Title: The Relationship Between On-Ice Maximum Velocity and Acceleration in Collegiate Ice Hockey Players
Thesis Supervisor: Dr. Michael Koehle (UBC Kinesiology), Dr. Darren Warburton (UBC Kinesiology)
Committee members: Dr. Kevin Neeld (Boston Bruins), Dr. Jack Taunton (UBC Emeritus)
Defence Chair: Dr. Donald McKenzie
Abstract: Speed is important in ice hockey as it separates calibre, and is frequently required in competition, particularly over short acceleration-based distances. Recent literature in overground sprinting, has proposed a ceiling effect on acceleration mediated by maximum velocity. No such literature exists in ice hockey with skating, and with many significant biomechanical and equipment differences between overground sprinting and skating, this relationship cannot be predicted. This thesis aimed to investigate the relationship between on-ice acceleration and maximum velocity in collegiate ice hockey players, identify potential gender differences in skating acceleration patterns, and compare this to previous literature in overground sprinting. Retrospective linear skating sprint data from men’s (n=21) and women’s (n=22) collegiate ice hockey players was used to solve for theoretical maximum velocity (), and tau (τ) from a monoexponential equation. Correlations between and individual split times ranged from low to strong (R= -0.354-0.867). Low within-gender variance of acceleration patterns were demonstrated, (M τ = 1.364 ± 0.198; W τ = 1.051 ±0.127), with no observed difference between fast and slow men, but a significant difference observed between fast and slow women (p <0.05). A significant difference in acceleration patterns was also observed between men and women (p <0.001), and the τ values from the present thesis differed from previous literature in overground sprinting. The findings suggest the presence of a ceiling effect imposed by on acceleration abilities in linear skating, and the skating acceleration patterns in collegiate hockey players differ from previous literature in overground sprinting. Men’s women’s players also demonstrate significantly different relative acceleration patterns, where women reach a higher percentage of their earlier. Practitioners can use this information to inform speed training practices in ice hockey.