In 2011, Zdeno Chara of the Boston Bruins broke his own NHL record with a slap shot that traveled 105.9 mph in the Hardest Shot All-Star Game skills competition.
A week later, the KHL boasted that Denis Kulyash of Omsk not only beat Chara's record but set a new world record with a 110.343 mph (177.58 km/h) blast at their All-Star Game.
It's assumed Chara, an NHL All-Star Game captain, will defend his crown in the Hardest Shot competition in Ottawa next weekend. But if he's aiming to break the, ahem, "world record," then he's going to have to cowboy up: Alexander Ryazantsev just shattered it at the 2012 KHL All-Star Game Skill Competition in Riga, Latvia on Saturday:
The Traktor Chelyabinsk defenseman's shot was measured at 114.127 mph (183.67 km/h). Which is pretty damn fast.
Alas, we come back to the usual problem when comparing feats of strength in the KHL Hardest Shot competition and those from the NHL's. The KHL places the puck "at a distance of 7-8 meters from the goal." The NHL places its puck "30 feet from the center of the goal." Basically, the hash marks vs. the top of the circle.
So it's pretty clear what needs to happen here: The NHL has to not allow the KHL to get away with this geographic malarkey, and let Zdeno Chara (and maybe Shea Weber too) fire three pucks at the goal from KHL distance as a special All-Star Game exhibition. Then we'll see whose kung-fu is stronger ...