Relationships of Physical Fitness Test Results and Player Performance Indicators in National-Level Ice Hockey Players

Abstract

The aim of the study is to identify the relationships of the results of the physiological and anthropometric tests and special on-ice fitness tests with individual player performance indicators during matches of the Poland men's national ice hockey team played during the U18 Ice Hockey World Championship. A total of 20 hockey players (forwards, n=12 and defensemen, n=8) of the Poland men's national ice hockey team were included in this study. All participants were performed a battery tests including maximal aerobic capacity, Wingate test, Repeated-Skate Sprint test and vertical jump test. Pearson correlations were used to examine any differences in all measures and +/– score. Only the fatigue index calculated from the repeated-skate sprint test was significantly correlated with absolute +/– score (r=0.47, p<0.05). The result of the aerobic capacity test, expressed by means of the oxygen intake value (V̇O2max), despite being statistically insignificant, reached the value of r=0.42. The results of this study suggest that game performance as indicated by the +/– score can be predicted by the fatigue index calculated from the repeated-skate sprint test.

Physical Performance and the Relationship to Game Performance in Elite Adolescent Ice Hockey

“…The individual sample group participating in this study consisted of twelve players from one team, this equated to a large majority of available players per the inclusion criteria. Nonetheless, in comparison to similar studies (1,7,21,26) this study's sample size was somewhat smaller. Effectively, there were players who were unavailable to participate and therefore resulted in a less than desirable sample size.…”

“…acceleration and deceleration). Less of an emphasis may be given to plyometric training, which seemingly did not represent game performance to a considerable extent in our findings as well as previous (2,24,26,27). Instead, attention can be directed to closed-chain exercises aiming to increase the lowerlimb lateral peak force and rate of force production, due to the conducive kinetics relating to explosive skating (17).…”

“…The remaining plyometric variables resulted in nonsignificant relationships which diminishes the probability of plyometric variables as performance indicators. Furthermore, multiple studies have been consistent with not finding significant correlations between plyometric performance and ice hockey performance (2,24,26,27). Thus, reaffirming that plyometric testing may not indicate ice hockey performance.…”

“…Point Shares = (MG ÷ MGPP) + (MGA ÷ MGPP) Coinciding with previous literature (1,2,7,13,21,22,24,26) this study will focus on physical variables and their relation to game performance. The aim of this study is twofold.…”

Associations between Testing and Game Performance in Ice Hockey: A Scoping Review

“…Anaerobic testing was reported in nine (60%) studies [33][34][35][36][37][38]41,45,46], and the Wingate test was the most frequently used. Aerobic tests were less frequent and used mainly with the treadmill, ergocycle and Léger 20 m shuttle tests [21,[34][35][36]40,45,47]. For on-ice testing (Table 2), all studies used skating tests assessing speed and acceleration, and a third of them used repeated sprints protocols.…”