Psychological Testing in the NHL
I have always had a keen interest in the process that goes into getting drafted (being selected) into the National Hockey League. As a kid growing up in Canada I would spend a great deal of time learning about the best players and what makes them so uniquely talented. Until more recently I assumed the key was purely physical. Whether it was a combination of strength, endurance, or an innate ability to stickhandle seemed to trump any other possibility.
Although the inherent importance of physical attributes to pro athletes is undeniable, in more recent years a new trend has begun to emerge. In 2007, as a response to requests by NHL franchises, potential high-end draft picks began to be evaluated psychologically. Along with standardized physical tests (VO2 max tests, chin ups, etc.) the NHL utilizes trained professionals (psychologists and medical doctors) to test the mental capabilities of young players. A former player, Joe Day, along with his company helped formulate the personality tests. Around hockey circles these new methods are known as the ‘virtual coach’ test.
To me, implementing psychological tests on players seems like an appropriate step in the right direction. However I’m curious as to why the NHL has lagged so far behind other sports in the use of psychological evaluations. For example, the National Football League has been using the Wonderlic Cognitive Ability Task for years.
The NHL psychological evaluation is a long process that uses computerized tasks to examine cognitive ability (both before and after stressors are applied) as well an extended personality test to determine somewhat ambiguous concepts such as ‘coachable’ or ‘mentally tough.’
For now, I’m in favor of utilizing psychological tests during the draft process. However, I remain skeptical of some of the testing methods. For example, a 2005 study on the Wonderlic Cognitive Ability Task yielded low correlations for the success of NFL quarterbacks. This kind of result suggests that the NHL (albeit different than the NFL) will need to be vigilant in adapting their questions and methodology over time.
Psychological testing in the National Hockey League remains in its infancy. The data is scarce and I believe teams must not over exaggerate the importance of these one-day tests. This process remains an imperfect science, and teams will need to remain up-to-date on the research in order to pick the ‘right’ player.
