Skip to main content

ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Sports Act. Living
Sec. Exercise Physiology
Volume 6 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fspor.2024.1418713
This article is part of the Research Topic Physiological, Anatomical and Sport Performance Adaptations to Concentrated Training Periods in Athletes View all 3 articles

The Relationship Between Off-Ice Testing and On-Ice Performance in Male Youth Ice Hockey Players

Provisionally accepted
Mark S. Rice Mark S. Rice 1Darren Warburton Darren Warburton 2Alejandro Gaytan-Gonzalez Alejandro Gaytan-Gonzalez 2Veronica Jamnik Veronica Jamnik 3Kai Kaufman Kai Kaufman 2Declan R. Warburton Declan R. Warburton 2Michael Souster Michael Souster 2Shannon S. Bredin Shannon S. Bredin 2*
  • 1 University of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada
  • 2 University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
  • 3 York University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Introduction: Ice hockey demands a unique blend of physical fitness and skill, necessitating a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing on-ice performance. The present study was designed to examine the relationship between off-ice and on-ice performance measures in male, youth, ice hockey players. Methods: Eleven minor hockey players (Age = 9.8 ± 1.1 y) participated in two testing days: 1) off-ice and 2) on-ice assessments. Off-ice assessments included maximal aerobic power, anaerobic fitness, muscular strength (handgrip and single leg squat), muscular endurance (curl-ups and push-ups), muscular power (standing long jump and vertical jump), and 30 m sprinting speed and acceleration. On-ice testing included a 15.2 m maximum speed test, a 6.1 m acceleration test with a continuation into a 47.9 m top speed test, an agility cornering S turn test, and a shot velocity test. Results: Twenty-four out of 33 off-ice variables were significantly correlated with at least one of the 11 on-ice performance variables. From those 24, 10 were included as predictors for at least one of the on-ice performance variables. Each model was composed of either one or two predictors, where the most common predictors were 30 m Run -Split (6.1 m) Sprint time and 30 m Run -Total (30 m) Sprint Max speed (included in four out of 11 models each). The prediction formulas R2 and coefficient of variation ranged from 0.63 to 0.96 and 1.2 to 15.3%, respectively. Discussion: Diverse off-ice measures of aerobic fitness, anaerobic power, muscular strength, power, and endurance, and sprinting speed, acceleration, and agility are predictive of on-ice performance. The insights gained from this study contribute to the refinement of assessment protocols, fostering a comprehensive approach to optimizing player performance and potential. Understanding the connection between objective off-ice testing and on-ice performance can support tailored training programs and player development in male youth ice hockey.

    Keywords: Off-Ice Testing, On-Ice Performance, Ice hockey, Youth players, Predictive Metrics Deleted: Moreover

    Received: 17 Apr 2024; Accepted: 24 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Rice, Warburton, Gaytan-Gonzalez, Jamnik, Kaufman, Warburton, Souster and Bredin. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Shannon S. Bredin, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.