National Hockey League Players Research Articles

Neuropsychological Assessment of Professional Ice Hockey Players: A Cross-Cultural Examination of Baseline Data Across Language Groups.

Neuropsychological testing in sports has become routine across all levels of play. The National Hockey League (NHL) has conducted baseline neuropsychological assessment of all players since 1997. This study seeks to examine baseline differences among linguistically and culturally diverse groups within the NHL and to present comprehensive normative data for these groups. Baseline data were obtained from 3,145 professional hockey players' baseline symptom reporting, neuropsychological test performance on a battery of traditional "paper and pencil" measures, and self-reported concussion history. In addition, 604 baseline post-injury paper and pencil evaluations were conducted the season following a concussion and 4,780 computerized baseline ImPACT administrations were obtained following the introduction of computerized testing. Normative data for paper and pencil tests and ImPACT are presented for the major language groups within the league: English, French, Swedish, Russian, Czech, Finnish, and German (ImPACT only). It was found that symptom reporting, the number of concussions sustained, and neuropsychological test results vary significantly based on a players' language of origin. This variability was also present when players were tested in their language of origin. This study provides insight into the significant baseline differences that exist among NHL players regarding symptoms, concussion history, and cognitive functioning. The findings are discussed with respect to the evaluation and management of NHL players who sustain concussion and more generally in the context of neuropsychological assessment in cross-cultural settings, including the importance of examining neuropsychological functioning using culturally specific norms.

Achievement Despite Adversity: A Qualitative Investigation of Undrafted National Hockey League Players

Adversity is viewed as both an inevitable and an important experience for elite athletes. The purpose of this study was to explore elite athletes’ perceptions of the experiences and characteristics that helped them overcome a shared sport-specific adversity. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 12 professional athletes (Mage = 27.25, SD = 3.28 yr) who had progressed to careers in the National Hockey League (NHL) despite not being selected in the annual amateur entry draft. Participants discussed their long-term objectives of playing in the NHL, previous experiences with adversity, certain psychological characteristics that facilitated their progression (e.g., competitiveness, passion, confidence), and the significance of social support as key factors that helped them overcome the initial and subsequent adversities associated with being unselected during the amateur entry draft. Practical implications and proposed avenues for future research are discussed in the context of the study’s limitations.

Testing the hybrid battery approach to evaluating sports-related concussion in the National Hockey League: A factor analytic study

Objective: There has been an increased interest in the use of “Hybrid” neuropsychological test batteries to evaluate neurocognitive functioning prior to and following sports-related concussion. Typically, these test batteries include a combination of traditional “paper and pencil” (P&P) and computerized measures. The National Hockey League (NHL) employs a Hybrid approach consisting of ImPACT and a brief battery of P&P measures. The purpose of this paper was to examine the NHL’s Hybrid model by means of factor analytic techniques in order to determine the extent to which the measures included in the battery are independent of each other or share common variance.Method: Principal components analyses with promax rotations were conducted on the P&P measures alone and when combined with ImPACT. A total of 360 recently concussed NHL players underwent testing using the combined hybrid battery.Results: A principal components analysis with promax rotation of the combined hybrid battery yielded 5 factors (Verbal Learning/Memory, Visual Learning/Memory, Processing Speed/Executive Functioning, Cued/Recognition Memory and Reaction Time/Speed). The factors appear to be relatively independent of each other with the P&P measures comprising the Verbal Learning/Memory, Visual Learning/Memory, and Processing Speed/Executive Functioning and ImPACT loading on the Cued/Recognition Memory and Reaction Time/Speed factors.Conclusions: These data provide support for the Hybrid model with evidence that the P&P measures and ImPACT do not measure the same domains of cognitive functioning. The clinical implications of the findings are discussed in detail.

