Edmonton Oilers hold One Mile Time Trial

They are good athletes.

I'm not sure the ones over 200lbs could run sub 5:47.

Maybe some could?

I really don't know.

5:47 isn't special but it's the best I could come up with this year. So far at least.

$20 says that at most, 5 of them could run sub 5:47.

They have lots of players right now.

Not everyone will make the roster for opening night.

Who am I betting with?

Had a hockey guy on the team once. Shuffled very fast.

One mile with skates on would be way faster than 5:47..for all of them

Same as Hollywood's view of Greg's script, I too am not buying this.

I don't see anyone breaking 6 to be honest, maybe McDavid? Honestly, coming from a hockey background, these guys aren't trained to do this type of stuff. First off, these guys are heavy because the game demands physical contact. Second, the game is much more quick bursts and changing direction. It's 30-45 second shifts and then you're off, but I would say it's less exhausting than intervals as a runner.

That being said, the Sedin twins did run a 10K in 37:10ish, which is pretty quick (they are retired now).

https://imgur.com/JglqX2q

Impressive.

Here's a song I think of when I think of the Oilers:

https://youtu.be/r0lvZuZeEMw

Film Rep wrote:

All of them break 5:47, all of them.

Discus.

I doubt any of them could break 5:47. They're all clydesdales. Hockey is a power-based sport.

On War wrote:

I don't see anyone breaking 6 to be honest, maybe McDavid? Honestly, coming from a hockey background, these guys aren't trained to do this type of stuff. First off, these guys are heavy because the game demands physical contact. Second, the game is much more quick bursts and changing direction. It's 30-45 second shifts and then you're off, but I would say it's less exhausting than intervals as a runner.

That being said, the Sedin twins did run a 10K in 37:10ish, which is pretty quick (they are retired now).

https://imgur.com/JglqX2q

Geez that's way faster than I would have guessed any hockey player could run. They ran Vancouver Marathon this past May:

"While the Sedins seem to do everything alike, it appears Daniel may have been hitting the gym a little bit harder than his (slightly) older brother. Daniel’s time of 3:11:45 put him within the top 200, while Henrik finished more than 12 minutes later at 3:24:11."

Seems like they need some endurance training, still not bad at all.

On War wrote:

I don't see anyone breaking 6 to be honest, maybe McDavid? Honestly, coming from a hockey background, these guys aren't trained to do this type of stuff. First off, these guys are heavy because the game demands physical contact. Second, the game is much more quick bursts and changing direction. It's 30-45 second shifts and then you're off, but I would say it's less exhausting than intervals as a runner.

That being said, the Sedin twins did run a 10K in 37:10ish, which is pretty quick (they are retired now).

https://imgur.com/JglqX2q

Very clearly written and absolutely true.

These guys are all strong athletes and if they trained for it they could beat 5:47 but this isn't what the sport of hockey is. Like the above poster mentioned these guys are physically strong and have tremendous upper body strength, their asses are huge because they're basically in a semi-squat for 3 hours, their backs get wide as hell - this isn't speed skating where they are skating for endurance and distance; it's a highly coordinated team sport where their speed and position is largely determined but where their teammate is.

I'm sure Connor McDavid and Sergei Fedorov (of youth) could break 4:50 min/mile if they trained for it.

Kinda going off on a tangent but any other runners have a hockey background? I played hockey throughout high school and now have run 15:33 for 5k in college and I'm wondering how I stack up against other former hockey players.

The Sedin twins have been training for running for at least a year at this point in time, and they were smaller players. Which makes it a bit different from them running it while still in hockey shape.

The Sedin twins also ran a 1:24 half this spring after their marathon attempt (which they were on sub 3 pace for).

When I think of the Oilers...I think of nothing but suck since about 1991. They had one or two good seasons in there, but mostly they're irrelevant in the NHL.

I played A-div ball hockey (goes to world champs and there is hitting). There are always a few major-junior, junior-A and many junior-B level guys and the odd other guy who has played pro in Europe or the AHL - so it is competitive. rarely could any of them run well and this is sprinting, but they could kill that ball, slap it from centre 100mph.

There was the odd guy who could run decently, but usually 18 years of age and still light.

