Countries invest a large amount of money in talent development and talent identification. The Swedish ice hockey federation is reorganizing and evaluating the national team selection system. Relative age effect (RAE) refers to a selection bias when relatively older athletes get selected because maturity can be mistaken for talent. This study aimed to examine the selection patterns in the Swedish ice hockey national team and see if there is a relationship between selected players and their birth month. Studies on selections have been conducted in Canadian ice hockey and different leagues, but no one has investigated selections in national team ice hockey.  A Quantitative approach was used, to analyze the sample from this retrospective study.The sample contained 384 players that has been selected for the Swedish youth and junior national team once or more from five different cohorts from 1997-2001. The statistical analyses were conducted through 𝑋!test of association, 𝑋! goodness of fit and factorial ANOVA. The significance level was set to £0,05. Cramers V and h2 was used to measure the effect size.  The results showed that 78% of selected players got re-selected, and most players were entering the system early. A relationship between players birth distribution and selection for the Swedish youth and junior national team was obtained, more players selected were born in the first half of the year. No significant difference in birth distribution was found among the players that played in the World Junior Championship (WJC) in 2017-2021. 92 players were selected for the world junior championship (WJC) rosters. 139 spots were available and 58 of these were taken by underaged players. Underaged players showed a significant difference in birth distribution. Underaged players born in the first half of the year were more likely to be selected as underaged for the U20 WJC rosters compared to their relatively younger peers. No significant difference was found in players height and weight between the four birth quarters.  In conclusion, the Swedish ice hockey national team has adopted a collectivistic approach, players could enter the system at a later stage and still be selected to play in the U20 WJC. Most players are initially selected at age 16, which can indicate that the system is closed. Differences in players birth distribution were found and players born early in the year are more likely to be selected for the national team, however in the WJC squads the birth distribution evens out. / Länder investerar mycket pengar i talangutveckling och talangidentifikation. Svenska ishockeyförbundet genomför en omorganisation och ska utvärdera systemet för landslagsuttagningar. Studiens syfte var att undersöka selektions mönstren inom svensk ishockeys ungdoms- och juniorlandslag, och se om relativ ålder påverkar vem som blir uttagen till landslaget. Studier på uttagningar inom ishockey har tidigare genomförts i Kanada i olika ligor, men ingen har undersökt landslagsuttagningar inom ishockey. RAE hänvisas till en urvalsbias, där relativt äldre atleter blir uttagna på grund av att mognad kan missta sig som talang. Spelarnas position undersöktes också för att se om det finns några skillnader i uttagningar mellan olika positioner.  Studien utgick från en kvantitativ ansats, för att analysera landslagsuttagningarna genomfördes en retrospektiv studie. Urvalet bestod i 384 spelare som blev uttagna en gång eller fler, från fem olika generationer 1997–2001. 𝑋!test of association and 𝑋!goodness of fit, och factorial ANOVA användes för att genomföra dataanalyserna. Signifikansnivån sattes till £ 0,05. Cramers V och h2 användes för att mäta effektstorleken.  Resultatet visar att 78% av de uttagna spelarna blir omvalda, de flesta spelarna kommer in i systemet tidigt. Ett samband mellan spelares födelsedistribution och uttagning till det svenska ungdoms- och juniorlandslaget erhölls. Fler uttagna spelare var födda under det första halvåret (Q1 och Q2), ingen signifikant skillnad i födelsedistribution erhölls bland de uttagna spelarna för junior världsmästerskapet (JVM) i ishockey, åren 2017–2021. 92 spelare blev uttagna till JVM trupperna. Totalt fanns 139 platser tillgängliga i de svenska JVM trupperna, 58 platser fylldes av underåriga spelare. Underåriga spelare visade en signifikant skillnad i födelsedistribution. Underåriga spelare födda under det första halvåret hade större sannolikhet att bli uttagna som underåriga för U20 JVM trupperna. Ingen signifikant skillnad upptäcktes i spelarnas längd och vikt mellan de olika födelse kvartalen.  Slutsats, svensk ishockeys landslagsuttagningar har en kollektivistisk approach. Det var möjligt för spelare att komma in i systemet senare och fortfarande ha möjligheten att representera Sverige i U20 VM. De flesta spelarna blir uttagna vid 16 års ålder, vilket kan indikera att systemet är stängt. Skillnader i spelarnas födelsedistribution hittades, och spelare tidigt födda på året var över representerade i landslagen, men i junior VM truppen jämnade åldersdistributionen ut sig.

