​Hockey isn’t inherently a healthy sport for every athlete. Players stand on blades barely wider than millimeters, bound in stiff boots, crashing into ice that doesn’t yield, and gliding through movements that continually stress the hips, all while trying to outpace furious opponents. These demands impose unforgiving limits on athletes who, had they chosen other sports, might be bending ankles, rotating hips, or sprinting on grass. In that sense, a hockey performance coach’s role is to troubleshoot problems that often don’t have perfect answers.
“On every stride, the hip moves through deep abduction, external rotation and extension,” says Bill DeLongis, head strength coach at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. “Every stride, if it’s a long, powerful one, the adductors are stretched. Then, as the foot returns, the hip swings through the complete opposite range—adduction, flexion and internal rotation. A lot of different muscles are forced into a variety of precarious positions throughout.” DeLongis works with players who are usually in their teens to early twenties, and even they arrive on campus with hips bearing the wear of constant internal and external rotation.
To ease the training burden and keep players healthy, DeLongis assembled a team of pro, college and independent performance coaches for Strength on Ice, a virtual summit now in its second year. The event gathered roughly 11.5 hours of material from nine presenters, focusing on strength, conditioning, cognitive training, performance optimization and injury prevention.
Participants included Vicki Bendus of Montreal Victoire, Cameron Dietz of the University of Cincinnati, Anthony Donskov of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Jackson Frey of GVN Performance, Paul Gagné of PG Performance, Tim Lebbossiere of the Boston Bruins, Will Morlock of Michigan State, Matt Price, formerly with the Los Angeles Kings, and Emma Schmid of the Seattle Torrent. They shared practical insights for hockey players.
Here are some key takeaways from the summit that players can apply. First, after a game, Bendus emphasizes rapid recovery, encouraging her Victoire athletes to settle down quickly and begin restoration. She suggests techniques that promote restfulness, such as using essential oils like lavender on pillows to foster relaxation. Second, several strength coaches structure training around five foundational movement patterns: squat, hinge, push, pull and carry. Dietz, who primarily trains Bearcats baseball players in Cincinnati, also highlights the importance of rotational movements in training. This rotational focus aligns with hockey’s demands, such as generating power on a one-timer through torso rotation.
All of this applies directly to hockey. Consider how a player develops power by rotating the body to execute a one-timer. Explosive and dynamic movements using resistance bands, cables and medicine balls can enhance shot velocity and overall performance. As DeLongis notes, treating training rotation as a core priority—on par with squats and other major lifts—is essential to a balanced, effective program. In essence, rotation should be cultivated as a foundational element of strength and conditioning, with deliberate progression and consistent emphasis alongside more traditional lifts.
The takeaway for coaches and athletes is clear: hockey performance hinges on managing a complex network of hip and core movements under high loads. A comprehensive program that prioritizes rotational strength, integrates recovery strategies after games, and employs targeted mobility and stabilization work can help players perform at a higher level while reducing injury risk. Strength on Ice exemplifies how a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach can translate sophisticated science into practical, sport-specific training that supports athletes through the rigors of hockey.