Investigating the process through which National Hockey League Player Development Coaches ‘develop’ athletes: An exploratory qualitative analysis

The emergence of Player Development Coaches (PDC) in professional sports demonstrates recognition for the importance of fostering personal and professional development. Nonetheless, the processes by which PDCs facilitate such development are largely unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the perceptions, experiences, and responsibilities of current/former National Hockey League (NHL) PDCs. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight experienced NHL PDCs (M age = 50.5, SD = 9.7). The PDCs reported working closely with athletes to oversee their development, which involved frequent meetings and evaluation of performances. They also described the necessity of establishing trust and ensuring transparency with their athletes, providing support (e.g., emotional), and engaging in reflective practice. In using these sport specific, relational, and introspective competencies, player development coaches guide athletes towards various professional (e.g., physical, psychological performance) and personal developmental outcomes (e.g., character). The findings indicate that PDCs act similarly to mentors, whereby the pillars of trust and respect are central to their perceived ability to impact athlete’s personal and professional development. In conclusion, in order to expedite the ultimate performance goal of getting athletes into the NHL, PDCs work collaboratively to reinforce and develop a range of developmental assets that span from improvements in performance to personal growth. Lay Summary: Eight player development coaches were interviewed to examine how they helped their athletes develop into full-time National Hockey League players. These individuals reported the importance of developing trusting relationships with their athletes, monitoring athlete performance/progress, and providing them with the necessary resources to facilitate sport-specific skill development as well as healthy and desirable personal growth.

Coping resources and strategies of Canadian ice-hockey players: An empirical National Hockey League career model

Sport psychology researchers have studied careers of Canadian ice hockey players in the National Hockey League (NHL) and devised an empirical NHL career model. The model was comprised of career stages, statuses, demands and barriers to career progression without any indication of coping. The intent in the present article is to feature coping resources and strategies utilized by players during each status and career stage within the empirical model. Five rookies, 5 veterans, and 13 retirees participated in conversational interviews and the data underwent a deductive thematic analysis. Prospects seeking to gain entry into the NHL set controllable expectations rather than playing to impress coaches and staff. Most prospects played in the minor leagues where they adjusted their expectations to accept roles that they were likely to have during an NHL call-up. The career stage of developing as an NHL player was about rookies producing immediately in their role while holding off internal competition for their roster spot. In the same stage, sophomores were in their second full NHL season and they studied their opponents to avoid the sophomore slump. The stage of reaching the NHL elite involved constant pressure for point production and winning playoff games. The final stage was about seasoned veterans maintaining NHL play involvement by preserving their physique despite being worn down from long careers in a contact sport. The authors will discuss the significance of the model for sport psychology researchers and practitioners, and NHL stakeholders.

Performance and return to sport after hip arthroscopy for femoracetabular impingement syndrome in National Hockey League players

Abstract Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome is a common cause of hip pain in National Hockey League (NHL) players that may lead to decreased performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the (i) return to sport (RTS) rate in NHL players following hip arthroscopy for FAI, (ii) post-operative career length and games per season, (iii) pre- and post-operative performance and (iv) post-operative performance compared with control players. NHL athletes who underwent hip arthroscopy for FAI and matched controls were identified based on position, age (±1 year), years of experience (±1 year) and performance data prior to the surgery date. Demographic and performance data were collected. RTS was defined as playing in at least one NHL game after surgery. A Bonferroni correction was used to control for multiple comparisons with statistical significance defined by a P-value ≤ 0.007. Seventy players (77 surgeries) were analysed (mean age 29.4 ± 4.5 years; mean 8.8 ± 4.7 years NHL experience at the time of surgery). Sixty-three players (70 surgeries, 90.9%) RTS at an average of 6.8 ± 4.1 months. The 1-year NHL career survival rate for players undergoing surgery was 84.4%. Players in the control group (4.4 ± 2.7 years) had longer careers (P = 0.00002) than players that underwent surgery (3.3 ± 2.5 years). There was no significant (P > 0.007) decrease in post-operative performance compared with pre-operatively and with matched controls. The RTS rate for NHL athletes after hip arthroscopy for FAI is above 90% at less than 1 year. Following surgery, if a player returns to the NHL, then their post-operative performance is similar to pre-operatively and controls, but their careers are approximately one season less than controls.

Country of Origin Effects on the Average Annual Values of NHL Player Contracts

Using data from 2005 to 2016, this paper examines if players in the National Hockey League (NHL) are being paid a positive differential for their services due to the competition from the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). In order to control for performance, we use two different large datasets, (N = 4046) and (N = 1717). In keeping with the existing literature, we use lagged performance statistics and dummy variables to control for the type of NHL contract. The first dataset contains lagged career performance statistics, while the performance statistics are based on the statistics generated during the years under the player’s previous contract. Fixed effects least squares (FELS) and quantile regression results suggest that player production statistics, contract status, and country of origin are significant determinants of NHL player salaries.

Evaluating Performance of National Hockey League Players After a Concussion Versus Lower Body Injury.

