To Be a Faster Skater, Propulsion is Key
There are many metrics that coaches will use when evaluating draft prospects, whether for club hockey, junior hockey, or the NHL. The truth is, while we as strength coaches have tests that we like and that give us a glimpse into an athlete’s athleticism and potential, it’s still a Wild West of understanding what metrics have the highest correlation to on-ice success.
However, one quality increasingly stands out as a true differentiator as we use new tools (such as the Stride FX and 1080 Motion): how fast you can accelerate, and particularly being the faster person in small spaces.
In performance circles, we call this propulsion.
This idea was first pointed out to me by the LA King’s Director of Performance, Matt Price, following his seminar at the Altis Speed Summit in Chicago. Through analyzing game footage and using tools like Stride FX, he was able to see that players all may have different strides and skating styles, but their ability to close distance and work in smaller spaces was a differentiator. This was true for goal scorers and defensemen alike.
Price is very big on individuals having a large component of their speed work done on the ice, and for good reason: sprinting in skates is very different from sprinting in spikes or sneakers. It doesn’t take a performance expert to see that the skating stride has some big differences from a forward sprint that really cut down on the transfer between sprinting and skating.
Where does the gym come into the equation?
Through force plate technology, trainers and coaches have been able to really understand speed and how we create force at a granular level. Companies like Hawkin Dynamics can produce over 30 metrics per athlete in just one simple jump test that can be administered in 4 seconds or less. These tests are able to show us how athletes create force, and a well trained coach with a discerning eye can then apply the right exercises to encourage development of the right qualities.
In the case of acceleration or propulsion, we have been able to identify a few metrics and areas of interest. In my experience with athletes, the ones who struggle with propulsion or acceleration are typically those who display similar physical qualities and shortcomings. Amazingly, the Hawkin Dynamics force plates readings back this up.
Athletes who struggle with propulsion or acceleration cannot create force without a counter movement
The stretch-shortening cycle (SSC for short) is a well-studied and (mostly) well-understood concept in sports science and human movement. The SSC essentially dictates that a muscle can produce more force when being actively stretched before contraction, and can create more force than you could hope to generate on your own.
In other words, you create momentum to produce more force than you could on your own.
In the case of a countermovement jump (CMJ), a vertical jump where the athlete first quickly dips down by bending the knees before jumping as high as they can, we see that most athletes will outperform their power output on many metrics because they could create momentum before jumping.
Unfortunately, there are many athletes who are lacking when asked to jump without a countermovement from a pre-squatted position (known as a “squat jump” - see above image), or are unable to do it at all.
There are many situations in contact sports where you need to brace and produce force without being able to generate a preparatory movement. It may not be as pronounced in hockey as a sport like wrestling, for instance, but you open yourself up to being vulnerable to contact injury when the discrepancy between the forces you create with the SSC and without are too vast.
We’re able to measure this discrepancy via a metric called the EUR or Eccentric Utilization Ratio. This is a composite number that compares CMJ scores to Squat Jump scores.
Propulsion is a Key Metric
Like Price indicated in his observations, acceleration is key over overall speed. On the force plates, this manifests as “propulsion” metrics. However, if you have any experience with force plates, you know they measure the “peak” and “mean/average” of different qualities.
For a hockey player to be considered a faster skater, their “peak” propulsion scores are more important than the average of their acceleration readings. It does us no good to know how much you accelerate over 200ft of ice if all we need is you winning 30-50 ft puck battles.
Conclusion
The ability to generate force quickly, or propulsion, is one of the most valuable tools a hockey player can have. Whether it’s winning short puck races or creating separation in tight spaces, acceleration (not just top-end speed) is what sets elite performers apart. With advancements in performance tech like force plates and motion capture, we now have the means to identify and train for these crucial traits with far greater precision.
For strength coaches and athletes alike, the focus must shift toward developing peak propulsion and seeing improved EUR (Eccentric Utilization Rates). Because at every level of the game, the faster athlete in small spaces often decides the outcome.
If you are a hockey player or coach and need help developing strength programs that encourage the development of peak acceleration for your athletes, we’re here to help. Reach out to us any time.
About the Author: Mark DiSalvo, CSCS
Mark is the founder and owner of DiSalvo Performance Training. He brings over a decade of experience training clients and athletes of all backgrounds and is the strength and conditioning coach to athletes of all levels and disciplines, from youth to professional and Olympic-level.
A lifelong athlete, Mark started playing hockey at a very young age in Pittsburgh, PA, and played competitively for over a decade before getting into martial arts.
Mark is currently purple belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, with over 10 years of experience grappling.
A graduate of Northeastern University, he’s an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Sports Performance Expert. He’s also a Steve Maxwell Certified Kettlebell Instructor (Levels 1 & 2).
You can read more about him here.