Fair about impact on your joint, but stopping, starting, turning on skates isn't hard on ligaments and tendons? Especially ankles and knees? The weird angles it creates?
That's not even bringing in the physicality of the sport. Hockey plays back to backs just like NBA and you don't see dudes 'load managing' except goalies.
I mean the league has stepped in saying you need to play X amount of games to win awards it's gotten so bad with guys taking nights off.
Hockey is definitely more physical and has more direct impact for collisions. It definitely has much higher risk for some injuries, like concussions for instance.
But skating vs running and jumping, actually protects their joints, and muscle/ligaments for that matter. The ground reaction forces are significantly lower, and the plyometric activity also much lower, which loads muscular tissue more.
I agree that hockey players are tougher, no question. But I also believe that there is a bigger need for load management in basketball. The combination of running, jumping, the long season, the long games, and the size of the athletes themselves makes basketball maybe the most dangerous sport for chronic injuries.
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