Concussions elicit changes in brain function that may extend well beyond clinical symptom recovery. Whether these changes produce meaningful deficits outside the laboratory environment is unclear. The results of player performance postconcussion within professional sports have been mixed. To determine whether National Hockey League (NHL) players with concussions performed worse after returning to sport than players with lower body injuries or uninjured players. Cohort study. Publicly available Web sites that compiled injury and player statistics of NHL players. Male NHL players who missed games due to a concussion (n = 22), lower body injury (n = 21), or noninjury (ie, personal reason or season break; n = 13) during the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 regular seasons. Data on concussed athletes were used to identify similar players with lower body injury and noninjury based on (1) position, (2) time loss, (3) time on the ice, and (4) team. The primary performance metric was a modified plus-minus statistic calculated by weighting the players' plus-minus metric by their team's simple rating system to account for varying team performances. Linear mixed models assessed the relationship between injury type (concussion, lower body, or noninjury) and performance (plus-minus score). We observed a quadratic effect for a time2 × group interaction ( \upchi _2^2 = 8.85, P = .01). This interaction revealed that the concussion and lower body injury groups had similar patterns of an initial decrease (ie, 2 weeks after return to play), followed by an increase in performance compared with the uninjured group in weeks 5 and 6. Meanwhile, the uninjured group had an initial increase in performance. We observed no group × linear time interaction (P = .47) or overall group effect (P = .57). The NHL players in the concussion and lower body injury groups displayed similar performance impairments. Both injured cohorts experienced an initial decrease in performance at weeks 1 to 2 after return to play, followed by improved performance at weeks 5 to 6 after return to play, suggesting that the performance implications of concussion may be short lived.

Performance and Return to Sport After Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement in Professional Athletes Differs Between Sports

To determine (1) return-to-sport rates for National Football League, Major League Baseball, National Basketball Association, and National Hockey League (NHL) athletes after hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome, (2) postoperative return-to-sport rate differences between sports, (3) differences in postoperative career length and games per season, (4) differences in preoperative and postoperative performance, and (5) postoperative performance compared with that of matched control players. Professional athletes who underwent hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome were identified. Matched control players were identified by position, age, experience, and performance. Return to sport was defined as playing in at least 1 game after surgery. Continuous variables for each group were compared by using a 2-tailed paired-samples Student t test or χ2 test. A Bonferroni correction was used to control for multiple comparisons with statistical significance defined by a P value < .002. One hundred seventy-two players (86.4%) (mean age, 28.8 ± 5.2years) were able to return to sport at an average of 7.1 ± 4.1months. Athletes played 3.5 ± 2.4years after surgery without significant differences between sports (P > .002). NHL players who underwent surgery played significantly fewer years (4.4 vs 3.3years) (P < .001) and fewer games per season (4 fewer games) (P <.001) after surgery compared with control players. NHL players also had a significant decrease in performance after surgery compared with their performance before surgery (P < .001). In National Football League, Major League Baseball, and National Basketball Association athletes, no significant differences were found in games per season, career length, or preoperative performance compared with postoperative performance and performance of matched control players (P>.002). The RTS rate for professional athletes after surgery for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome is high. Only NHL athletes had significantly shorter careers and played significantly fewer games per season compared with matched control players, with no difference between sports. NHL athletes had significantly worse postoperative performance compared with preoperative performance, with all other sports demonstrating a career-related decline similar to that of matched control players.

Concussion and National Hockey League Player Performance: An Advanced Hockey Metrics Analysis.

Postconcussion deficits in neurocognitive performance and postural control may persist at the time of return to sport participation. How these deficits, if present, affect athletic performance is largely unknown, with prior studies showing mixed results. To evaluate postconcussion National Hockey League player performance using advanced hockey metrics over short- (5 games), medium- (10 games), and long-term (remainder of the season) seasonal performance. Retrospective cohort study. National Hockey League players who sustained a sport-related concussion (SRC; n = 93) and returned during the same season and players (n = 51) who missed time for non-injury-related reasons. Six performance metrics were used: (1) points per 60 minutes, (2) Corsi percentage, (3) personal Fenwick shooting percentage, (4) scoring chances per 60 minutes, (5) penalty difference, and (6) PDO (not an acronym but sometimes referred to as SVSP% [save percentage shooting percentage]). Performance was compared using 2 (group) × 2 (time) repeated-measures analyses of variance for 3 time windows: (1) ±5 games, (2) ±10 games, and (3) the remainder of the season postconcussion. Alpha values were set at a conservative .01 to account for the lack of independence among dependent variables. No significant interactions were present for any of the 6 dependent variables at any of the 3 time windows. Overall, none of the secondary variables differed. Using advanced, sport-specific metrics, we found that National Hockey League players did not display worse seasonal performance during 3 postinjury time frames after they sustained an SRC. Whereas laboratory studies have identified lingering neurologic deficits after concussion, our results suggest that these deficits, if present, either do not translate to worse athletic performance or were not captured by these 44 metrics. Further, prospective efforts are needed to accurately quantify performance after SRC among professional hockey players.

