Doping in the NHL

[beaucoup_fish 0]

Dick Pound estimates that as much as 1/3 of NHLers are gaining from "pharmaceutical assistance." Any thoughts? I can't see any obvious signs, but Todd Fedoruk and Sean Avery might be having brain issues from their 'roids.

In all seriousness though, I'm not sure any of the skilled guys will get any benefit from it - how much harder or more accurate are they going to shoot if they're juicing? The bruisers maybe...

Article Here.

[Cavs019 702]

I don't see how steroids would provide any benefit for hockey. Bulk = slow.

[thejackal 46]

Remember the cold medication debacle in 98?

[beaucoup_fish 0]

I agree with both of you.

Look at the source- Dick Pound

I was wondering where Dick got his information...pulling figures out of his ass.

[Jim A 4]

Pound is in a great position, he keeps taking shots at people, using tests that have a fair share of false positives and just goes on and on...seriously I think he just spouts off to see the name Dick Pound in print

lots of players in non olympic years use sudafed prior to game..hell I use Advil Cold and Sinus before some of the 11pm games out here..

[Dan_The_Man_16 0]

Sudafed is the big drug in the AHL. I know that for a fact, my uncle is one of the team heart-specialist for the Hamilton Bulldogs. Apparently Perezhogin (sp?) was all about the sudies, and many other too. Gets the guys right hyped up to play, pumps their heart rate up. He honestly told me that he didn't know of anyone taking steriods on the 'Dogs, but he suspected only 1 player, a fourth liner, of using them for a period at the beginning of the season to bulk up.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Sudafed is the big drug in the AHL....Gets the guys right hyped up to play, pumps their heart rate up.

I wonder how many guys are re-thinking that pre-game ritual in light of Mr. Fischer's situation. I know they are directly related...but, still a good hard skate will get yoru heartrate up...dont' think you need any "extra" help.

[hockechamp14 0]

I don't see how steroids would provide any benefit for hockey. Bulk = slow.

Tell that to ben johnson. You can get steriods that will do a lot of different things. I speak for myself though in saying I have no idea if this guy is right or wrong.

[MaverickFBI 0]

Don't fool yourself : with so much money at stake there will always be a bunch of guy who'll choose to cheat. (or will be forced to accept some "medical" assistance)

Steroïd, EPO...

I just hope some of those guy won't die at 35.

[Dave 1]

steroids and EPO are rather unlikely to be hockey players' favs. Roids make you gain muscle mass. I'd bet a lot of young pros use them to fill their frames. It's ridiculous to read stories about some young pro who gained 10 or 15 lbs of MUSCLE over the summer. Not even a bodybuilder can gain that much pure muscle mass in like 4 or 5 months without taking something.

EPO is unlikely because hockey is not an aerobic endurance sport like cycling or marathon running.

The stuff that will be used most in hockey (IMHO) is more the ephedra type of drug. Something that gives your more peak energy to gain speed and to cut down anaerobic muscle fatigue.

AFAIK ephedra is now on the doping list of prohibited substances. But it wasn't until not-so-long-ago. And it is a well known fact that a high percentage of hockey pros took ephedra when there were no checks (that means 1 or 2 years ago).

[LuZZo 0]

Pound is probably pulling numbers out of his ass, but that is countered by Bettman completely sticking his head in the sand.

While it's true that hockey players may not need to be overly muscle bound to play well or get ahead, there are various types of steriods that can be beneficial to athletes in other areas besides adding muscle mass (i.e. improved cardiovascular endurance).

Steroids will help to advance whatever training is being done if cycled correctly. Hockey players would benefit tremendously from improved explosiveness in the same sense as a sprinter would.

Again steroids will help enhance any kind of training that is being done. Some will help to improve cardio endurance, and aid in losing fat. The traditional view that steroids only help to add mass is a bit inaccurate. If you train to add mass and cycle certain steroids properly, then you will. If you train to be more explosive and maintain your current build, then they will aid recovery times, strength, and muscle development.

“Aren't much of a factor in whether you can skate or not†If your in the NHL you can skate well already. They can help you gain explosiveness and make you stronger on the puck.

People always say well steroids don’t help you hit the ball (baseball) either; well does it increase your bat speed partially? Do they allow your stabilizing muscles to be developed more efficiently? Do they allow you to recoup faster and consequently allow you to take more BP?

I'm not attempting to assert that the NHL has a major problem, but there isn't any testing so we have no idea. I just don’t think that it can be dismissed because of dated views on what steroids can do for any athlete.

[QandA 0]

It's quite obvious that steroids made Wayne Gretzky arguably the best player ever.

[hockechamp14 0]

steroids and EPO are rather unlikely to be hockey players' favs. Roids make you gain muscle mass. I'd bet a lot of young pros use them to fill their frames. It's ridiculous to read stories about some young pro who gained 10 or 15 lbs of MUSCLE over the summer. Not even a bodybuilder can gain that much pure muscle mass in like 4 or 5 months without taking something.

10 or 15 pounds isn't that much April-August. The reasons body builders don't put on that much is because they have already filled out thier genetic poetential by trying to increase mass for years. Hockey players, not so much.