Who do work more, top soccer leagues' players or nhlers?

[Iapyi]

the soccer dudes aren't even close to the awesomeness of NHL guys, plus the hockey guys aren't rolling around faking injuries and standing around doing nothing 77% of the time

 

[dogbazinho]

What does one have to do with the other? Is Michael Phelps not a world class athlete because he doesn't bodycheck anyone in the pool?

Swimming would be so much more entertaining if there was only one lane.

 

[ThatsSoSlavin]

Someone said it before, football is more about endurance where hockey is interval training,

Football players do run more but it’s not as consistent in hockey (not saying that makes it better or worse just an observation)

 

[Seanaconda]

How can you watch hockey and come at another sport for diving? Happens a ton in the nhl

Hockey players don't dive like footballers do . Well it's not as common anyways for rolling around looking like they got shot

 

[1865]

the soccer dudes aren't even close to the awesomeness of NHL guys, plus the hockey guys aren't rolling around faking injuries and standing around doing nothing 77% of the time

Im pretty sure that from the start of a hockey game to the final buzzer, hockey players are sat around doing nothing for a far higher percentage of the time.

 

[DearDiary]

Well the NHL has players like Phil Kessel who I doubt could run a full soccer pitch

Peak Kessel was one of the most explosive players in the league. Why name him? Because of his bloating side effects from cancer medication?

 

[Bryanbryoil]

elite physical peak?

Its a non contact sport, they dont use their upper body at all

This is false. Shielding the ball, bumping shoulders, etc. is not exactly golf. Not as physical as hockey, but guys like Lukaku, Ibrahimovic, etc. would be imposing physical specimens in hockey as well. Meanwhile we have guys like Gaudreau thriving in the NHL when he'd be about Lionel Messi size.

For those not familiar with soccer. It isn't as physical as hockey, but to call soccer a no contact sport is flat out wrong.

 

[Iapyi]

Im pretty sure that from the start of a hockey game to the final buzzer, hockey players are sat around doing nothing for a far higher percentage of the time.

Doesn't mean the soccer people can claim the players are on the field for 90 minutes as a testament to their fitness. We all know hockey is at minimum 1000.08% more physically demanding.

 

[Hostile Offer]

Doesn't mean the soccer people can claim the players are on the field for 90 minutes as a testament to their fitness. We all know hockey is at minimum 1000.08% more physically demanding.

Doesn't sound like you've ever played soccer.

 

[Number 57]

There is no point in comparing the two since NHLers train to be in peak form for 45 seconds shift, 2-3 minutes rest, and go back out again. Also skating and getting hit drains way more energy than just running around.

Soccer players need endurance for 90 minutes, but they do have some off time on the pitch that they can walk and rest. Also, they only play once or twice a week.

They also have light travel compared to the NHL. I mean, how big is England compared to North America? Most of their travel time is similar to Toronto playing Ottawa. NHLers have complaied a lot about traveling in the past, it's a real factor.

I'd say hockey is much tougher. Plenty of people can run marathons, not many could do what NHL athletes do.

 

[Iapyi]

Doesn't sound like you've ever played soccer.

Not a whole lot but I have played it enough to know that it is at least 1000.08% less physically demanding than hockey. Any suggestion it isn't is preposterous. I live in Canada and we have the benefit of several different sport options so playing a child's game like soccer doesn't have much appeal for an athlete here.

It is a great activity for kids under 10 though, you can just throw a ball on a field and let the little guys run around to get in shape.

 

[JustaFinnishGuy]

Not a whole lot but I have played it enough to know that it is at least 1000.08% less physically demanding than hockey. Any suggestion it isn't is preposterous. I live in Canada and we have the benefit of several different sport options so playing a child's game like soccer doesn't have much appeal for an athlete here.

It is a great activity for kids under 10 though, you can just throw a ball on a field and let the little guys run around to get in shape.

Soccer physicality is shaped around being able to run for 90 continuous minutes and hockey physicality is shaped around less than minute spurts with everything they got - until they do it again.

Completely different and therefore can't be compared seriously imo

 

[Iapyi]

Soccer physicality is shaped around being able to run for 90 continuous minutes and hockey physicality is shaped around less than minute spurts with everything they got - until they do it again.

Completely different and therefore can't be compared seriously imo

Great to see you come around to my way of thinking. Kudos.

 

[1865]

Soccer physicality is shaped around being able to run for 90 continuous minutes and hockey physicality is shaped around less than minute spurts with everything they got - until they do it again.

Completely different and therefore can't be compared seriously imo

I think he’s having a bit of fun with you pal.

 

[MardyBum]

The cringeworthy chest puffing on soccer and non-soccer fans sides is always funny to read.

 

[majormajor]

Not a whole lot but I have played it enough to know that it is at least 1000.08% less physically demanding than hockey. Any suggestion it isn't is preposterous. I live in Canada and we have the benefit of several different sport options so playing a child's game like soccer doesn't have much appeal for an athlete here.

It is a great activity for kids under 10 though, you can just throw a ball on a field and let the little guys run around to get in shape.

[mod]

I would have had the same opinion if I had only played soccer as a kid. I started up again in my late 20s in the hockey offseason and I can tell you soccer can be brutal if you're playing all out vs grown men. I come away bloody more often than in hockey.

the soccer dudes aren't even close to the awesomeness of NHL guys, plus the hockey guys aren't rolling around faking injuries and standing around doing nothing 77% of the time

Hockey players don't dive like footballers do . Well it's not as common anyways for rolling around looking like they got shot

No defense of diving, but my guess is that much of the time people see someone rolling around in soccer they don't realize that someone might actually be really hurt. Having someone run across your foot in cleats feels a lot like taking a hard slapshot in the laces.

