In an international hockey game, the average shift length was ~86s, which was split in half between playing and stoppage time. Players spent ~18% of their playing time in high intensity skating. The big take home here is that the ice hockey requires bursts of high intensity skating interspersed by periods of lower intensity skating… Read more
There are many ways to break down the demands of the game to gain insight into how to best prepare. In ice hockey, it’s common to look at shift length and work-to-rest ratios as an indicator of game demands. At most levels of hockey, a typical shift is 40-60s and teams carry 3-4 forward lines… Read more
The athletes that SUSTAIN success commit themselves to doing the little things right, consistently. They warm-up with intent before practice. They train regularly in-season. They hydrate, eat, and sleep with purpose, with a performance mindset. Often times, these acts are monotonous. They’re repeated on a daily basis for months in a row. The best athletes do them… Read more
Lateral Bound from Pause w/ Drop Start Similar goal as the Squat Jump w/ Quick Dip with maximizing transition speed except now the push is lateral, so the athlete should “push the turf away” to cover as much ground laterally as possible. The emphasis is on the push, NOT on reaching out with the lead… Read more
The stretch reflex of the quadriceps is typically utilized from a low position in skating. This is the first of two examples of simple modifications to commonly performed jumping exercises to emphasize the stretch reflex and power output from these “skating-specific” positions. Squat Jump w/ Quick Dip The athlete starts around skating depth, quickly dips, and then… Read more
Kevin has rapidly established himself as a leader in the field of physical preparation and sports science for ice hockey. He is currently the Head Performance Coach for the Boston Bruins, where he oversees all aspects of designing and implementing the team’s performance training program, as well as monitoring the players’ performance, workload and recovery. Prior to Boston, Kevin spent 2 years as an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for the San Jose Sharks after serving as the Director of Performance at Endeavor Sports Performance in Pitman, NJ. He also spent 5 years as a Strength and Conditioning Coach with USA Hockey’s Women’s Olympic Hockey Team, and has been an invited speaker at conferences hosted by the NHL, NSCA, and USA Hockey.
“Kevin’s book has been a great resource in helping me write programs for my athletes while keeping them healthy and I will certainly continue to seek Kevin’s advice regarding strength and conditioning.”
Matt Murray, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach, University of Maine Ice Hockey