How long can a NHL player survive in the league without training?

[Coffee]

Hypothetically if a current NHL player, let's say Nathan Mackinnon during game 12 of the regular season. If he stops off ice training and only plays games and comes to practices. Sticking to his regular healthy diet, how long can he continue to play at this level ? And how long before he is not fit enough to play in the league at all?

Of course there is probably no "right answers" Just want some opinions and observations on the topic, even in broader sense and answers are appreciated.

 

[Coffee]

@PuckG Hey my friend, hope you're having a fine Sunday.

I wanted to kindly ask you for your opinion on this, as I'm aware you have worked with high level athletes

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

1) Ask Louis Eriksson.
2) My understanding is that’s kinda the norm during the season? You bulk up during the offseason and build the body you want, then games and practice take so much outta you that there’s no other training. Would be tough to do any regular weight training with that schedule. No biking or cardio? I feel like you’d have to replace that with more skating during practice or somethin.

So.. 2 seasons for a star player, 3 for Mac. You’d be fine the rest of that season, way worse the next year, and then you’d fall off a cliff.

 

[Mr. Met]

Laine has been around for nearly a decade

 

[Coffee]

1) Ask Louis Eriksson.
2) My understanding is that’s kinda the norm during the season? You bulk up during the offseason and build the body you want, then games and practice take so much outta you that there’s no other training. Would be tough to do any regular weight training with that schedule. No biking or cardio? I feel like you’d have to replace that with more skating during practice or somethin.

So.. 2 seasons for a star player, 3 for Mac. You’d be fine the rest of that season, way worse the next year, and then you’d fall off a cliff.

That makes sense. I guess the games themselves are obviously a very very intense workout that brings out your best lol

Our bodies are pretty next level!


Thank you for the answer, my guy!

 

[Kryten]

Is this a Pettersson thread?

 

[Nineteen67]

1) Ask Louis Eriksson.
2) My understanding is that’s kinda the norm during the season? You bulk up during the offseason and build the body you want, then games and practice take so much outta you that there’s no other training. Would be tough to do any regular weight training with that schedule. No biking or cardio? I feel like you’d have to replace that with more skating during practice or somethin.

So.. 2 seasons for a star player, 3 for Mac. You’d be fine the rest of that season, way worse the next year, and then you’d fall off a cliff.

I’d be shocked if they didn’t train almost every day.

 

[Coffee]

I’d be shocked if they didn’t train almost every day.

I'll ask a poster from Bruins board who may have a better idea and can perhaps give us a second opinion, I'm also confused on this


@Terrier How much do they train off ice during the regular season?


Thanks

 

[CupsOverCash]

High profile professional athletes can probably get away not training but keep their diets in check. They probably wouldn't be at the level their currently at but I don't think those kind of guys lose too much if they don't train. They could get away with it imo, as in they could still compete fine in the league. Some guys need that consistency tho and the hard work definitely is part of why these guys are on another level than their counterpart and obviously talent too. The talent is what can help them get away with it but the hard work is the difference in why they're at the level they're at imo.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

I’d be shocked if they didn’t train almost every day.

I’m sure they’re doing something every day, but my understanding is it’s a lot of biking, stretching, massages, rehabbing, etc. during the season. I know Chara did actual full workout routines during the season, but I think he was an anomaly with that. You don’t wanna be sore/limited for a game, and with their travel and schedule I’m just not seeing much lifting. That’s my understanding from podcast interviews and whatnot as well, lemme know if it’s otherwise.

Kinda depends what exactly “training” means, and more just makes me curious about what they do for fitness.

 

[Coffee]

I’m sure they’re doing something every day, but my understanding is it’s a lot of biking, stretching, massages, rehabbing, etc. during the season. I know Chara did actual full workout routines during the season, but I think he was an anomaly with that. You don’t wanna be sore/limited for a game, and with their travel and schedule I’m just not seeing much lifting. That’s my understanding from podcast interviews and whatnot as well, lemme know if it’s otherwise.

Kinda depends what exactly “training” means, and more just makes me curious about what they do for fitness.

