Blackhawks receive guidance from professor at the University of Guelph

The Chicago Blackhawks have sought the expertise of a University of Guelph professor, known for their background in health and performance research, to help elevate the performance levels of the team's players.

Who is the professor joining the blackhawks as a high-performance advisor?

Jamie Burr has been selected as the team's high-performance advisor, assuming the role of a sports science expert who enhances the training and performance routine of the players. As a professor in human health and nutritional sciences, Burr brings a wealth of knowledge in cardiac physiology, having previously worked closely with Olympic athletes and served as a consultant for several professional teams.

Burr is currently the director of the Human Performance and Health Research Laboratory at the University of Guelph's College of Biological Science. His schedule for the next three years includes splitting his time between Chicago and U of G, where he will be supervising graduate students. In addition, Burr contributes to the development of players at the Rockford IceHogs, the Blackhawks' AHL affiliate, before they make their way to the team.


Prior to joining the Blackhawks Burr was primarily focused on studying the cardiovascular effects of exercise on athletes, as well as delving into nutrition and sleep science.

A sports team has on board a medical team, trainers, physical therapists, dieticians, mental health professionals, strength and conditioning coaches, analysts, data scientists, and researchers, with sports science amalgamating these various disciplines making Burr a key member of the team's hockey strategy and analytics department, he evaluates a variety of factors that influence a player's training and on-ice performance. Moreover, the team has the ability to detect instances where players are pushing themselves too hard and can provide guidance on injury recovery.