slap shot science
Reviewed by Charmayne Mulligan, Davenport University
8 april 2016 archive
Slap Shot Science explores the sport of hockey from a scientific perspective. The author's goal is to help fans understand the science behind the equipment, techniques, and players within the sport. Using primarily physics and statistics, Haché's text dissects the sport and reconstructs for the reader various aspects from the design of the skating rink, to the movement of the puck, to various ways in which a hockey stick can be customized for professional players, and ultimately, whether wins can be predicted using a statistical model.
The text is divided into three periods, the same as a game of hockey. The first period includes the first three chapters: The Rink, The Skate and The Shot. Chapter 1, The Rink, discusses the construction of the ice and paint used in building the playing surface and explains the science behind the choice between tempered and Plexiglas walls which surround the rink. Fans will especially appreciate the discussion of how the Zamboni works. Friction is also discussed.
Chapter 2 takes apart a player's skate. The detailed discussion of blade sharpening highlights the complexity of this piece of equipment that fans who have never played the sport might not consider. A part of the discussion is how various adjustments to the equipment can benefit players who are prone to certain types of injuries.
The Shot, the final chapter of the first period, discusses the variabilities of the hockey stick and the effects these choices have on shot accuracy; position, experience, age and size as well as personal preference are all factors which influence players' choices. The construction and aerodynamics of the hockey puck and how it moves around the ice are also discussed.
The second period includes The Best, The Goalie, and The Injury. Chapter 4, The Best, looks at the best players within the game and uses statistics with regard to fitness and performance. All positions, with the exception of the goalie, are included here. Chapter 5 focuses on the goalie in much the same way, including a discussion of the statistical value of the save percentage. Of interest to the casual fan may be the discussion as to why goalies are generally not used in "relief" situations as pitchers are in baseball.
Chapter 6, The Injury, closes out the second period. This chapter discusses how force, pressure, weight, strain and speed impact injuries within the game and how equipment works to protect players from these injuries.
The third period includes the final chapter called The Odds. The chapter includes formulas for predicting wins that compare the odds of one team winning and the odds of another team losing. Other factors are considered such as whether the team is playing on home ice, playing two games in a row, or on a winning or losing streak. Predicting wins is very difficult primarily because of the parity between teams in professional hockey, and, as Haché writes, "most teams have a fair chance of winning any given game" (135). This chapter also analyzes formulas which can be used to determine whether performance in certain areas indicates a fluke or a significant change by the player or team. Examples of player and coaching changes are used to show how, in some instances, variations in player or team performance were within the expected fluctuations. The author acknowledges, though, that no amount of statistical evaluation can remove decisions which are sometimes driven by the human factor of the angry fan or frustrated owner.
Haché has dedicated a great deal of study to the science of hockey. This is his second text on the subject, and his knowledge is evident in the text. The previous book, The Physics of Hockey, was published in 2002. The text is a well-researched look at the sport, and the author relies on his own original research along with previously-published academic and scientific work and advances in product development. Figures, photographs, and data tables enhance the text and are used to illustrate key points. Depending on the reader's approach, the text either presents interesting facts which can be gleaned from a quick read or raises questions for deeper consideration and study.
There is much to be learned from the text, even if the reader is not fully grasping all of the intricacies of the explanations Haché gives. While it is described as being a text "everyone can understand" casual fans of either science, the sport, or both may find some of the information inaccessible. I would recommend this text for die-hard fans of either the sport or the science. Also, it would be an excellent resource for sports-related examples for relevant courses; however, it would be a bit out of place in a sport literature, psychology, management or marketing course.
Slap Shot Science: A Curious Fan's Guide to Hockey.
Alain Haché. 176 pp. including appendix, list of abbreviations, and index; $28.95; Johns Hopkins University Press
Copyright © 2016 by Charmayne Mulligan