Biking is great if you fall in love with it. I feel like it's one of the better ways of staying fit?

 

[Nineteen67]

I’m sure they’re doing something every day, but my understanding is it’s a lot of biking, stretching, massages, rehabbing, etc. during the season. I know Chara did actual full workout routines during the season, but I think he was an anomaly with that. You don’t wanna be sore/limited for a game, and with their travel and schedule I’m just not seeing much lifting. That’s my understanding from podcast interviews and whatnot as well, lemme know if it’s otherwise.

Kinda depends what exactly “training” means, and more just makes me curious about what they do for fitness.

You don’t get sore if you workout daily. I don’t know what they do either but I’ve seen college football and baseball players workouts and they had some fairly intense days. NHL probably don’t do too many hard weight days.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

You don’t get sore if you workout daily. I don’t know what they do either but I’ve seen college football and baseball players workouts and they had some fairly intense days. NHL probably don’t do too many hard weight days.

If you’re lifting heavy you absolutely still get sore, that’s silly talk. They’re also definitely not lifting the day of a game, so that daily thing is out the window anyways.

Again, that’s why I think it comes down to defining training.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Biking is great if you fall in love with it. I feel like it's one of the better ways of staying fit?

Depends where ya live, but hell ya!

 

[koyvoo]

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[JKG33]

Laine and EP were my first thoughts. But even the lamest new school players are constantly in the gym.

Really Phil Kessel was the last of the old guard who got away with not taking fitness seriously

 

[Oddbob]

I'm sure there is the joke Kessel played nearly 1300 games without working out!?!

 

[LeProspector]

How long did Kyle Wellwood play? Guy literally coasted on talent alone.

 

[PainForShane]

I'd be very surprised if it's more than a couple of weeks. Cardio's the first thing to go, and it's also the most important thing in hockey, you need sprint speed and power. And I'd think even a slight dip in fitness, like 5-10%, would be significant for most players, that would definitely happen after even a few days off.

I guess if you're in a busy spot in your schedule, like a few b2bs or a game every other day, maybe that'd be enough to keep you fit for a while, assuming you play enough minutes. But idk why would anyone just stop training (unless injury), these guys are professional athletes and they've worked on their fitness their whole lives.

OP why do you ask the question? @Coffee

 

[tabness]

really depends on the player this is almost fully a case by case basis thing

 

[lawrence]

If he stops off ice training and only plays games and comes to practices. Sticking to his regular healthy diet, how long can he continue to play at this level ? And how long before he is not fit enough to play in the league at all?

If I'm not mistaken, aside from maintaining muscle, players during the regular season don’t work out or train as intensely as they do in the summer. The routine during the offseason versus the regular season is different, prioritizing energy conservation. This is why we can’t realistically use the regular season to train Elias Pettersson back into form—the schedule doesn’t allow it without risking burnout. That’s why we’re emphasizing that he needs to train harder during the off season itself

 

[lettuceAA]

To be a professional athlete, especially an elite one requires winning the lotto in genics. A player like McKinnon could probably have a solid career ad a bottom 6 player with 0 off-ice training and just diet. A border line or role player wouldn't last 10 games. And yes as mentioned majority of off ice training is done in the off season, during the seasons it's about maintaining and staying healthy.

 

[JKG33]

To be a professional athlete, especially an elite one requires winning the lotto in genics. A player like McKinnon could probably have a solid career ad a bottom 6 player with 0 off-ice training and just diet. A border line or role player wouldn't last 10 games. And yes as mentioned majority of off ice training is done in the off season, during the seasons it's about maintaining and staying healthy.

MacKinnon is a good one. Obviously he worked out, but in his early career he was smaller and a 50 point player. Took him a few years to bulk up and turn into the 100+ pt beast

 

[Another Empty Netter]

So when are we going to start talking about Rod Brindamour who’d pump iron after games ?

 

[Jack Spider]

@PuckG Hey my friend, hope you're having a fine Sunday.

I wanted to kindly ask you for your opinion on this, as I'm aware you have worked with high level athletes

It's the difference between Mackinnon vs the likes of Duchene, Ribeiro and Kovalev.