A pilot study on bio-banding in male youth ice hockey: Players' perceptions and coaches' selection preferences.

Classifying athletes based on estimates of biological maturation (i.e., bio-banding) as a supplement to traditional age grouping has been shown to be a potential tool for enriching player development in team sports; however, bio-banding has not yet been evaluated in ice hockey.

Who Reaches the NHL? A 20-Year Retrospective Analysis of Junior and Adult Ice Hockey Success in Relation to Biological Maturation in Male Swedish Players.

Objectives: This study investigated the relationship between biological maturation and success in adolescence and adulthood in male Swedish ice hockey players.

Methods: Anthropometric records of players in certified ice hockey high schools between 1998 and 2017 were retrieved (n = 4787). The database was complemented with records of Swedish junior national teams (U16, U18, U20) and National Hockey League (NHL) appearances.