Joel Eriksson Ek's NASTY Goal Proves Toe Drag Swag Is Definitely A Thing In The NHL Too

Unless my research skills are no longer functional, I believe it was Nate Burleson who started the "Toe Drag Swag" movement in the NFL. Burleson would pick out a weekly highlight reel of wide receivers showing off crazy-good footwork on the sidelines or in the end zone and managing to keep both feet in bounds while securing a catch. Whatever a catch even is defined as anymore.

So you might be confused as hell as to why "toe drag swag" is in a headline about the NHL, or how the fuck that could possibly apply to a sport where everyone is on skates. Well, the "toe" — kind of a gross word isn't it? I'll try to stop — in this instance is the edge of Minnesota Wild forward Joel Eriksson Ek's stick, which he used to drag the puck and absolutely MIFF St. Louis Blues goalie Ville Husso en route to his second goal of Wednesday's Game 2:

That's just wrong. My goodness. I'm all for a good one-timer, or a top-shelf wrister, or even an absolute rocket of a slap shot from the point. But damn, when a player can make moves like this in close quarters, in a game situation, it's one of those unicorn goal highlights hockey fans wait for.

Something like this is often reserved for a shootout. But usually the best of those are a collection of close-range dekes and rapid stick-handling. In a one-on-one situation, it's way different. This was Eriksson Ek thinking in the moment, reacting to a turnover deep in Blues territory, and letting his raw instincts and skill take over.

You gotta love the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Visit the online store to shop Barstool's hockey merch collection