With the off-season right around the corner, many hockey players and coaches are beginning to plan their summer strength programs. One exercise that almost always enters the conversation is the power clean.

The power clean is one of the most widely recognized exercises for developing explosive power. Its ability to improve hip extension and total-body power output is well established. When it comes to building speed and force through the hip hinge, the lift can be highly effective.

Still, the power clean is not a standard exercise in Viima Hockey’s physical development system. That choice is deliberate.

Ice hockey players arrive at off-season training with very different backgrounds. Athletes come from different age groups, development systems, and levels of technical proficiency. The power clean is a technically demanding lift that requires time, repetition, and individualized coaching to perform safely and effectively.

In a short off-season window, that requirement matters.

What Elite Preparation Can Look Like

To put elite strength and technical proficiency into perspective, future NHL star Jack Eichel reportedly performed a hang power clean of nearly 300 lbs at just 16 years old.

This example shows what is possible when technical skill and strength are developed early and correctly. Over time, that foundation tends to show up where it matters most – on the ice through skating efficiency, acceleration, and overall game performance.

The Practical Reality for Most Players

In reality, many players perform the power clean with technical inefficiencies. Common issues include poor bar path, mistimed hip extension, or ineffective force transfer. When that happens, the risk–reward equation changes. Injury risk increases while training return decreases.

Teaching proper technique also takes time. In an off-season setting where the goal is maximizing transfer to on-ice performance, that time is often better invested in methods that deliver reliable results with a lower technical barrier.

This does not mean the power clean has no place in hockey development.

The Power Clean Still Has Value

When athletes learn the movement early – ideally during their junior development years and under the guidance of a qualified strength or weightlifting coach – the power clean can become a valuable long-term training tool.

With proper technical mastery already in place, the exercise can later be integrated into high-performance training without consuming excessive coaching time.

The question is not whether the power clean works. The question is when it makes sense to use it.

Efficient Alternatives for Developing Explosive Power

Both research and applied practice show that explosive power can be developed through several methods that require less technical learning.

Examples include:

• Trap bar jumps

• Band-assisted jumps

• Band-resisted hip extension drills

These exercises can effectively target lower-body power, hip extension strength, and force transfer while remaining simple to teach and safe to execute. For many hockey players, they provide a higher return on time invested during the off-season.

A Performance-First Training Approach

In our work with professional hockey players, training decisions are evaluated through a simple lens – time investment versus performance outcome.

The power clean is an excellent exercise. It simply is not the optimal solution for every athlete, particularly when the goal is efficient off-season development and direct transfer to skating performance.

For many players, simpler methods can produce the same physical adaptations with greater consistency.

Key Takeaway

The power clean can be a valuable tool in an ice hockey player’s strength program when the athlete already possesses strong technical proficiency. Without that foundation, however, there are often more efficient ways to develop explosive power and lower-body force production.

Ultimately, the goal of strength training in hockey is not to perform impressive lifts in the weight room. The goal is to improve performance where it matters most – on the ice.

Off-Season Training for Hockey Players

For players preparing for the next season, the off-season remains the most important window for physical development.

A structured program that targets skating power, strength, and movement efficiency can make a significant difference once the season begins.

Viima Hockey has recently launched a mobile-based training platform designed specifically for hockey players, offering structured off-season programs and individualized physical preparation that athletes can follow anywhere.

If you’re preparing for the upcoming summer training period and want a proven framework for hockey-specific physical development, you can explore the program here.

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About Viima Hockey

Viima Hockey is Europe’s leading provider of individualized ice hockey coaching and player development services. From youth players to NHL professionals, we help athletes become the best version of themselves – and perform where it matters most, in the game.

Trusted by top talent and organizations, including NHL players like Miro Heiskanen and clubs such as Jokerit Helsinki, Jukurit Mikkeli, and the Swiss Ice Hockey Federation, Viima offers world-class skills training, skating development, shooting and scoring coaching, goaltending training, strength and conditioning programs, and coach education.

For more information, contact Jarno Kukila at jarno.kukila@viimahockey.com