The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze the work of ice hockey clubs work to create audience interest in women's ice hockey from a gender perspective. This study also aimed to investigate two different perspectives. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with representatives of different clubs and their organized fan clubs. The results were analyzed in a gender perspective where the mainstarting point was Coakley's orthodox gender ideology with a main approach of male-dominated, male identified and male-centered point of view. A thematic analysis was used to process the material from the interviews. The study found that the clubs aimed to improve women's ice hockey and create value for the audience. However, traditional views of gender negatively affected the respondents' views on female ice hockey and players, often comparing them to male ice hockey players. The respondents also believed that it will be difficult to be equal because of men's hockey culture and history. The study concludes that traditional gender views consciously and unconsciously affect women's activities.

Professional sports leagues in North America have seen scandals, controversies, and tragedies. There is, however, a forgotten scandal that happened in the 1990s: the Russian Mafia came dangerously close to the National Hockey League. This thesis explores the alleged Mafia connections by examining newspaper and magazine articles and documentaries focused on the issue. The limited public response to allegations of Russian Mafia involvement is contrasted with other professional sports controversies that were met with an immediate response by the leagues and fans. How North Americans viewed Russians during the post-Soviet era is also explored in this paper. This thesis examines why evident Mafia involvement with National Hockey League players did not provoke attention and sanctions by the league nor an outcry from the fans. This study will conclude the League did not react to the allegations because it felt as if the games were not harmed directly. Also, hockey fans did not find the allegations surprising because of the media's constant reports of corruption within Russia's borders, especially involving organized crime. Perhaps the lack of reaction by the National Hockey League and its fans suggests why this particular scandal is forgotten a mere 20 years later.

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No description available.

Background: Ice hockey is a team sport combined with martial arts. A certain level of violence is accepted within the game. The physical play results in injured players. Incidence of concussions have increased during several years in Swedish ice hockey and the Swedish Ice hockey association have initiated a preventive project to reduce concussions; Projekt Nollvision. This study is a part of the project.  Purpose: The aim of the study was to survey factors that predispose or reduce the prevalence of violent or dangerous play within Swedish ice hockey.  Method: Unstructured interviews were conducted with ice hockey players with an aggressive or a hazardous style of play. Data was analyzed with content analysis.  Result: The study shows multiple factors that influence players to use an aggressive style of play such as risk-taking in the aim to win games, highspeed in the game and annoyance from opponents. The main reductive factor was experience. Differences between male and female players was mainly greater differences concerning physical capacity among female players. Conclusion: Several factors that influence a violent style of play was identified. Male and female players share beliefs concerning violent play and that is probably an influence from the culture within ice hockey rather than gendered.  Searchwords: Concussion, ice hockey, prevention / Bakgrund: Ishockey är en lagidrott kombinerat med kampsport. I idrotten tillåts en viss nivå av våld. Det fysiska spelet får till följd att spelare riskerar att skadas. Förekomsten av hjärnskakningar har under flera år ökat inom svensk ishockey och ishockeyförbundet har initierat en satsning för att förebygga denna typ av skada; Projekt Nollvision. Denna studie är en del av projektet.  Syfte: Studiens syfte var att kartlägga faktorer som predisponerar eller minskar förekomsten av aggressiv och/eller risktagande spelstil inom svensk ishockey.  Metod: Insamlingen av data skedde i form av ostrukturerade intervjuer av spelare med en våldsam spelstil. Data analyserades genom innehållsanalys.  Resultat: Studien påvisade flera faktorer som påverkade spelare att spela mer aggressiv ishockey så som risktagande i jakt på vinst, hög fart i spelet samt irritation på motspelare. Den faktor som begränsar förekomst av våldsamt spel visade sig vara erfarenhet hos spelare. Skillnaden mellan dam- och herrspelare var främst att det finns större skillnader bland spelarnas fysiska förutsättningar inom damishockey.  Konklusion: Flera påverkansfaktorer för en aggressiv spelstil identifierades. Dam- och herrspelare var samstämmiga och uppfattningar om våldsamt spel verkar vara kulturellt betingat inom idrotten snarare än könsbunden.  Sökord: Hjärnskakning, ishockey, prevention / Projekt Nollvision

