Better athlete, better hockey player.
When you think of the best hockey players, you might picture explosive speed, quick decision-making, deceptive stick-handling, accurate shooting, and crisp passing. But beneath all that hockey-specific skill lies a broader foundation: athleticism. The best hockey players aren’t just skilled on the ice, they’re great all-around athletes.
So what does that mean for youth hockey players in the offseason? It means summer is the perfect time to focus on becoming a better athlete, not just a better hockey player.
The saying “Better Athletes Make Better Hockey Players” could not be more true after a recent NHL and NHLPA Survey that was cited in Michael Doyle's article "Offseason Recipe for Long-Term Development."
- 98% of NHL players participated in a sport other than hockey from the ages of 5-14.
- Nearly 80% of NHL players continued playing other sports during the ages of 15-18.
- The average NHL player began skating and playing hockey after the age of four, and they did not specialize in hockey until after the age of 14. The average age of specialization was not until the age of 16 years old.
- This proves that early sport specialization is not the best path forward. ONLY 2% PERCENT of NHL Players did not play another sport from 5-14. 2% PERCENT!!
Athleticism & Multiple Sports in Hockey
Athleticism is the base that supports all hockey skills. It includes strength, speed, agility, coordination, balance, flexibility, and spatial awareness. A well-rounded athlete is more adaptable, less injury-prone, and better equipped to learn and apply skills on the ice.
Here’s why focusing on athleticism makes a difference:
- Improved Movement Quality: Stronger, more coordinated athletes can learn to skate better as they are more balanced and have a range of movements they can pull from.
- Better Decision-Making: Sports that demand quick reactions help train the brain for fast-paced play.
- Injury Prevention: Multi-sport athletes develop balanced muscle groups and movement patterns, reducing the risk of overuse injuries.
- Faster Skill Acquisition: Athletes with good body control and awareness can pick up new techniques quicker, on or off the ice.
Great Summer Sports for Hockey Players
Instead of jumping straight into spring leagues and early hockey camps, below are some complementary summer activities that develop critical athletic traits. Parents, players and coaches should know that most of these activities can be played with friends or family members and you do not need to be enrolled in an organized league to get the benefits of playing different sports during the summer. Below are some ideas to get your thinking, but end of the day, just get outside, get active, and have fun this summer!
1. Soccer
- Benefits: Boosts conditioning, footwork, spatial awareness, and decision-making under pressure. Builds leg strength and improves agility. As you play with more players, it is great game to practice scanning, which will translate to your hockey game.
Our friends at SoccerDrive.com provided two videos to help with ideas if you are not familiar with soccer skills and drills. People can play 1v1, or 2v2 in their backyard or they can work on individual soccer drills, skills, or have fun with rondos and small sided soccer games.
This Dribbling Skills Series walks through 5 dribbling exercises that an individual can practice at their house.
The video above is an example of a rondo, called 4v2 Rondo with Small Goals, that can be performed with 6, 5, or 4 players. It can be 4v2, 3v1, 3v2, or 2v1.
2. Lacrosse
- Benefits: Enhances hand-eye coordination and stickhandling skills in a new way. Great for conditioning and teaches players how to move in tight spaces, just like in hockey. Just like soccer, as you play with more players, it is a great sport to practice scanning.
Our friends at LacrosseDrive.com provided two videos that work on different concepts that you can do in your backyard. They also have hundreds of individual, partner and group lacrosse drills to help you practice anytime, anywhere. If you have access to a group of players, they have a great variety of small area lacrosse games.
This video is called 3 Step Shooting and helps players practice shooting on the run.
This video can be done with 2 or 3 people and is called Stepdown Shooting.
3. Basketball
- Benefits: Builds agility, quick changes of direction, and anticipation. Encourages communication and awareness on both offense and defense. Just like soccer and lacrosse, basketball is a great sport to practice scanning.
The video below shows 5 fun moves that athletes can practice at the park or in the driveway. Setting up defenders with shifty or deceptive moves on the basketball court can help hockey players learn how to be deceptive on the ice.
4. Tennis or Pickleball
- Benefits: Sharpens reaction time, lateral movement, and hand-eye coordination. Demands quick decisions in short spaces, similar to reacting under pressure on the ice.
5. Track & Field
- Benefits: Sprinting improves explosive power and speed. Hurdles and jumping events improve coordination, balance, and lower body strength.
6. Gymnastics or Martial Arts
- Benefits: Great for core strength, body control, flexibility, and discipline. Helps players develop full-body awareness and balance.
7. Football (Flag or Tackle)
- Benefits: Builds explosive speed, agility, and physical resilience through sprinting and directional changes.Sharpens communication, teamwork, and spatial awareness, which are all vital for structured team play. Note: the likelihood of injury is less in flag football.
8. Baseball
- Benefits: Improves hand-eye coordination, reaction time, and tracking skills, all essential for puck handling and reading the play. Develops rotational power and throwing mechanics that support shooting strength and overall body control.
9. Golf
- Benefits: Enhances mental focus, patience, and emotional control under pressure. Develops core strength, rotation, and balance, key components of shooting and puck control.
10. Freeplay
- Don’t overlook the value of unstructured play during the summer, beach volleyball, ball hockey, backyard sports, swimming, biking, hiking, kayaking or just running around with friends can all contribute to athletic development in a low-stress way. You can even create your own games and versions of tag, handball, capture the flag, etc.
Year-Round Hockey Can Actually Slow Player Development
It might seem counterintuitive, but more hockey doesn’t always lead to better hockey players. In fact, year-round hockey can actually slow a player’s long-term development - physically, mentally, and even emotionally. Here’s why:
Burnout is Real
- Constant practices, camps, and pressure to perform can lead to mental fatigue and emotional burnout, especially in younger players. When hockey becomes a year-round job instead of a passion, players often lose the joy and creativity that makes them excel in the first place.
One-Dimensional Athletes
- Players who only play hockey often develop uneven strength, coordination, and movement patterns, which can limit their overall athletic potential. Playing other sports builds balance, agility, and coordination in new ways that actually enhance hockey performance. A multi-sport athlete also develops new pathways in their brain to think through and solve in game situations.
Overuse Injuries and Physical Stress
- Skating uses repetitive, specialized movement patterns. Without proper rest or cross-training, hockey players can suffer from overuse injuries in their hips, groins and knees. Taking time off from skating and loading the body in different ways gives joints and muscles a chance to recover and rebuild.
Final Thoughts
More time on the ice doesn’t always mean more progress. The offseason is a golden opportunity to build the athleticism, mindset, and passion that fuel elite hockey performance. By stepping away from the rink for part of the year and engaging in other sports and activities, players return to hockey stronger, more well-rounded, and ready to thrive. Remember, better athlete = better hockey player and 98% of NHL players participated in a sport other than hockey from the ages of 5-14.
So this summer, swap the ice time for some other activities. You can join a league, or play with your friends, family, or even your hockey teammates. Just listen to Sidney Crosby in this video, or the 3 videos below - one from Hockey Canada, and the others from USA Hockey.
Tom Renney, former NHL Coach and CEO of Hockey Canada discusses the benefits of playing multiple sports.
Members of the U.S. U18 Women's Select Team name the sports they play outside of hockey and discuss how those sports have helped them on the ice.
Patrick Kane, Ryan Suter and other USA Hockey Superstars discuss the benefits of playing multiple sports.