Gretzky was a good mid-d runner (for a not too-too enthusiastic runner). His sister competed in the provincial champs in Ontario. Geoff Courtnall (former Oiler, Capital, Canuck, Blues) ran a couple of 3:00+ marathons, then sub-3 once, like barely 2:58/9?? He had to lose a lot of his weight to do it - he is quite muscular. Messier didn't train as hard and was over four hours.

The Sedins probably could have been decent runners if that was a bath that they would have liked to follow. They are tall though, but certainly light.

Anyway, I can see the 200-pound guys running 6:00-6:20 and the under 200-pounders in around 5:30-5:50.

In high school I wouldn't run but maybe 10 miles a week in the winter but I played hockey 6 days a week. I ran 4:12 and 9:08 in track season. I came out of hockey season very fit.

Hockey players are the fittest professional athletes out there and it wouldn't shock me to see 10-15 guys on the oilers break 5:47 in the mile.

Colin Bennie was a big hockey player in HS and skipped NXN his season year as it conflicted with his hockey season.

http://dailyorange.com/2017/11/colin-bennie-model-consistency-one-nations-elite-programs/

All NHL players have great overall fitness and huge engines, but don't always have the specificity to translate that fitness into running. That being said, John Tortorella has always (at least since his Lightning days) started his training camps off with timed runs.

Here's a little story about his most recent camp time trial for a two mile run (temps in the 90s). Target time was 12 minutes. Winning time was 11:02.

https://www.nhl.com/bluejackets/news/blue-jackets-training-camp-notebook-two-mile-run/c-309110788

dj hank wrote:

Kinda going off on a tangent but any other runners have a hockey background? I played hockey throughout high school and now have run 15:33 for 5k in college and I'm wondering how I stack up against other former hockey players.

Hockey was my primary sport up until I switched to running full-time in high school (and then I played again in grad school (club team), although at that point running was obviously far and away my main focus). 5k/10k of 15:07/31:36, both post-college.

I agree. The mechanics are different. I know some 29-31-minute 10K guys who play a competitive level of hockey, but it wasn't even close to as competitive as pro, more like university non-varsity teams. The athlete's primary sport was running and they kept themselves light. In my ball hockey example, I was by far the smoothest and fastest runner except for very short sprints maybe and I was close to 40 -- I was also very small at 5'9" and 137 pounds. Not even fast at 37-flat, 17-high and 1:22 half.

Soccer is the closest team sport in regards to gaining distance run fitness. I know div 1/2 guys who could beat me on the roads without any training, which is pretty good for just playing soccer.

Hockey requires so much, hand-eye, timing, anticipation, speed, power, endurance, coordination (not just hand-eye, but bodily) reflexes....all the while working in the unique rhythm and ebb and flow of hockey, which is an unnatural movement for humans.

Problem with TV for someone who has never played, the intensity and speed doesn't come over very well. However, the mind sees the difference when you go out and play and then watch a game on TV, it seems ripping fast. I remember coming in even from floor hockey, road hockey or pond hockey and then watching a game and thinking that it just looks so damn good. Live and up close is amazing.

Couldn't agree more about live hockey. It's like watching two different sports. I played for 12 years and every kid dreams of playing in the NHL. The game is so fast now its unbelievable.

BTW, there was a question on a local sports talk show about which sport would you be found out the quickest if a regular guy showed up. Everyone agreed you could hide the longest in soccer because you can run around until you got to the ball and even then you could kick it down the pitch. Baseball you could play right field, but would be found out as soon as you swung at a pitch. Golf it is conceivable you could play a good first hole and not be noticed. The NBA would be second fastest discovery that you are a random guy, but you could run a bit. The fastest is hockey. You step on that ice and in 3 seconds you will be found out...and God help you if the puck finds you and dabble around with it (inevitably with your head down) because you will most certainly end up in the hospital. The only other one with an immediate tell is track from 400 and under. Anyway, the point is hockey players are absurdly good athletes and I believe most people are grossly underestimating their aerobic engines and endurance. I would be shocked if half didn't run around 5:30, 25% under 6, and the rest easily under 6:20. It is just not that hard for any decent athlete to run under 6.