No description available.

Concussions occur frequently as a result of tackles in ice hockey. Analysis of video material may provide an understanding of the relationship between the kinematics of collisions and the risk for injury. In this thesis, two video analysis methods were used to estimate the impact velocities of 22 ice hockey tackles that resulted in concussions. The Point tracking method uses tracking of user-defined object points on the players and ice to estimate the velocities. It was used in an earlier thesis. A deep learning-based method was implemented in this thesis. It uses a pre-trained deep learning model to detect the players in each frame of the video. Both methods were validated in this thesis using soccer videos containing accelerometer data from the players. The mean error was 25.6 % for the Point tracking method and 43.1 % for the Deep learning method. The difference was not significant. Both methods calculate the player velocity as a mean from a given number of video frames before impact. The choice of the number of frames did not significantly affect the difference in estimated velocities between the Point tracking method and the Deep learning method. The Point tracking method succeeded in estimating velocities in 17 cases. The mean velocities for the attacking and injured players were 10.5 m/s and 9.3 m/s, respectively. The Deep learning method succeeded in 9 cases, and the mean velocities were 9.7 m/s and 9.5 m/s. The velocities are higher than what has been found in earlier research, suggesting that both methods may be biased towards estimating too high velocities. More investigation needs to be done to evaluate the methods’ performance, possibly by comparing with accelerometer data from ice hockey.

Although skills are not considered relevant in chance governed activities, only few studies have assessed to which extent sport expert skills in wagering are a manifestation of the illusion of control. Thus, the present paper examines: (1) if expert hockey bettors can make better predictions than random selection, (2) if expert hockey bettors can achieve greater monetary gains than what can be expected from chance, and (3) what kind of information and strategies hockey gamblers rely on when betting. Accordingly, 30 participants were asked to report their state lottery hockey bets on 6 occasions. They also filled in a questionnaire on sports wagering. Despite a rate accuracy greater than chance, the monetary gains of expert hockey gamblers are not significantly higher than what can be expected by chance. It is suggested that the information used by bettors, along with near-misses (level of precision), reinforce their perception of expertise and their illusion of control

There are six women's team sports recognized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA): field hockey, basketball, soccer, volleyball, lacrosse, and softball. Associated with each of these sports are polling procedures conducted to indicate national rankings in terms of quality of performance. These polls generally are referred to as "Top Twenty Polls." Questionnaires were designed and mailed to the coaches and selection committee members associated with the two study sports: basketball and field hockey. Respondents were to rate a series of questions pertaining to either basketball or field hockey as to the relative importance in the ranking process of the content of each question. Returned questionnaires were compiled and a frequency analysis done on the questions. Analysis showed there to be no difference between sports. or among divisions within a sport as to the selection methodology used to develop a Top Twenty Poll. A model was developed to provide unbiased information to the selection committees designed to allow for comparisons which might otherwise not be available. Following analysis, the following variables were chosen for the model: win/loss record against common opponents, scoring margin, strength of schedule during the season, "credible" losses, record for the week, record for the season, record against teams 1-10 in the top twenty poll, record against teams 11-20 in the top twenty poll, and a performance quality indicator statistic. / M.S.