Prognosis Following Hip Arthroscopy Varies in Professional Athletes Based on Sport

To evaluate return to play (RTP) and performance-based outcomes in professional athletes across 4 major North American team sports following hip arthroscopy. Professional athletes of the National Football League, Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association, and National Hockey League (NHL) who underwent hip arthroscopy were identified using an established protocol of public reports. Sport-specific statistics were collected before and after hip arthroscopy for each athlete, leading to a performance score. RTP was defined as the first regular or postseason game played following surgery. A total of 151 arthroscopic hip procedures were performed on 131 professional athletes. The overall RTP rate after arthroscopic hip surgery was found to be 88.7% (134 of 151 arthroscopic hip surgeries), with no significant difference between sports. The median number of seasons played after hip arthroscopy were 2.7, 2.3, 1.1, and 0.9 for the National Football League, National Basketball Association, MLB, and NHL cohorts, respectively, with no significant difference between sports. MLB and NHL cohorts experienced a decrease in games played in the first season following hip arthroscopy (P= .04, P= .01), whereas NHL players also experienced a decrease in games played in seasons 2 and 3 postoperatively (P= .001). Performance scores decreased in the NHL cohort for all seasons postoperatively (P < .001, P= .003). No other statistically significant differences were found when comparing players of different sports. Although professional athletes demonstrate a high rate of RTP following hip arthroscopy across the 4 major North American team sports, hockey players demonstrate the worst prognosis following hip arthroscopy, with sustained decreases in games played and performance in the first 3 seasons postoperatively. Level III, retrospective comparative therapeutic trial.

An Exploratory Study of Mild Cognitive Impairment of Retired Professional Contact Sport Athletes.

To test the hypothesis that mild cognitive impairment (MCI) rates are higher among retired professional contact sport athletes than in noncontact athlete controls and compare history of contact sports with other MCI risk factors. University Concussion Management Clinic. Twenty-one retired National Football League and National Hockey League players and 21 aged-matched noncontact athlete controls. Case-control. Comprehensive criteria were used to assess MCI based on the following: Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System; Trail Making Parts A and B; Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Third Edition subtests; Neuropsychological Assessment Battery Memory Module List Learning, Story Learning, and Naming subtests; and Controlled Oral Word Association Test. The Wide Range Achievement Test was used as a proxy measure for IQ. Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk factors were self-reported and blood cholesterol was measured. Depression was measured by the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI). Eight contact sport athletes (38%) and 3 noncontact athletes (14%) met MCI criteria (P = .083). Contact sport athletes' scores were significantly worse on Letter Fluency and List B Immediate Recall. Contact athletes were more obese, had more vascular risk factors, and had higher scores on the BDI than controls. Athletes with a history of playing professional contact sports had more vascular risk factors and higher depression scores. MCI rates were somewhat higher, though not significant.

Evaluation of Executive Function and Mental Health in Retired Contact Sport Athletes.

To compare retired professional contact sport athletes with age-matched noncontact sport athletes on measures of executive function and mental health. The University Concussion Management Clinic. Twenty-one retired National Football League (NFL) and National Hockey League (NHL) players (mean age 56 years) and 21 age-matched noncontact sport athlete controls. Case control. The self- and informant-reported Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Adult form (BRIEF-A); Wisconsin Card Sorting Test; Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System; Trail Making Part A and B; Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale; Neuropsychological Assessment Battery; List Learning; Controlled Oral Word Association Test; Beck Depression Inventory; Beck Anxiety Inventory; and Personality Inventory of the DSM-5. Former NFL and NHL players perceived themselves to have some impairment in 2 of the 9 domains of executive function on the BRIEF-A; however, their informants reported no difference when compared with informants of noncontact athletes. No significant differences were found when comparing contact sport athletes with noncontact athletes on objective neuropsychological testing. Contact sport athletes qualified as clinically anxious and had more "unusual beliefs and experiences," although they remained within with age-based norms. Participation in contact sports at the professional level may not lead to later-life executive dysfunction, as the popular media and some research currently suggest.

