WHY REST AND RECOVERY MIGHT BE THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF YOUR HOCKEY JOURNEY
Every year, I see it happen. A young player(s) who once had fire in their eyes suddenly starts going through the motions. They used to compete at all times. Now they go through the motions when it's time to gear up. What changed?
They didn’t stop loving hockey. They stopped getting a chance to miss it.
Let’s talk about the overlooked but absolutely critical piece of development in youth hockey: rest and recovery.
1. Hockey Year-Round Can Lead to Burnout and Injury
Hockey is a demanding sport—on the body and the mind. When you play it all year long without meaningful time off, the risk of burnout, overuse injuries, and mental fatigue skyrockets.
Burnout is real. According to a study published in the Journal of Athletic Training, young athletes who specialize in one sport too early (like hockey year-round) are 70% more likely to experience burnout.
Injuries from overuse are on the rise. In fact, orthopaedic surgeons are reporting a spike in hip impingement surgeries in teenage hockey players—linked to repetitive skating with minimal rest.
Pro insight: NHL defenseman Ryan McDonagh has openly discussed the importance of rest, noting that early in his career he pushed too hard in the off-season and didn’t come into camp refreshed. Now, he prioritizes downtime to extend his career.
2. Passion Can Fade Without Breaks
One of the saddest trends I see? Players peaking mentally at 13 or 14—and flatlining from there.
Why? Because hockey became a job before it was ever truly a passion.
At the junior and college levels, I’ve seen kids who were always on the top lines at summer showcases start to stall out. Meanwhile, a lesser-known player—who loves to compete—passes them by. Why? Because hunger beats hype. Passion beats pedigree.
If hockey starts to feel like an obligation rather than a privilege, that’s a warning sign.
3. Skating Isn’t a Natural Movement
Skating is one of the most unique movement patterns in sports—and not a natural one for the human body. It heavily stresses the hips, groin, and lower back.
Doing this motion 12 months a year, especially during developmental years, can lead to long-term structural problems. Hip surgeries, femoroacetabular impingement (FAI), and labral tears are becoming alarmingly common in youth players.
Solution? Cross-training.
Sports like soccer, basketball, swimming, or even martial arts work the body in different planes of motion, helping balance development and reducing injury risk.
NHL case study: Sidney Crosby played baseball, soccer, and golf growing up. So did Nathan MacKinnon. Multi-sport athletes often become more well-rounded and resilient. If you take some time off Hockey and insert other sports, you’re not going to lose your Hockey skills, you may even broaden them with the aquisition of learning new movement skills.
4. Rest Isn’t Doing Nothing—It’s Doing Something Different
When we say “take a break,” we don’t mean lie on the couch for a month.
Shoot pucks in the driveway. Stickhandle with a tennis ball. Play roller or ball hockey with friends. Even better—play a new sport, go hiking, learn how to strength train safely, or simply have new life experiences. A lot of it is taking a break from structure. You don’t always need to be getting coached or told what to do. Go play.
What you’re doing is giving your central nervous system a break. Hockey demands intense focus, repeated explosive effort, and constant decision-making. That’s not sustainable without rest. Time away helps recalibrate your focus, reset your motivation, and rekindle your love for the game.
5. Hockey Has to Stay Fun
If you’re being told what to do 12 months a year, with structured practices, private lessons, team meetings, and skill camps—it can become monotonous. Exploration and creativity suffer.
Remember, some of the best players in the world fell in love with the game not at a summer camp, but in the driveway, the outdoor rink, or a game of shinny where no one told them what to do.
Advice for families: Protect your child’s right to play. Let them fall in love with the fun of hockey, not just the grind of it.
Final Thoughts
I know it’s tempting to keep pushing—one more camp, one more tournament, one more private session. But real growth needs space. Great players are built not just through reps and effort, but through thoughtful rest, recovery, and reflection.
So if you’re a parent or player reading this and feeling guilty for taking a few weeks off—don’t. You’re doing the right thing. And when the season rolls around again, you’ll hit the ice with more energy, more passion, and more purpose.
The best players don’t just play harder. They recover smarter.