ON-ICE TESTING - THANKS TO COMPARABLE TESTING-RESULTS WITH PLAYERS FROM RUSSIA AND THE NHL, WE HAVE CREATED AGE
RELATED TARGET SETTINGS; THEREFORE THE YOUNGER PLAYERS KNOW WHERE THEY STAND INTERNATIONALLY AND WHAT IT TAKES TO BECOME A PROFESSIONAL PLAYER IN THE NHL OR SWISS NLA
Published on August 1, 2018 by Ernst Schlotter, founder of Sport- Tests (Switzerland)
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers during an on-ice test in 2015
Sport-Tests (Switzerland), offers hockey-related services in the field of testing and analysis. As a partner of Sport Testing Inc., Sport- Tests (Switzerland) has the most advanced wireless infrared technology that accurately measures sports performance in milliseconds (1/1000). Our standardized testing complies with the standard of the Hockey Canada and the International Ice Hockey Compared to the same age players from Russia, we find that the Federation (IIHF) guidelines. average Swiss players have a significant performance deficit (blue bars). However, our graph above confirms that even Swiss players Since 2015, Sport-Tests have tested more than 1,500 ice hockey (red bars) can reach the ambitious target and thus compete with players in Switzerland, from an 8-year-old Bambini’s (Tykes) to a 40- the Russian ice hockey players year-old NLA player. Thanks to the huge amount of data we have collected a high quality of test data, which makes the results more We have taken the basic results of the 14-year-old Russian players comprehensible. Our specially developed test data management is to set goals for the 8-14 year olds and reduced the test results by based on our special Database structure that is constantly changing 3% a year. Thus, we are able to set goals for 8-18 year olds. In order respectively expanding with each new test result. to reach the goal settings, the player has to meet the requirements already in the young years and increase the testing performance by Because of our cooperation with Sport Testing Inc., we obtained annually 3.00% +. high-quality testing results from the Canadian Hockey League which we use for benchmarking across all of our tested players. For creating our benchmark we used only the test results of top players Current Comparison Peter Sample 13-YOA Goal Setting from the CHL (17-18-year-olds) who completed the on-ice test five 95.00% months before the NHL-drafts. Since 2013, 214 players have taken 89.77% 90.00% part in the on-ice testing, 91 players became NHL first-round drafts 87.91% 87.94% 87.79% 86.43% 86.45% (42.52%) and 85 players (39.72%) became NHL players who played 85.62% 84.89% 84.66% 84.52% 84.73% 85.00% 8'820 NHL games after this season. The NHL 1 # 1 picks like Nathan 94.12% 90.34% 88.79% 88.37% 88.28% 88.30% 88.15% 87.64% 86.07% MacKinnon (2013), Aaron Ekblad (2014), Connor McDavid (2015) 80.00% 86.06% 85.96% and Nico Hischier (2017) completed the test with excellent results.
These high-quality testing data allows us to predict what it takes 75.00% Forward Sprint Backward Sprint Reaction Test Transition Agility Weave Agility to become an NHL player in terms of skating and the technical Testing Index Forward Sprint w/Puck Backward w/Puck Reaction w/Puck Transition w/Puck Weave w/Puck aspect in modern hockey. 8.00% 6.00%
Thanks to our cooperation with the Russian Ice Hockey Federation, 4.00% we also have testing data from 14-15 year old selection players, 2.00% Testing Index Forward Sprint w/Puck Backward w/Puck Reaction w/Puck Transition w/Puck Weave w/Puck Forward Sprint Backward Sprint Reaction Test Transition Agility Weave Agility 0.00% which are significantly above the Swiss average and give us the 1.94% 1.07% 0.34% 0.45% 3.64% 4.27% 1.19% 6.33% 5.61% -2.00% basis to set goals for players starting from 8 years old. (The 14-year- -1.85% -1.62% -4.00% old Russians scored 89.10%, the Swiss players only 79.59%).
The chart above reveals the strengths and weaknesses of the Our next diagram clearly shows the increase in performance with player (Peter Sample) and confirms that this player (88.37%) did increasing age with a goal towards NHL, NLA or NLB. Our projected better than the hypothetical average of (86.43%) of the 13-year-old targets (yellow line) are according to the chart as predicting as Russian players. realistically. The average testing performance increase 3.22% per year according to data from our database for players between the The chart on the next page shows the test results of a 12-year-old age of 10 to 17. This means that the players should be able to (Michael Sample), a rather weaker player with a target of 89.10% in increase their testing performance from year to year by this two years. The current result of Michael Sample is 75.01%, the age percentage to reach the set targets. Historical results comparisons requirement would be 83.84%. In order to achieve the goal in two different results, some players were able to improve enormously, years, the player must increase his performance by 7% per year, others could hardly increase within three years, which confirms the which is more than double our projected performance increase of need for an annual testing. 3.00%+ per year.
