Quote:
Originally Posted by ricardodw
It would be interesting to have the background on the training regimes... fitness levels , recovery rates, reaction speeds, cognitive ability of the UFAs that you sign at 28/29 for 5-6 years.
If you are going to sign a UFA maybe you should have them fitness tested before signing them to 30M contracts that run into their 30s.
How did Gio, Marleau, Spezza, Chelios, Perry, Iginla, Chara, Wheeler, Paul Statsny, Pavelski compare to Neal, Lucic, Karlsson, Brouwer. at 28/29?
Some has to do with style of game and hockey smarts and attitude but there should be more of a scientific projection of what the expected fall off level is for players into their 30s.
Neal was done as a 30 year old . if you look back what sort of shape was he in when the Flames signed him?
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Just guessing but I think almost impossible to measure genetics are a huge factor in it; that and what makes the player good in the first place.
I'd assume a strong majority are in good shape, otherwise they'd be called out at the testing in camp one with the new team.
But if a player lives on speed and loses said speed he's done. A guy like Perry just adapted his game. Spezza the same way. That takes other assets to happen, but also the humility to adjust a role and not have to be the guy you used to be.
The averages say players decline at 29 but like almost anything in life a small percentage beat the average.