY LUMLEY
Boston Bruins
Goalie
In my opinion it's a tossup between the Canadiens' Jean Beliveau and Bronco Horvath of our team. There's no hesitation on the part of either. Both get their shots off quickly. When the puck hits their stick it's gone and both of them shoot along the ice, which is the most effective way.

HECTOR (Toe) BLAKE
Montreal Canadiens
Coach
It's pretty hard to say for certain which player has the hardest shot. It's all in the timing, the wrist action and the way a player throws his body into the shot. Beliveau and Boom Boom Geoffrion and Andy Bathgate are among the best, but if I am pinned down to one player, I'll have to go along with Gordie Howe of Detroit.

GLENN HALL
Chicago Black Hawks
Goalie
It could be either Beliveau of the Canadiens or Tim Horton of Toronto. If I'm pinned down to a choice I'd have to pick Beliveau because he is a much greater all-round player. Several others are very close—Boom Boom Geoffrion of the Canadiens, Bobby Hull of our club and Andy Bathgate of the Rangers.

HARRY HOWELL
New York Rangers
Defenseman
There are two types of shots, the conventional wrist shot and the stiff-wristed slap shot. For the usual wrist shot, give me Gordie Howe, Rocket Richard and Bronco Horvath. They get it off in a hurry. The two best stiff-wristed shots belong to Montreal's Boom Boom Geoffrion and our own Andy Bathgate.

JOHNNY BOWER
Toronto Maple Leafs
Goalie
Gordie Howe. He takes one look, seems to know where the goalie is going to move and lets go. He gets the shot off in a flash, and he knows where he is actually aiming. Bobby Hull of the Hawks has a very accurate wrist shot which he gets away amazingly fast. Beliveau and Geoffrion of the Canadiens are also great.

ELEVEN PHOTOS