Hockey has always been considered the fastest of team sports. In the last couple of years, though, the game has gotten even faster. Players’ ability to accelerate and reach top speed has hit unprecedented levels.

Skating has become the focal point of the game – and rightly so. It is the foundation of every player. Minnesota State men’s hockey assistant coach Darren Blue knows the game has gotten faster and players are emphasizing it more in their training.

“Players are faster now. The game is faster,” said Blue. “The players are getting quicker, too. They are learning how to train. They are working with trainers and learning how to train in certain aspects of the game. And speed and acceleration are a part of this.”

Speed vs. Acceleration

Speed is the rate at which someone or something is able to move or operate. Acceleration is how quickly players can increase their speed.

Blue says these scientific definitions have a direct application in the sport of hockey, too.

“In my opinion, acceleration allows you to win the short races and the quick puck battles,” said Blue. “Speed is winning the long races down the ice. Both are important in today’s game.”

Acceleration translates to a team or a player having more puck possession, by winning short races to loose pucks, or getting to a good position on the ice.

“Puck possession is huge in today’s game,” said Blue. “The team with the most puck possession usually dictates more of what happens during the game. It’s hard to score without the puck on your stick. So, it only makes sense to want to have it on your stick more than the opponent.”

The Need for Speed

The pace in which a team executes the simple things can greatly determine the outcome of a game. A high tempo can wear an opponent down even more than a heavy dose of body contact.

Speed in retrieving pucks, in breakouts, in transitioning from defense to offense, in transitioning from offense to defense, in puck movement, and, most importantly, in skating can control an entire game.

Any Day, Any Time

There are several ways to improve both speed and acceleration using simple off-ice activities.

These include:

Sprints – Short sprints are great because they replicate the quick, hard bursts of speed needed during a shift.

Stairs – Running stairs works all the leg muscles and is similar to a hockey stride. Use bursts of 5-10 seconds to keep the focus on speed and acceleration.  

Lunges – One of the easiest ways to build muscle strength. Can be done with or without weights.

One-leg jumps – Balance on one leg, bend your knee, jump to the side, and land with the other leg. This helps a player build the muscles needed to explode in their strides.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Blue incorporates speed and acceleration work into almost all of the Mavericks’ drills. The coaches push their players to the limits.

“Almost every drill we do has some sort of acceleration and speed element,” said Blue. “In that, we’re doing drills where the kids are winning races to spots on the ice, winning races to pucks, winning races to points on the ice to allow themselves to make the next play. We do a lot of footwork and edge control drills to help players change directions and separate from others as well.”

Emphasizing the development of speed and acceleration in practice with drills that require short bursts and changes of direction is particularly important at certain ages.

For boys, the first speed training window (quickness) occurs between the ages of 7 and 9 years and the second speed window occurs between the ages of 13 and 16. For girls, the first speed training window occurs between the ages of 6 and 8 years and the second window occurs between the ages of 11 and 13 years.

Training Athletes, Not Weightlifters

It’s not about maxing out on the bench press or on the squat machine.

“I think the off-ice training to make players more athletic has changed,” said Blue. “Strength coaches are training kids to be athletes, to be able to move their bodies, to control their bodies. They are training them to be quick and fast as much now, if not more, than just strength.

A player’s size is only one factor in their development. If a player has strong skating ability, they can play.

“We used to talk about how strong kids are. Now, it’s more about how athletic they are,” said Blue. “How quick and fast they are is now as equally important.”