Hockey is a popular sport, and at its highest levels, it is a complex contact game characterized by physical strength, speed, and skill. The interaction of these characteristics contributes to the inherent risk of injury athletes must face while playing. Among hockey injuries, concussions are one of the most commonly sustained by athletes across all levels of play and age groups. Significant public attention, combined with poorly understood long-term effects, indicates the importance of tangible preventive strategies. The main goal of this thesis was to understand, through video analysis, how playing characteristics and mechanism of injury contribute to concussions in the National Hockey League (NHL). In the first study, the development and validation of an observational recording tool used to code and analyze NHL concussions observed via video analysis was described. The second study attempted to synthesize the description of players’ characteristics, antecedent events, and contextual variables associated with events leading to concussion at the NHL level. Several specific risk factors for concussion in NHL players were identified, including position, body size, specific locations on the ice, and particular situations based on a player's position. The final study systematically analyzed how concussions occur to identify potential pattern(s) of concussions. A common specific injury mechanism characterized by player-to-player contact and resulting in contact to the head by the shoulder, elbow, or gloves, was also identified. When the principal mechanism was refined further, several important characteristics were discernable: (i) contact was often to the lateral aspect of the head; (ii) the player who suffered a concussion was often not in possession of the puck; and (iii) no penalty was called on the play. Collectively, these studies served to address gaps in the literature; the implications for informing prevention and management strategies are also discussed.

Cette étude porte sur le processus d'héroïsation qu'a connu Maurice «Le Rocket» Richard au cours de sa vie. Trois étapes ont été déterminées et sont analysées, la création du héros de 1942 à 1960, la confirmation de son statut de 1959 à 1996 et son institutionnalisation de 1996 à 2007. La première étape nous fait voir la lente construction du héros, Maurice Richard, de ses débuts hésitants à l'émeute qui le propulse au sommet de la célébrité. Cette célébrité est ensuite confirmée par et utilisée pour l'octroi d'honneurs officiels nouvellement créés. Finalement, celui qui est légitimé par ces prix devient lui-même outil de légitimation à la fin du processus; son image est devenue un symbole en elle-même. Ces étapes permettent de revoir les principaux événements dans la vie du Rocket mais plus particulièrement de constater des changements dans les histoires que l'on raconte à son sujet. La nature et le contenu de ces modifications nous informent de changements similaires dans la société, par exemple une diminution de la violence auparavant décrite en détail ou l'image changeante de la masculinité. L'image de Maurice Richard s'éloigne donc peu à peu de la réalité; elle devient l'image du héros dont la société a besoin et vient à représenter les valeurs que cette société veut promouvoir. À plus grande échelle, ces constatations nous amènent à réfléchir à la construction de la mémoire collective, un phénomène bien illustré par le processus d'héroïsation. En effet, ce processus où l'homme devient héros représente aussi la mise en commun et la modification des mémoires qui existent au sujet de Maurice Richard. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : Histoire du Québec, XXe siècle, Maurice Richard, Héros, Hockey, Mémoire.

