When it comes to the distance covered in a team sporting event, soccer, rugby and field hockey players typically cover the most ground but ice hockey players are definitely no slouches.
The average pro hockey player skates approximately 5 miles (8 kilometres) during a 60-minute game. However, this will also depend on how many minutes the player is on the ice for. Those who play on the fourth line may only see a fraction of the ice time that a top-six forward or defenceman does.
How Many Minutes Do Hockey Players Play Per Game?
The amount of ice time a hockey player will receive in a game depends on their role on the team. The top six forwards and top four defencemen generally see the most ice time while the rest of the players share the remaining minutes.
Also, players on specialty teams such as the power-play and penalty-killing units may also get more ice time as they have a specific job to do. And of course, goaltenders technically see the most ice time as they’re usually in net for the entire game.
The most-skilled players sometimes play up to 28 minutes per contest while the average forward will play between 15 and 18 minutes and the average defenceman sees the ice about 16 to 20 minutes a game.
You can see in the above photo the ice time per Kraken player showing on the screen at the Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. On the right you can see Vince Dunn had 19:27 of ice time as a defenceman with 9 minutes in the game still remaining.
They show ice time quite regularly on the big screen at NHL games, I live in Vancouver and it is common at the Canucks games too. Ice time is how the league measures it, not by actual distance, but they certainly relate. The more ice time a player has it typically will equal more distance travelled on the ice.
How Long is a Hockey Rink Surface?
NHL rinks are 200 feet long by 85 feet wide (61 x 26 metres) while Olympic-sized ice surfaces measure 200 feet by 100 feet (61 x 30.5 metres).
NHL ice surfaces are standard these days but some arenas such as the old Boston Garden, Buffalo Memorial Auditorium and Chicago Stadium had slightly smaller ice surfaces when they were in use years ago.
Do Forwards or Defenceman Skate More Distance During a Hockey Game?
In general, a hockey defenceman will cover more distance during a hockey game simply because teams typically use just six defenders a contest and 12 or more forwards. This means defencemen receive more average ice time on a game-to-game basis.
Defenders generally take shorter shifts than forwards and cover less distance per shift as their primary job is to cover their own defensive zone and support the forwards at the offensive blue line when attacking.
The game of hockey has evolved over the years though and more and more defencemen now skate the puck out of their own end and lead rushes instead of just head-manning the puck to the forwards.
How Far Do Goalies Skate in a Hockey Game?
Hockey goalies are allowed to play the puck anywhere between their own goal line and the centre-ice red line. They can also play the puck in the trapezoid area behind their own net. However, sometimes the furthest a goalie will skate during a game will be to the bench to get a drink of water during a commercial break, if they’re being pulled for an extra attacker, or when the opposition is about to be called on a delayed penalty.
Most goalies will only skate outside of their crease and into the trapezoid area to corral the puck for a teammate and to sometimes start an offensive play by passing it. Some goaltenders prefer to stay in their net as much as possible during a game because they aren’t confident in their puck handling skills while others are the opposite.
Therefore, most goalies simply skate a few feet at a time when playing the puck in the trapezoid area.
How Far do Hockey Referees Skate During a Game?
The amount of ice covered by an NHL referee or linesman will depend on the pace of the specific game. Some contests are end-to-end affairs while others are more defence-oriented. The officials skate the entire 60 minutes though with the two linesmen typically skating slightly more than the referees.
The officials definitely cover the most miles during a hockey game however as they typically travel twice as far as the average player or more with the average being 10 to 12 miles per game (16 to 19 kilometres).
How Do Hockey Players Train to Skate Longer Durations?
Both hockey players and officials need to train on and off the ice to help build up their stamina and endurance. The best training methods will recreate the conditions which the body will have to go through during a game.
Once your body is used to dealing with short bursts of aggressive moment and expending energy you’ll be able get it used to skating for longer periods of time. For instance, you can skate several laps of the rink at once or sprint from goal line to goal line. When engaging in off-ice training, sprinting, running, biking and swimming etc can help with your endurance and stamina and can be achieved on a treadmill or stationary bike.
There are numerous exercise programs to help with your playing endurance and stamina and you may want to visit a professional trainer to find a specific program to help with your personal goals.
Final Thoughts
Although ice hockey shifts are typically under a minute long, you’re going to play numerous shifts each contest and the distance you cover will certainly add up.
Hockey players need to be in top shape to handle the rigors of the sport as they need to go all out physically each time they’re on the ice. The best way to achieve this is to make sure you’re utilizing the right on and off-ice training methods.
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Jamie is the founder of Hockey Response and he is the chief writer/ lead editor. Jamie has been playing hockey for over 20 years. He was the defenseman of the year in NL and has played Jr A level hockey. Jamie has coached several kids hockey camps and he was the assistant coach of the Western Kings.