06/02/2026
At the NHL Combine there is one test that almost always correlates with success at the NHL level, and that test is the vertical jump. Many players and coaches will see this stat and believe that they have to be a better jumper if they want to make it to the highest levels of play. While I can understand the mindset, this stat doesn’t tell the whole story.
It’s not necessarily the jumps that make one a better/faster skater, it’s the adaptations that produce higher verticals that create better/faster skaters. If you’ve ever taken an intro to stats class, then you understand this as “correlation does not mean causation.”
Increased GRF, increased movement elasticity, better torque production in the hips, more efficient arm action, increased speed of movement, and increased strength all play a role in better jumping, and they all play a role in better, more efficient skating.
This isn’t limited to the vertical. Too many private sector coaches will fall into the trap of training their athletes to excel in their preseason tests, instead of preparing them for a long, grueling season or long term development. Don’t do this.
Should your athletes jump and should they be proficient when doing so? 100% and the athletes in my care do almost every time they come into the gym to train. There are TONS of benefits to jumping. But don’t get wrapped up in thinking that better jumping equates to faster skating or sprinting. The jump is just a training modality, not the reason. As jump height goes up, skating and sprinting speeds tend to as well.
This screenshot comes from my book The Dynamic Effort Method for Athletes where I break down the pitfalls of falling into this causative mindset when chasing speed endurance. Go check out the link in my bio to check out the book!