Depuis longtemps, plusieurs acteurs de l'industrie du sport au Québec se sont penchés sur la question de la sous-représentation des Québécois dans la Ligue Nationale de Hockey. Ce sujet a fait couler beaucoup d'encre dans les médias québécois, car il intéresse un grand nombre d'individus. Contrairement aux théories qui attribuent cette sous-représentation à une discrimination envers les Québécois, nous croyons que cette sous-représentation est plutôt causée par une préférence pour des joueurs de provenance locale. De plus, puisque le nombre d'équipes varie selon les régions et sachant que l'ouest est composé de trois équipes contre une seule pour le Québec, il devient normal que la demande pour des joueurs de l'ouest soit plus élevée que la demande pour des joueurs québécois. Notre étude empirique s'appuie sur les données du repêchage de la LNH, à partir de la période commençant en 1970 se terminant en 2011. Ces données nous ont permis de découvrir des signes de discrimination favorable envers les joueurs de provenance locale dans la LNH. Pour ce faire, nous avons catégorisé chacun des neuf mille six cent soixante-huit joueurs repêchés selon leur provenance et nous avons fait de même pour les trente-neuf équipes qui ont évolué durant cette même période. Nous avons ensuite comparé le taux de joueurs de provenance locale pour chacune des régions d'où proviennent les équipes. Nous avons constaté que les équipes en provenance du Québec possèdent l'écart le plus élevé entre le pourcentage de joueurs locaux choisis lors des repêchages par rapport à la représentation des joueurs québécois dans le reste de la LNH. Effectivement, les résultats obtenus indiquent qu'il y aurait un écart de cent-treize pour cent pour les équipes du Québec alors, qu'en moyenne, pour les autres régions de la LNH, les écarts tournent autour de vingt pour cent. Par ailleurs, à l'aide d'hypothèses en lien avec le nombre de joueurs disponibles par province, nous démontrons que les joueurs provenant de l'OHL sont surreprésentés par rapport à ceux provenant du Québec. Nous terminons notre étude en régressant le rang auquel les joueurs de Club de hockey Canadien furent repêchés en tenant compte de leur taille, de leur poids et, à l'aide d'une variable binomiale, nous comptons démontrer que le coefficient de l'origine est significatif. Le coefficient obtenu est -23,7196 et la valeur P ainsi que la statistique T nous permettent de rejeter l'hypothèse nulle. Donc, les joueurs locaux seraient sélectionnés plus tôt lors des repêchages de la LNH. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLÉS DE L’AUTEUR : économie, discrimination, LNH, joueur, francophone, sport, hockey, provenance

This study investigated the effects of progressive dehydration by 1.5-2.0% body mass (BM) (NF) on core temperature (Tc), heart rate (HR), on-ice performance, and mental fatigue during a 70-min scrimmage, compared to maintaining BM with a carbohydrate-electrolyte solution (CES). Compared to CES, Tc was significantly higher throughout the scrimmage in NF. Players in NF had reduced mean skating speed and time at high effort between 30-50 min of the scrimmage. Players in NF committed more puck turnovers and completed a lower percentage of passes in the last 20 min of play. Post-scrimmage shuttle skating time was higher in NF. Hockey fatigue questionnaire total score and Profile of Mood States fatigue score was higher in NF. The results indicate that mild dehydration compared to maintaining BM with a CES resulted in increased Tc, decreased skating and puck handling performance, and increased mental fatigue during an ice hockey scrimmage. / Gatorade Sports Science Institute, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

This study investigated the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) coaches' perceptions of the existing process of referral and collaboration between themselves and psychologists, as well as ways to improve this process. Thirteen of the 15 head coaches were interviewed. The Coach Interview Questionnair provided the framework for the semi-structured interviews. Participants provided responses which included demographic information, information regarding the current referral process, their current level of collaboration, their satisfaction, attitudes and beliefs about referral and collaboration, as well as what player problems require referrals. The findings indicated that there is a substantial need for psychologists to be involved with junior "A" hockey players. A comprehensive guidance and counselling program is recommended to the AJHL in response to the expressed needs for psychological services. / x, 177 leaves ; 29 cm.

