A 26 year physiological description of a National Hockey League team

Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, August, 2008 by H.A. Quinney, Randy Dewart, Alex Game, Gary Snydmiller, Darren Warburton, Gordon Bell

The ice-hockey players examined in this investigation were evaluated to assess their individual fitness levels prior to each season and were required to be active players on the team during the year of evaluation. The data set was coded for individual player, year, position, and a success criterion. To investigate whether a successful season was related to overall fitness levels, the authors used points acquired during the season as determined by the NHL combined with playoff success to classify a season as successful or not. The cut-off for number of points was set at 90, since this represented a time when the present team reached the final playoff series 7 times, winning the championship (Stanley Cup) 5 times. The team earned less than 90 points 14 times in the past 26 years. During these seasons, the team did not make the playoffs 5 times and when the team was in the post season, they only advanced to the third round of the playoffs once. Note that the seasons deemed successful using these criteria were associated with a win percentage of greater than 52% (win percentage = (season points / total possible points) x 100).

Physiological assessments

The order for completion of the fitness assessments was as follows: body composition, anaerobic power, musculoskeletal fitness (trunk forward flexion, grip strength, abdominal endurance), and cardio-respiratory fitness.

Body composition

Height (cm) was measured with an anthropometric tape to the nearest 0.2 cm without shoes and with each subject standing erect against a wall. A set scale was placed on the head while the subject stood as upright as possible. Body mass (kg) was measured to the nearest 0.1 kg without shoes and in shorts, socks, and with or without a t-shirt on a beam balance scale (Health-o-meter, Bridgeview, Ill.). Body mass index (BMI) was calculated using the following formula: body mass (in kg) / [height.sup.2] (in m). There were 4 common skinfold sites taken each year over the 26 years of data collection that were common to all players. These 4 sites were used to calculate a sum of skinfolds to represent body fat content of each player. Percent body fat was not calculated, since no prediction formula for professional hockey players has been validated using these 4 skinfold sites. The mean of 2 measurements within 0.4 mm of each other were added together for each skinfold site to create the sum. The 4 anatomically landmarked sites were the mid tricep, subscapular, iliac crest, and mid medial calf. All measurements were made on the right side of the body using skinfold calipers.

Musculoskeletal fitness

Trunk forward flexion was assessed with a sit and reach test using a Wells-Dillon flexometer. Two trials were allowed and the highest score to the nearest 0.5 cm was recorded. Combined grip strength of the right and left hand was assessed using a hand dynamometer. A sum was calculated in kilograms from the best score of 2 trials recorded for each hand. Abdominal muscle endurance was assessed using a modified curl-up protocol that controlled tempo at a rate of 25 curl-ups in 60 s using a standardized protocol as previously reported by our laboratory (Quinney et al. 1984). Subjects were stopped if a maximum of 100 curl-ups was achieved. Note that the assessment of trunk flexibility and abdominal endurance did not begin until 1982.