overpass
Registered User
- Jun 7, 2007
- 5,271
- 2,808
In the Hockey Handbook by Lloyd Percival, Percival reported some results from the 1949-50 Sports College Hockey survey. Among other things, this survey tracked and analyzed player skating in 41 NHL games. As many as six researchers were used at a time to cross-check results, all of them expert timers. Top speeds were calculated during puck-carrying rushes and back-checking bursts from blue line to centre red line. They also tracked the distance skated by selected players.
More recently, the NHL has posted player tracking data online at NHL EDGE Puck and Player Tracking Statistics - Home. So now in 2024, 75 years later, we can compare top speeds and distance skated by today's stars to the stars of 1949-50!
Top skating speeds with the puck (1950)
Percival noted that Reardon used the best technique for speed when rushing unchecked, pushing the puck ahead of him and skating in a dead straight line. Other players handled the puck or shifted from side to side even with no checkers to beat, slowing them down.
Top skating speeds without the puck (1950)
These speeds above are for the best bursts of the players checked within the 41 games. Percival noted that most times recorded were slower. For example, Max Bentley's average blue line to red line speed with the puck was 16.9 mph, and without the puck it was 18.8 mph.
Top skating speeds for selected players (2023)
MacKinnon and McDavid both skated faster than any 1950 player was recorded. The others' top speeds would not have been out of place in 1950.
Distance skated per game (1950)
Ted Kennedy was considered the hardest worker of his day, and he was in fact the player who skated the most miles/hour (or work rate as Percival calls it).
Percival noted that the average NHL player moved at top speed about 10-15 % of the time he was on the ice. He played at about three-quarter speed for 45-50 % of the time, half speed for 10-15% of the time, coasted for about 5-10%, and was standing still (face-offs, etc) for the remainder of the time. In the average two minute session of play, a player was immobile for 14-16 seconds during face-offs, although still in an active stance.
Distance skated per game (2023)
It appears that top forwards were in the same range for minutes played and miles skated in 1950 and 2023. The edge goes to 2023 for the average miles/hour. McDavid, Kucherov, MacKinnon, and Crosby all edged out Kennedy's 1950 mark, and even Ovechkin and Tkachuk were well clear of Roy Conacher's 1950 number, not to mention the even lower total posted by the average player in 1950.
I do wonder if the 1950 minute totals included stoppages at face-offs, based on Percival's note that the average two minute shift had 14-16 seconds of face-offs. Face-offs were called more frequently in 1950 when the puck got trapped along the boards, and were often not an occasion for a shift change. If that is the case, then the 1950 mph numbers would be higher excluding face-off stoppages.
Anyway, based on these numbers the game is faster today than it was in 1950 - but maybe not by as much as you thought.
More recently, the NHL has posted player tracking data online at NHL EDGE Puck and Player Tracking Statistics - Home. So now in 2024, 75 years later, we can compare top speeds and distance skated by today's stars to the stars of 1949-50!
Top skating speeds with the puck (1950)
| Player | Top Skating Speed (mph) |
| Ken Reardon | 22.6 |
| Doug Bentley | 22.5 |
| Howie Meeker | 22.5 |
| Gordie Howe | 22.5 |
| Don Raleigh | 22.5 |
| Average best speed | 21.1 |
Percival noted that Reardon used the best technique for speed when rushing unchecked, pushing the puck ahead of him and skating in a dead straight line. Other players handled the puck or shifted from side to side even with no checkers to beat, slowing them down.
Top skating speeds without the puck (1950)
| Player | Top Skating Speed (mph) |
| Max Bentley | 23.0 |
| Norm Dussault | 23.0 |
| Milt Schmidt | 23.0 |
| Bill Mosienko | 22.8 |
| Tony Leswick | 22.8 |
| Ted Lindsay | 22.8 |
| Harry Watson | 22.8 |
| Average best speed | 22.3 |
These speeds above are for the best bursts of the players checked within the 41 games. Percival noted that most times recorded were slower. For example, Max Bentley's average blue line to red line speed with the puck was 16.9 mph, and without the puck it was 18.8 mph.
Top skating speeds for selected players (2023)
| Player | Top Skating Speed (mph) |
| Nathan MacKinnon | 24.05 |
| Connor McDavid | 23.58 |
| Sidney Crosby | 22.88 |
| Nikita Kucherov | 22.60 |
| Brady Tkachuk | 21.89 |
| Alex Ovechkin | 21.69 |
MacKinnon and McDavid both skated faster than any 1950 player was recorded. The others' top speeds would not have been out of place in 1950.
Distance skated per game (1950)
| Player | Miles skated per game | Minutes/game | Miles/hour |
| Ted Kennedy | 3 | 19 | 9.60 |
| Bill Mosienko | 3.5 | 23 | 9.13 |
| Ted Lindsay | 3.25 | 22 | 8.86 |
| Milt Schmidt | 2.25 | 17 | 7.94 |
| Roy Conacher | 2.5 | 20 | 7.50 |
| Average player | 2.5 | 22 | 6.82 |
Ted Kennedy was considered the hardest worker of his day, and he was in fact the player who skated the most miles/hour (or work rate as Percival calls it).
Percival noted that the average NHL player moved at top speed about 10-15 % of the time he was on the ice. He played at about three-quarter speed for 45-50 % of the time, half speed for 10-15% of the time, coasted for about 5-10%, and was standing still (face-offs, etc) for the remainder of the time. In the average two minute session of play, a player was immobile for 14-16 seconds during face-offs, although still in an active stance.
Distance skated per game (2023)
| Player | Miles skated per game | Minutes/game | Miles/hour |
| Connor McDavid | 3.58 | 21.3 | 10.08 |
| Nikita Kucherov | 3.56 | 21.7 | 9.85 |
| Nathan MacKinnon | 3.70 | 22.8 | 9.75 |
| Sidney Crosby | 3.23 | 20.0 | 9.71 |
| Alex Ovechkin | 2.91 | 19.6 | 8.93 |
| Brady Tkachuk | 2.55 | 18.9 | 8.08 |
It appears that top forwards were in the same range for minutes played and miles skated in 1950 and 2023. The edge goes to 2023 for the average miles/hour. McDavid, Kucherov, MacKinnon, and Crosby all edged out Kennedy's 1950 mark, and even Ovechkin and Tkachuk were well clear of Roy Conacher's 1950 number, not to mention the even lower total posted by the average player in 1950.
I do wonder if the 1950 minute totals included stoppages at face-offs, based on Percival's note that the average two minute shift had 14-16 seconds of face-offs. Face-offs were called more frequently in 1950 when the puck got trapped along the boards, and were often not an occasion for a shift change. If that is the case, then the 1950 mph numbers would be higher excluding face-off stoppages.
Anyway, based on these numbers the game is faster today than it was in 1950 - but maybe not by as much as you thought.