It’s cold and there’s something to do: The changing geography of Canadian National Hockey League players’ hometowns

Set within the framework of the birthplace effect literature and the seminal work of Curtis and Birch, this paper draws information from the publicly available database www.hockeydb.com and from the Census to examine the hometowns of Canadian National Hockey League (NHL) players from 1970 to 2015. It found that from a regional perspective, the distribution of players’ hometowns remained fairly stable over the 46-year period with Ontario and the three Prairie provinces being prominent. Players from small centres have been well represented in the NHL. While larger urban areas have historically produced the most players, there has been a marked increase in ‘big city’ players while the odds of making it are low. However, when the analysis is adjusted according to the population aged 10-19, boys growing up in small and mid-sized centres were at advantage in reaching the NHL until 2009. Finally, we discuss whether the growing presence of big city players in the NHL will affect the image of hockey as a national sport, as for many, small-town hockey remains at the heart of Canadian sporting culture.

Short-Term Impact of Concussion in the NHL: An Analysis of Player Longevity, Performance, and Financial Loss.

Many studies have focused on the long-term impact of concussions in professional sports, but few have investigated short-term effects. This study examines concussion effects on individual players in the National Hockey League (NHL) by assessing career length, performance, and salary. Contracts, transactions, injury reports, and performance statistics from 2008-17 were obtained from the official NHL online publication. Players who sustained a concussion were compared with the 2008-17 non-concussed player pool. Career length was analyzed using Kaplan-Meier survival curves and stratification of player age, experience, and longevity. Player performance and salary changes were evaluated between the years before versus after concussion. Performance and salary changes were compared against non-concussed NHL athletes before/after their career midpoints. Of the 2194 eligible NHL players in the 9-year period, 309 sustained 399 concussions resulting in injury protocol. The probability of playing a full NHL season post-concussion was significantly decreased compared with the non-concussed pool (p < 0.05), specifically 65.0% versus 81.2% at 1 year into a player's career, 49.8% versus 67.4% at 2 years, and 14.6% versus 43.7% at 5 years. Performance was reduced at all non-goalie positions post-concussion (p < 0.05). Players scored 2.5 points/year less following a concussion. The total annualized financial impact from salary reductions after 1 concussion was $57.0 million, with a decrease of $292,000 per year in contract value per athlete. This retrospective study demonstrates that NHL concussions resulting in injury protocol activation lead to shorter career lengths, earnings reductions, and decreased performance when compared with non-concussed controls.

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy in contact sports: The Canadian experience

Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is suggested to be a progressive neurodegenerative disease, characterized by tau deposits in the depth of cortical sulci in neurons and in glioneuronal complexes around blood vessels. Few studies have suggested that it is caused by multiple concussions or subconcussive brain injuries. A recent publication showed that most American football players whose brain were donated to the Boston University concussion center had CTE (Mez et al. 2017). Over the last 6 years, with the help of neuropathologist colleagues across Canada, we have collected the brains of 33 high level professional and amateur athletes. These include 5 National hockey league (NHL) players, 15 Canadian football league (CFL) players, 3 College football players, 3 College hockey players, 2 professional boxers, 1 professional bull rider, 1 BMX champion, 1 rugby player and 2 skiers. All were male and the ages ranging from 15 to 87 years. Our results indicate that only a small portion of cases have CTE. Moreover, most cases are low stage (stage 1 or 2) and this pathology is mainly seen in some of the younger players. Older players either have no pathological findings or have other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. The disparity of results between the 2 groups will be discussed.

The end game: Mortality outcomes in North American professional athletes.