Current Comparison Michael Sample 14-YOA Goal Setting 95.00% 92.54% 90.63% 90.66% 90.51% 89.10% 89.13% 90.00% 87.51% 88.27% 87.27% 87.14% 87.35%
85.00%
80.00%
75.00%
70.00% 82.84% 65.00% 81.23% 77.36% 77.25% 77.94% 75.01% 74.30% 74.86% 60.00% 70.39% 67.35% 66.59% 55.00%
50.00% Forward Sprint Backward Sprint Reaction Test Transition Agility Weave Agility Testing Index Forward Sprint w/Puck Backward w/Puck Reaction w/Puck Transition w/Puck Weave w/Puck
Testing Index Forward Sprint w/Puck Backward w/Puck Reaction w/Puck Transition w/Puck Weave w/Puck Forward Sprint Backward Sprint Reaction Test Transition Agility Weave Agility 0.00%
-5.00% On-Ice test with the Russian U16 national team in June 2017 in Sochi
-10.00% -7.79% -9.28% -10.15% -12.49% No-one is too young to be tested. Since we can already make -15.00% -13.41% -14.09% -14.60% -14.83% -16.75% -20.00% projections with goal settings for players starting at the age of 8, it
-20.92% -20.68% -25.00% is very interesting to observe the big performance differences of such young players. The average of 10-year old players according to
Target NHL our database is 65.83%, while the best player scored 75.76%. The largest deviation is found in the age group of the 13-year-olds. The
average score is 76.55%, while the best score is an excellent In order to reach the ambitious goal of the NHL a player (17-18- 88.38%. It does not surprise us that this player already plays for a year-old) has to achieve a skating and technical achievement of U17 team. This example clearly shows that with our testing method over 94%. Our current testing index top value is 96.36% achieved and the special evaluation young hockey players with great by an NHL-first round draft and today's NHL superstar. Players potential can be recognized very quickly. Thanks to unique from the NLA score over 92% and players from the NLB between comparisons with Russian and North American players we are able 88% and 92%. to judge the skating and technical qualities of Swiss hockey players also internationally. Goal setting is one of the most important On-Ice Testing August 29, 2017 skills taught to athletes in order to help them achieve optimal Peter Sample performance. The goal-setting process helps athletes understand where they are currently and also where they want to go. Testing Index 94.21% /////////////////////////// Forward Sprint Forward w/Puck Backward Sprint Backward w/Puck Reaction Test What is the Added Value for On-Ice 95.48% 90.52% 94.00% 89.02% 92.32% Testing’s?
Reaction w/Puck Transition Agility Transition w/Puck Weave Agility Weave w/Puck For Players: 97.23% 97.42% 91.90% 98.90% 95.36% Understand the strengths and weakness in skating and technical skills National League A National League B
Peter Sample 21 - year-old The Testing-Index helps the player to understand where he 80% 85% 90% 95% 100% 80% 82% 84% 86% 88% 90% 92% 94% 96% 98% 100% Testing Index Forward Sprint stands also internationally and what is needed to achieve his goals
Tests with and without Puck without and with Tests Forward Sprint Forward Sprint w/Puck Forward Sprint w/Puck Backward Sprint
Backward Sprint Comparison Age Backward w/Puck Backward w/Puck Reaction Test For Coaches: Reaction Test Reaction w/Puck Reaction w/Puck Transition Agility Receive a comparative skating and technical assessment of all Transition Agility Transition w/Puck Transition w/Puck Weave Agility Weave Agility players Weave w/Puck Weave w/Puck
Peter Sample NLB Peter Sample 21 - year-old NLB Identify drills and practice structure that improves the weak- 80% 82% 84% 86% 88% 90% 92% 94% 96% 98% 100% 80% 82% 84% 86% 88% 90% 92% 94% 96% 98% Testing Index ness of the team player Forward Sprint 5M Forward Sprint
Team Average vs. Players Average Team Results Forward Sprint w/Puck SprintExplosivity Meter 5 Backward Sprint 5M Forward w/Puck Backward w/Puck For Clubs: Reaction Test Reaction w/Puck 5M Backwards Sprint Transition Agility Reveals a deep understanding of the skating and technical Transition w/Puck Weave Agility 5M Backward w/Puck ability of the club player Weave w/Puck
Index Explanation: The Testing Index represents the average of all ten skills. The following best scores were achieved by NHL players and are shown as 100%: 30 meter sprint 3.89 sec., 30 meter sprint with puck 3.79 sec., 30 meter backwards Deliver information to players, parents and agents where their 4.51 sec., 30 meter backwards with puck 4.54 sec., Reaction test 8.63 Sec., Reaction test with Puck 8.82 Sec., Transition Agility 12.86 Sec., Transition with Puck 13.01 Sec., Weave Agility 10.31 Sec., and finally Weave Agility with Puck 10.29 players stands compared to the peers and to showcase im- Sec. Explosiveness tests: 5 meters forward sprint 0.909 sec., 5 meters forward sprint with puck 0.902 sec., 5 meters backwards 1.014 sec. and 5 meters backwards with puck 1.037 seconds. provements Top players achieve a maximum deviation of less than 3.5% from the testing index score in all ten skills. Each tested player quickly recognizes where his strengths and weaknesses lie and where he can improve with targeted training.
Testing Requirements
The Testing Index represents the average of all ten testing skills compared to our NHL / CHL benchmarks. Green dots means testing 20 minute on-ice equipment set up time results above 92% which represents the NLA level and red dots means the NLB level and is between 88% - 91.99%. The first graph 1 hour ice session per testing group compares the test data of the player with the average results of players of the same age. The second graph compares the results Maximum number of skaters per 1hr session between 30 and with and without a puck (stick handling analysis), the third graph 35 players compares the test data with the average score of the player’s teammates, and finally the fourth graph analyzes four A minimum of two people from the club as on-ice testing staff explosiveness tests and compares the tests with players of the same age and with the team players. Maximize development impact – test during the fall and end of season to make comparisons