 

[majormajor]

There is no point in comparing the two since NHLers train to be in peak form for 45 seconds shift, 2-3 minutes rest, and go back out again. Also skating and getting hit drains way more energy than just running around.

Soccer players need endurance for 90 minutes, but they do have some off time on the pitch that they can walk and rest. Also, they only play once or twice a week.

They also have light travel compared to the NHL. I mean, how big is England compared to North America? Most of their travel time is similar to Toronto playing Ottawa. NHLers have complaied a lot about traveling in the past, it's a real factor.

I'd say hockey is much tougher. Plenty of people can run marathons, not many could do what NHL athletes do.

- I don't know what you mean by "drains more energy". The caloric output in a 90 minute soccer match is greater. The muscular endurance (say in your quads) from stopping and starting is harder in hockey, it takes longer to refill those muscles with glycogen. You were closer to the right track when you said there's no point in comparing the two. Two different sets of demands.

- Sometimes attackers and defenders get to rest on the field, because they have to sprint (more similar to hockey), but midfield types like me usually don't rest. I don't need to. I can run 90 straight.

- How many marathons have you run in a decent time? There's actually a lot of people who try it and fail. A lot of people want to be a soccer midfielder and can't get there despite a lot of training.

- It seems like you're trying to make a comparison between the elite of the elite (the NHLers) with average blokes who run a lot.

 

[WesMcCauley]

In general the hockey guys are stronger and thicker while the footballers are leaner and have better endurance.

 

[Iapyi]

I would have had the same opinion if I had only played soccer as a kid. I started up again in my late 20s in the hockey offseason and I can tell you soccer can be brutal if you're playing all out vs grown men. I come away bloody more often than in hockey.

No defense of diving, but my guess is that much of the time people see someone rolling around in soccer they don't realize that someone might actually be really hurt. Having someone run across your foot in cleats feels a lot like taking a hard slapshot in the laces.

Let me say you make fair points. Perhaps the legitimate rolling around in pain probably falls under the 'boy who cried wolf' syndrome but I do have to question the pain threshold of a soccer guy versus a hockey player. They are probably at different ends of the spectrum with the hockey guy having a higher threshold.

btw - not that you said otherwise but there is never any defense of diving. Diving is weak and a cop out.

 

[Beville]

EPL players have about 1 month long summer vacations, though. And that's it.

But only play 38 games.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

[mod]

I would have had the same opinion if I had only played soccer as a kid. I started up again in my late 20s in the hockey offseason and I can tell you soccer can be brutal if you're playing all out vs grown men. I come away bloody more often than in hockey.





No defense of diving, but my guess is that much of the time people see someone rolling around in soccer they don't realize that someone might actually be really hurt. Having someone run across your foot in cleats feels a lot like taking a hard slapshot in the laces.

I have 2 kids under the age of 12, one of them is built like a tank and is a center forward, the other isn't as big but is explosive and powerful and will run you over to score a goal or get to a loose ball and plays wing. Opposing players tend to not to play my older kid physically, but when they do he returns the favor and they get the worst of it every single time because he is a man mountain in the making like his old man. This includes kids that are a couple of years older than he is. He has run into full grown adults when scrimmaging with adults and more than once both he and the adults have hit the deck. He has had his feet stepped on by big men in cleats (250lbs. +) and played on after walking it off for a bit. He has also been cranked by the ball, the guys with strong legs absolutely crush the ball.

- I don't know what you mean by "drains more energy". The caloric output in a 90 minute soccer match is greater. The muscular endurance (say in your quads) from stopping and starting is harder in hockey, it takes longer to refill those muscles with glycogen. You were closer to the right track when you said there's no point in comparing the two. Two different sets of demands.

- Sometimes attackers and defenders get to rest on the field, because they have to sprint (more similar to hockey), but midfield types like me usually don't rest. I don't need to. I can run 90 straight.

- How many marathons have you run in a decent time? There's actually a lot of people who try it and fail. A lot of people want to be a soccer midfielder and can't get there despite a lot of training.

- It seems like you're trying to make a comparison between the elite of the elite (the NHLers) with average blokes who run a lot.

Box to box mids are physical beasts and can greatly impact the game at both ends of the field. You need to be explosive, physical, have good ball skills and have tons of endurance.

 

[Bryanbryoil]

But only play 38 games.

And why do you think that is? Why do baseball teams play many days in a row? Why don't starting pitchers play game in and game out?

In the AHL they used to do 3 games in 3 days on the weekend, how often do pro soccer teams do the same? In soccer you get a lot of training days but games are usually more limited because of how much it takes out of a player.

 

[Crosbyfan]

Well the NHL has players like Phil Kessel who I doubt could run a full soccer pitch

...or could he?

 

[njdevils1982]

Sure thing boss

those throw-ins, huge arm pump

let it go…like the guy said you've probably never played with the statement that you made

 

[Goomba]

let it go…like the guy said you've probably never played with the statement that you made

Im sorry but any suggestion that soccer uses the upper body more or even close to as much as hockey players is just flat out wrong and a shit take

I dont have to play soccer professionally or even intramurally to understand how the body works. Sure, their cores are tight because they run all day. But lets not pretend like they do a lick of anything with their arms, shoulders, back, etc.

Hockey is a far more body-intensive sport while soccer is more endurance-intensive. Its not rocket science