Comprehensive investigations into the mortality outcomes of elite athletes can assist in decoding risk factors for premature mortality and provide avenues for exploring human health through engagement in sport. As such, the purpose of this study was to comprehensively examine lifespan trends of athletes from the 4 major sports in North America: Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), and National Hockey League (NHL). We hypothesized that proportional death rates would be similar across the 4 sports, when standardizing the data by debut years. Overall, 17523 of 50515 (34.7%) athletes were deceased as of the respective data collection cutoff date for their sport, with MLB players having the highest risk of imminent mortality. Professional basketball players generally had the highest relative proportion of death when standardizing data by debut year, although NHL and NFL players who debuted after 2005 had the highest proportion of death. In addition, a 1-year increase in career length significantly decreased the risk of death (HR: 0.982, 95% CI: 0.978-0.985), even after adjusting for sport type (HR: 0.977, 95% CI: 0.974-0.980). Meaningful significance should be considered given the historical and unique nature of the sample. Nevertheless, investigating risk of death differences through different occupational and biological variables can help highlight aversive trends to lifespan that permeate throughout high-performance athlete populations.

Averting a tragedy of the commons: revenue sharing and competitive balance in the NHL

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to measure the effect of the National Hockey League (NHL) collective bargaining agreement (CBA) of 2005 between the NHL owners and the NHL Players Association, to determine whether competitive balance in the NHL increased after the CBA.Design/methodology/approachCompetitive balance in the NHL was compared between 11 seasons before the NHL Lockout Season in 2004-2005 and 11 seasons after, with a new CBA and a new revenue sharing plan. Competitive balance was measured in multiple ways, within seasons, across multiple seasons, by the margin of victory in individual games, by the concentration of teams winning and playing in the NHL championship, in the correlation of winning percentage of a season with subsequent seasons, and the number of consecutive winning or losing seasons.FindingsThere was greater competitive balance after the Lockout Season and the new CBA than before on all of the measures of competitive balance. The NHL has found a management solution to the effective management of a common pool resource and avoided a tragedy of the commons.Practical implicationsWhile this research builds on previous work which examines the presence of competitive balance in the NHL, it encourages those engaged in labor policy to consider not only the merit of design when negotiating labor policy, but also to explore the impact of policy on organizational outcomes over time.Originality/valueThis paper combines perspectives and insights from multiple disciplines including economists’ ideas about competitive balance in a sports league, ecologists’ ideas about effective management of a common pool resource, and strategic management ideas about management solutions to a sustainability problem.

Comparison Between Power Off-Ice Test and Performance On-Ice Anaerobic Testing.

Boucher, VG, Parent, AA, Miron, FSJ, Leone, M, and Comtois, AS. Comparison between power off-ice test and performance on-ice anaerobic testing. J Strength Cond Res 34(12): 3498-3505, 2020-The importance of specific testing has been shown in ice hockey performance, and the understanding and connection between them may lead to adapting training and follow-up in elite athletes. The aim of this study was to compare 2 off-ice power tests with performances on ice with National Hockey League (NHL) players. The vertical jump and broad jump tests were used for the off-ice evaluations, whereas a modified SAS-40 and a repeated-sprint skate (RSSm) test were used on-ice as performance variables. Thirty-one players (3 goalkeepers, 10 defense players, and 18 forward players) from the NHL performed before preseason training camp. Four evaluation sessions were performed with 48-hour time intervals between them. The results show that the 2 jump types were correlated (r = 0.45 p < 0.01), and there was a significant correlation between the vertical jump and the best SAS-40 time trial for defense players, but not for forward players (r = 0.76 p = 0.02; r = 0.21 p = 0.16, respectively). By contrast, there was a significant correlation between broad jump and best SAS-40 time trial for forward players but not for defensive players (r = 0.75 p < 0.01; r = 0.19 p = 0.28, respectively). In conclusion, results show that specific player ability needs to be taken into consideration when choosing off-ice tests.

The relative age effect reversal among the National Hockey League elite

Like many sports in adolescence, junior hockey is organized by age groups. Typically, players born after December 31st are placed in the subsequent age cohort and as a result, will have an age advantage over those players born closer to the end of the year. While this relative age effect (RAE) has been well-established in junior hockey and other professional sports, the long-term impact of this phenomenon is not well understood. Using roster data on North American National Hockey League (NHL) players from the 2008–2009 season to the 2015–2016 season, we document a RAE reversal—players born in the last quarter of the year (October-December) score more and command higher salaries than those born in the first quarter of the year. This reversal is even more pronounced among the NHL “elite.” We find that among players in the 90th percentile of scoring, those born in the last quarter of the year score about 9 more points per season than those born in the first quarter. Likewise, elite players in the 90th percentile of salary who are born in the last quarter of the year earn 51% more pay than players born at the start of the year. Surprisingly, compared to players at the lower end of the performance distribution, the RAE reversal is about three to four times greater among elite players.