High Return to Play and Variable Salary Impact After Hip Arthroscopy in National Hockey League Players

Q3 Medicine Arthroscopy Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Pub Date : 2025-02-01 DOI:10.1016/j.asmr.2024.101006

Michael A. Gaudiani M.D. , Joshua P. Castle M.D. , Muhammad J. Abbas M.D. , Matthew J. Myhand B.S. , Thomas J. Sprys-Tellner B.S. , Jack T. McConnell B.S. , Brittaney A. Pratt B.S. , T. Sean Lynch M.D.

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Abstract

Purpose

To assess the impact of hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS) on National Hockey League (NHL) player performance, career length, and salary.

Methods

Through a retrospective review, all NHL players who underwent hip arthroscopy for FAIS from 2003 to 2023 were identified from a public online database. A 2:1 matched control cohort was used for comparison. Game use and performance metrics were collected and compared at 1 season and 3 seasons before and after the index season. Game use, performance, and salary were compared between operatively managed players and healthy controls. Performance measures and financial data were recorded.

Results

Of the 75 NHL players who underwent hip arthroscopy, 66 (88%) returned to play and were matched to 132 healthy controls. At 1 season after the index season, the operative cohort of NHL players showed a significantly decreased Corsi percentage compared with the year prior (48.4% ± 5.2% vs 50.8% ± 4.2%, P = .024). The control cohort showed an increased Corsi percentage (51.6% ± 5.1% vs 48.9% ± 8.1%, P = .011) and increased Fenwick percentage (51.3% ± 4.6% vs 48.8% ± 8.0%, P = .013) at 1 season after the index season. On financial analysis, by season, injured players in the lower salary group showed lower earnings at season 2 ($1,360,000 ± $910,000 vs $3,950,000 ± $3,300,000; P = .012). However, by cumulative earnings, the total injured cohort showed higher earnings at season 4 ($17,300,000 ± $7,760,000 vs $12,960,000 ± $8,100,000; P = .041), driven by higher cumulative earnings in the highest salary group in seasons 3 and 4.

Conclusions

After hip arthroscopy for FAIS, 88% of NHL players successfully return to play. Career length was found to be similar between the injured and matched groups. One season after surgery, NHL players showed worse performance compared with their prior season, but this returned to baseline 3 seasons after surgery. Lower-salary players in the injured group showed decreased salaries at 2 seasons after the index season compared with controls, whereas no differences were found in cumulative salaries.