A breakdown of how performance fueling impacts what your player actually gets out of their off-season development
1. Skating & Edge Work
The Investment: Private lessons for skating and edge work, power skating clinics
The Expected Result: Improved top-end speed, explosive first steps, quick transitions, “shifty” agility, and the ability to blow past competitors
The “Unfueled” Reality:
Heavy legs and not quite having that same explosiveness in their first few steps or that extra elite gear in their stride
The “Why”
Elite skating is powered by muscle glycogen—the primary fuel source for repeated high-intensity efforts.
Glycogen availability is directly dependent on how the athlete is fueled.
This isn’t just about total intake or eating “clean.”
It’s about how effectively glycogen is:
- restored between sessions
- maintained across the day
- and available at the time of output
When replenishment doesn’t match the demands of high-frequency skating, off-ice training, and on-ice work, the athlete can start in a partially depleted state and continue to draw from a limited reserve.
The Result
Explosive output becomes difficult to produce and sustain.
The athlete may never reach full speed, or may only hold it briefly before output drops:
- first-step quickness is limited
- edge work loses sharpness
- pace and acceleration don’t quite reach their top level
The session still gets completed, but not at the level required to develop elite skating.
They’re not consistently training at maximum output—they’re operating below it.
HPN Insight
Performance fueling determines whether the athlete can consistently access that level of explosiveness and skating ability.
2. Skills Clinics
The Investment: Shooting lessons, puck protection and battle drills, and small-area skill development
The Expected Result: Winning 1-on-1 battles, maintaining puck control under pressure, improving shot accuracy and shot power, and becoming harder to play against
The “Unfueled” Reality:
Reaching, fumbling pucks, getting knocked off the puck, missing the net and not getting full power behind shots
The “Why”
Skill execution at this level depends on neuromuscular control and precision under pressure.
That is directly influenced by how the body is fueled.
Skills clinics are built around:
- high-repetition puck touches
- quick adjustments in tight space
- and executing while engaged physically
Those demands require:
- consistent energy availability
- stable blood glucose levels
- and the ability to sustain repeated high-intensity efforts
When fueling doesn’t support that:
- fine motor control becomes less precise
- timing is slightly off
- and force transfer through the stick isn’t consistent
The Result
The athlete has the skill set…
but in contested situations:
- puck control breaks down
- positioning is harder to hold
- shots don’t come off as cleanly or with the same power
- and plays don’t get executed at the level they’re capable of
The reps are being done, but not always at the level required for that skill to consistently carry over.
HPN Insight
Performance fueling determines how consistently those skills can be executed with control and strength under pressure.
3. Strength & Conditioning
The Investment: Personal trainers, strength and conditioning programs, team dryland/workouts, speed and agility work
The Expected Result: Increased strength, added muscle, improved explosiveness, and a more physical presence on the ice
The “Unfueled” Reality:
Getting stronger in the gym without seeing that strength show up on the ice, adding weight that doesn’t make you stronger but actually slows you down, and physical development that doesn’t match the work being put in
The “Why”
Strength and speed development are driven by adaptation to training, not just the training itself.
That adaptation is dependent on performance fueling and recovery.
Off-ice training creates the stimulus:
- lifting
- sprint work
- power development
But the actual results—muscle growth, strength gains, and usable performance—are built during recovery.
Recovery itself is dependent on:
- sufficient energy availability
- adequate protein to support muscle repair and growth
- proper nutrient timing
- and adequate rest
When performance fueling and recovery don’t match the demands of training, the body stays in a breakdown state instead of fully adapting.
The Result
The work is being done…
but the return on that work is limited:
- strength doesn’t show up the way it should
- added weight doesn’t translate into better performance
- and physical development doesn’t match the level of training
HPN Insight
Performance fueling determines how effectively the body adapts to training and recovers between sessions.
4. Video Breakdown, Hockey IQ, & Mental Performance
The Investment: Video breakdown sessions, Hockey IQ training, and mental performance coaching
The Expected Result: Faster decision-making, better reads, improved positioning, and the ability to anticipate and execute plays at a higher level
The “Unfueled” Reality:
Not recognizing what’s happening quickly enough, slower decisions under pressure, and not executing plays as quickly or cleanly as expected
The “Why”
Even being able to stay focused through a 30–60 minute video session depends on how the athlete is fueled.
Low energy availability or unstable blood sugar makes it harder to:
- focus
- retain information
- and stay engaged through the lesson
Decision-making and Hockey IQ are dependent on cognitive processing speed and nervous system function.
That is directly influenced by performance fueling.
These sessions train:
- pattern recognition
- anticipation
- and decision-making under pressure
But execution at game speed requires:
- consistent energy supply to the brain
- stable blood glucose levels
- and efficient neural signaling
When performance fueling doesn’t support those demands:
- processing speed slows
- reaction time increases
- and execution lags behind recognition
The Result
The athlete knows what to do but can’t execute at game speed.
HPN Insight
Performance fueling determines how quickly the athlete can process, react, and execute in real time.
5. Spring Tournaments / Showcases
The Investment: Tournament fees, travel expenses, hotels, and showcase entry fees
The Expected Result: Consistent high-level performance, the ability to compete against top players, and standing out in front of coaches and scouts
The “Unfueled” Reality:
Being fatigued both physically and mentally coming off a long season without fully recovering before spring, performing well early but fading as the weekend goes on, and being seen by coaches and scouts when they’re not at their best
The “Why”
Tournament play places repeated demands on the body over a short period of time.
Multiple games, limited recovery windows, travel, and schedule disruption all increase the need for performance fueling and recovery.
Maintaining performance across a weekend requires proper fueling and hydration before the weekend even begins, along with:
- consistent energy availability
- glycogen replenishment between games
- proper hydration
- and recovery that keeps pace with the schedule
When performance fueling doesn’t match those demands, each game draws from a decreasing reserve.
The Result
The athlete is capable…
but:
- energy and output drop as the weekend progresses
- recovery between games isn’t enough to maintain performance
- and the level of play doesn’t stay consistent
The opportunity is there, but the performance doesn’t fully hold up across multiple games.
HPN Insight
Performance fueling determines how well the athlete can sustain performance across multiple games in a short time frame.
Bringing It All Together
If this is what your player’s development looks like, the next step is making sure their fueling matches it.
That’s where the gap between effort and results starts to close.
About The Author
Terry Knealing is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach, Sports Performance Nutritionist, and USA Hockey Level 4 Coach with a passion for helping serious hockey players reach the next level.
As the founder of Hockey Performance Nutrition (HPN), Terry has worked with hundreds of athletes — from youth to pro — to create fueling strategies that maximize on-ice performance, speed recovery, and support long-term development.
With decades of coaching experience and a proven track record in elite sports performance, Terry’s programs go beyond generic advice. Every plan is built to fit the unique demands of hockey, the schedule of real hockey families, and the goals of each individual player.