Performance After Concussion in National Hockey League Players.

Abstract

Concussions in ice hockey players are an interesting area of study due to the fast-paced and high-impact nature of the sport. Recently, researchers have focused on player performance after return from concussion to evaluate subclinical deficits that were previously missed. To examine National Hockey League (NHL) player performance from 2013 to 2019 and compare performance before a concussion with performance immediately after recovering to assess the current NHL return-to-play protocol. Cross-sectional study. The NHL Injury Viz and sports reporting websites. Players in the NHL who sustained concussions from 2013 to 2019. Goals, assists, points, plus-minus, time on ice (TOI), and hits. When goals, assists, points, plus-minus, TOI, and hits were examined, only TOI was different after the players returned from injury, and this TOI difference was not substantively important. After concussion, NHL player performance did not change.