This study examined the multiple roles of adult ice hockey in the Canadian context. More specifically, it investigated the importance attached to victory versus play elements, specific motives for playing, as well as Machiavellian behaviour during play in eight different forms of ice hockey. The sample consisted of 214 players in hockey forms ranging from the least structured and organised, such as "pick-up hockey", to that of the highly competitive inter-university variety. The Ideal-Type Play/Game Paradigm, proposed by Salter (1980), was used as a basis to investigate players' importance attached to victory versus play elements. To study specific motives for participation and Machiavellian behaviour across hockey forms, a Participation Questionnaire was developed by the investigator. Results indicate that, as the activity became more structured and organised: (1) the importance of victory as compared to play elements became more pronounced (F = 11.09, p $<$.001); (2) motives changed (F = 5.55, p $<$.05); and (3) Machiavellian tendencies increased (F = 50.71, p $<$.001). Results further indicate that, across hockey forms: (1) achievement/status (F = 22.68, p =.00) and skill development (F = 22.29, p =.00) motives increased in importance with structure and organisation for play; (2) excitement/challenge (F = 4.58, p =.00) and social affiliation (F = 3.85, p =.00) motives changed somewhat; and (3) fun (F = 2.38, p =.02), team affiliation (F = 3.25, p =.00) and energy release (F = 2.26, p =.03) motives were fairly common and important. It was also found that to improve fitness as a motive for participating was not a significant discriminator since it was felt to be important by players in all hockey forms. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

This thesis will discuss the results of a two-year 90 game study to consider the role violence and aggression plays in competitive minor hockey and its role as a mechanism for injury. The second objective of this thesis was to determine the contextual factors that lead to injury on the ice. Using a mixed methods approach, the study followed three minor hockey teams from the Ottawa-Gatineau region over two sporting seasons. The study found that players are not being injured due to aggressive or violent play but rather players are being hurt within the rules of the game. The contextual factors that were shown to lead to injury included: (1) body-checking, (2) time of the game, (3) player’s body mass, (4) position played and (5) legal plays. Injuries were also broken down by anatomical site (head/neck, upper body and lower body); the upper body was affected by injury most.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1996. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [260]-276).

Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka hur hockeyfältet gör skillnad mellan kön och vidare undersöka hur genus görs inom hockey. Detta genom kvalitativa intervjuer med tränare samt genom observationer av spelare i blandlag. Skillnader som fältet gör gäller främst resursfördelning och regelskillnader mellan tjejer och killar samt en uppdelning av könen i olika lag efter en viss ålder och nivå. Skillnader görs även med utgångspunkt i sexualitet utifrån en heterosexuell norm. Hur genus görs av tränare är främst genom förväntningar och föreställningar om agerande, vilka förklaras utifrån biologiskt kön, och genom föreställningar om kvinnlighet och manlighet samt genom spelares agerande utifrån dessa förväntningar och föreställningar. Genus konstrueras av tränare och spelare genom en uppfattning om heterosexualitet som norm inom fältet, genom sexism, homofobi och homosocialitet. / The purpose of this essay is to examine how the ice-hockey field creates a difference between females and males, and further on analyze how gender is constructed in the game of ice-hockey. The research is based on qualitative interviews with coaches and observations of mixed-gender ice-hockey teams. The differences between genders that are constructed by the field are mostly shown through the distribution of financial resources and regulatory differences between girls and boys, as well as through the separation of the sexes into different teams based on their age and level. Differences are also constructed on the basis of sexuality, originated from a heterosexual norm. Gender is also constructed by coaches that often form expectations and beliefs of a player’s performance based on their biological sex, which involves expectations of femininity and masculinity. Gender is also constructed by coaches and players based on an assumption of the heterosexual norm within the field shown through sexism, homophobia and homosociality.

Title: Efficiency of shooting transferred from the training process to a match Objectives: The diploma thesis is focusing on gathering information about shooting in ice hockey, creating excercises, two training units for shooting and then evaluating collected statistics on shooting from the whole season of one youth team. Attention will be given to a comparison of the productivity and efficiency of the shooting in order to find out how useful the invented exercises had been to improve shooting throughout the season. Methods: The diploma thesis uses experimental methods in order to incorporate fictional exercises to the training process. Consequently statistics that were collected throughout the season were used to check whether the increase in productivity and shooting efficiency was positive. Results: The considered set was separand by the selected statistics into three time periods. The subsequent comparison led to an increase in productivity and efficiency during the whole season. Key words: shooting, hockey stick, ice hockey, pass, match, puck